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Upgrade Your iPod Mini With Flash Memory - No More Hard Drive!

Step 5Restoring the iPod's Firmware

$Restoring the iPod\$

Place the "naked" unit face up on a non-metallic surface and plug into your computer. Either a USB or Firewire connection will work.

Once iTunes is up, allow the program a couple of minutes to recognize the iPod. After recognition, iTunes will ask you if you want to restore the "defective" iPod. Click yes and iTunes will restore the iPod.

Once restored, the iPod will restart and iTunes should recognize the new iPod! Download a couple of songs into the unit and eject the iPod. We're almost done!

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7 comments

Jul 21, 2011. 12:29 PMeboehm says:

(removed by author or community request)

Aug 11, 2011. 6:12 PMOrkekum says:

Probably your players software is built to notice only 8GB, so how big you ever put, it will only find 8GB

Apr 24, 2009. 4:22 PMpatriciamarie says:

I am having the same issue as Wendy. It sees the ipod, but it is giving me an error when I try to restore. Any ideas?

Mar 15, 2009. 3:09 PMwendygee says:

I tried this with my stepson's mini. Everything went very smoothly, but ipod never showed up in iTunes. Any suggestions? Is it hopeless?

Apr 1, 2008. 5:06 AMbluntboy1 says:

where i get a new memory card to do this and willl a n orm cf card work and whats the largest size you can go to

Jun 22, 2007. 5:53 PMthevenerablez says:

There's something about powering up a naked unit that seems unsafe. Is there any reason the iPod OS has to be installed before the cover is put back on? The guts are easily prone to damage, so why leave them exposed longer than you have to?

Jun 23, 2007. 12:11 AM

fstedie (author) says:

It is only unsafe if you've dragging your feet on the carpet or something. Of course you can button it all up but if you didn't do something right, you'll have to take it apart again. the ribbon cables are really delicate, but the electronics are sturdier than you think ;)