The firewire charger was the key to success for me

My Problem

The iPod would no longer run even when plugged in. Battery had swollen, making click wheel unreliable.

My Fix

I ended up using a plastic card (loyalty wallet card) to hold the top seam apart. The small opening tools were not up to the task. The rear shell now is slightly bent outward, but it's barely noticeable.

My Advice

I had trouble getting it to charge initially. I tried restoring to factory, then I got a message about plugging in the wall adapter. This model came with a FireWire power adapter (12v instead of 5v) that charges much more quickly. That seemed to do the trick.