Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position. The slider should be all the way to the right if your iPod is facing you.

Opening the iPod can be challenging. Do not get discouraged if it takes you a few tries before the iPod is opened.

Free the first retainer clip on the bottom of the iPod using the iPod opening tool. The tool's edge should point towards the metal back case to prevent scratching the plastic front.

Use this photo of the OPENED iPod for the reference, in order to locate the areas where the retaining clips are - 4 per side, one on top and two at the bottom. It should save you a lot of frustration and prevent from scratching the plastic cover.

There are four retaining clips on each side of the iPod. An iPod opening tool will be used to separate the plastic front from the metal back of the iPod.

Insert the iPod opening tool into the left side of the iPod, with the edge of the tool pointing towards the metal back.

Gently enlarge the existing crevice by wiggling the iPod opening tool and moving it to the left.

Continue doing so until the entire side of the iPod is loose.

You can then insert an iPod opening tool to the right of the Hold button. Be very careful while inserting the tool, as the display is very fragile.

Gently glide the iPod opening tool on the top of the display, making sure to free the retaining clips.

The other sides of the iPod should now easily come loose. If they do not, use iPod opening tools on the right side of the iPod in the same way as on the left side of the iPod.

Separate the front of the iPod from the back about an inch (or a couple of centimeters).

The iPod casing is now open, but don't completely separate the two halves just yet. Two ribbon cables are still connecting the back panel to the rest of the iPod.

Use angled tweezers or an iPod opening tool to slide up the brown connector latch, holding the orange battery ribbon cable in place. Make sure you pull from both sides of the latch. You only need to lift the brown connector latch up about 1-2mm to free the cable. Do not lift more or remove the latch, or you might pull the white connector with it!

Don't lift up too far or you could pull the battery connector out of the logic board.

Make sure to slide the brown connector directly upwards. The connector is frail and will break if it is accidentally shifted to the side. The connector has hooks at the bottom to hold the cable in place. As soon as you break one of the arms you will have problems putting the battery cable back on. If it breaks put the cable in the slot and then push the brown holder in place to keep the cable from slipping out.

Remove the cable from the connector.

You should now have one orange ribbon cable still attaching the front case to the back.

At this point you are able to remove and replace the blue rubber bumpers, or continue with separating the case.

Lift up the hard drive to expose the headphone jack ribbon connector (indicated by the yellow box).

If the hard drive bumpers come loose, make sure to put them back with the notch as shown in the picture.