Skip to main content

Model A1040 / 10, 15, 20, 30, or 40 GB hard drive / four touch-sensitive LED backlit buttons above touch wheel

97 Questions View all

Does a new iPod hard drive need to be formatted? If so, how?

I bought a hard drive for my iPod 3rd gen, but I think it needs to be formatted first. How do I go about it?

Answer this question I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Score 3
Add a comment

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

As I recall, when I replaced the hard drive on my 4th generation iPod, I just plugged the ipod with the new hard drive into my computer (a Mac) and used iTunes to restore the iPod.

Was this answer helpful?

Score 4
Add a comment

When you put a new hard drive in an iPod, there's no iPod software on it, so the iPod, if the mainboard is intact, will ask you to connect it to iTunes. From that point you can just restore it and it should work fine!

Was this answer helpful?

Score 1
Add a comment

yeah, that makes sense - have you tried it?

Was this answer helpful?

Score 0

1 Comment:

I have indeed, I repair iPods quite a bit, actually. as long as it's the same kind of hard drive, it should work fine

by

Add a comment

iPod hard drive need to be formatted? If so, how?

Update

iPod 3rd gen 40gb A10440 hard drive need to be formatted? If so, how?

Was this answer helpful?

Score 0

1 Comment:

khalil, the iPod hard drive is being formatted by iPod. Once you replace the hard drive and your iPod is working, you plug it in iTunes and the restore process will format your hard drive and install the firmware. No other steps should be necessary.

by

Add a comment

I am having this same problem -- I put a new HDD in the iPod and it isn't showing up in iTunes, on PC or on a Mac. I have charged it via FireWire (it's all charged up). I can get to the diagnostics screen, but it freezes if I choose anything. It will stay in disk mode and my Windows partition can see it just fine. I just don't know what to do to get iTunes to see it.

Was this answer helpful?

Score 0
Add a comment

Add your answer

josephleon321 will be eternally grateful.
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 0

Past 7 Days: 0

Past 30 Days: 2

All Time: 7,606