This next case is one where all of my skills at my work got pulled in. It is without a doubt the most complex iPod Touch Data Recovery case I've ever worked through.
I need to apologize for this, but the whole story is best revealed in the email exchange we had while I was getting involved in the project and then how it evolved. It started with an email from Malani Bourne who lives in Oakland California (94602) about 110 miles from here. It read,
"Hello Mr. Walburg!
How are you? I hope this finds you well.
I am writing to you about my ipod touch (4th generation). It was working on Sunday and after I plugged it in to charge it, it stopped working. I have not dropped it or damaged it.
I tried everything to reset it, but it does not reset. It will not turn on. I took it to the Apple Store in Emeryville where they said that it is indeed not turning on after their assessment and they
wanted to try to restore it. They told me I would lose all my data. I could not have that happen. The Ipod is under warranty until December 23rd, so they referred me to Drive Savers in Novato.
I dropped off the ipod on Wednesday and heard from them today that the Ipod had major mechanical failure and it was looking like a $1200 recovery.
I don't care about the apps or music, just the pictures and videos. How is this possible? Will it really cost that much?
Do you have any suggestions? Can you please help me recover my data before the 23rd?
I would appreciate any advice or help.
Thank you so much!
All the best,
Malani"
My response was a bit confident, but I am good at this task. it was,
"
> > They told me I would lose all my data. I could not have that happen.
Just between us, they obviously don't know what they are doing. You would "have" to be able to get the device to work... "turn on" in order to restore it.
A smarter goof ball working for Apple would realize the battery recharge circuits on the logic board were destroyed by the cheap charging system you used.
Which... I need to know about. What kind of car adapter did you plug it into to charge it up?
I cannot tell you the number of times I've heard about Apple employees called "Geniuses" that make a proclamation about something that is either wholly irrelevant or made up from whole cloth and is completely un-true.
> > The Ipod is under warranty until December 23rd, so they referred me to Drive Savers in Novato.
Yeah, that *might* have been effective if the iPod actually used a hard drive in it. Instead it uses NAND Flash memory chips, think USB Flash drive. Which is out of their skill set.
And the goof ball working at the Emeryville store should have known that if they were properly trained. Seriously atrocious work.
> > I dropped off the ipod on Wednesday and heard from them today that the Ipod had major mechanical
> > failure and it was looking like a $1200 recovery. I don't care about the apps or music, just the
> > pictures and videos. How is this possible? Will it really cost that much?
They aren't known for doing this. They are known for working on rotational platter hard drives.
*But* I suspect they have someone else they would send it to... like me.
You need to become accustomed to something else which no one has mentioned so far. Once this device is taken apart by anyone, the warranty is void. That is a condition of how warranties work. This device is glued together so you have to make a choice about "Do I want a data recovery or do I want to have it replaced?" You won't get both.
> > Do you have any suggestions? Can you please help me recover my data before the 23rd?
Warranty or data, you pick. The 23rd is no longer an issue once the device is dismantled.
I do have an idea on how I would approach the project. but you won't have a warranty-able device afterward.
I charge $90 to perform a Data extraction (photos and videos) and file parking on an iPod Touch. In almost every case I am able to accomplish this mission, even when there is something external that seems to make it impossible..... like the iPod was once dropped in water. What I need is the iPod and an external "drive" it can be a USB based external hard drive or a USB based Flash Drive, but the drive has to have enough free room on it that I can put a copy of all the files from the iPod on it.
The $90 fee covers my labor/skills and the return shipping for the drive and iPod.
In the EXTREMELY rare case where I am unable to achieve the mission of getting a copy of the data from the iPod, then you get the devices back and a refund of $45 of the $90 they were sent in with, but I am exceptional at this task."
She returned this message,
"Damn, you are good! That was the most information I have received. Yeah, I used my old I pod's USB charger- that used to work. I'm so dumb!
May I bring it to you once I pick it up from Drive Savers?
I'll take your option and forget about the warranty.
You totally rock, Sir.
All the best,
Malani"
And I replied back with this.
"Again, I'm good at this task, better than anyone in the Bay Area, but if
either Apple Store/ Drive Saver got into it and damaged things further I
may not be successful.
And I still may not be successful due to oddities with your Touch, but
I've performed so many of these provable miracles that I was recently
nominated for Sainthood.
I need iPod, the last thing you used to charge it (which is what we
think created the problem) and $90."
She replied,
"Wow! Thank you!
Apple did not touch the IPod and from what I gather from DriveSavers, they have not opened it either. We'll see on Monday. I'll pick it up that morning and then come your way, with the charger and $90. It's worth a shot to see your miracles in action. I'm totally up for being part of the converted that turn your nomination into real Sainthood.
Thank you again, Mr. Walburg.
I'll see you on Monday.Thanks a bunch!
Malani"
She brought the iPod and I had it here for three days working through it, but I was successful. On the 20th I sent her an email explaining that I had gotten the data *and* iPod was back together and looked factory, working perfectly.
"I've pulled the photos off the iPod and put them on the flash drive.
There were 150 of them.
I've also been able to make the iPod itself work perfectly and it has all of you files and apps still on it. As well as the near 6,000 songs. And your photos are also still on the iPod.
Not only that, I have the iPod itself looking pristine, you can't tell it ever had a problem.
I'll be sending the things back later today."
Here is her reply,
"Holy sh*t! You are a genius!
Thank you so much! I am a FW convert. Thank you, thank you!
What was the problem that caused the iPod to stop working.
Amazing. I can't stop smiling!
You rock!
Malani"
And then mine before I sent things back to her,
"> Holy sh*t! You are a genius!
Let's not get Apple up in hackles by appropriating their salesperson
moniker :)
> > Thank you so much! I am a FW convert. Thank you, thank you!
> > What was the problem that caused the iPod to stop working.
I know a lot about these things. More than every person I've ever met
"working" at an Apple store. But I'm not ready to give out all of my
secrets."
The total cost to her wasn't $1,200 it was $90 and she got a working iPod back that didn't need to be replaced.
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