Update: I finally got my old iPod Classic working again with a flash mod

I had this 5th gen iPod sitting dead for like 4 years because the hard drive kept clicking. I figured it was garbage but then I watched a 10 minute video about swapping the drive with a compact flash card and a little adapter. Picked up a 64GB card and a ZIF to CF adapter for about $35 total on eBay. After some careful prying with a spudger it booted right up and now I have all my old playlists back. Has anyone else tried this mod or got any tips for replacing the battery while I'm in there?

3 comments

3 Comments

blake7921mo agoMost Upvoted

That's exactly what I did with my 80GB model a couple years back. I actually messed up the first time because I bought the wrong kind of CF card - the old IDE types are not the same as the newer ones used in cameras. Once I got a proper dual slot CF to ZIF adapter I was golden. For the battery, just be real careful with the clips holding the ribbon cable down. I snapped one on mine and had to rig it with electrical tape. I'd say go for a 850mAh replacement from those Korean sellers on eBay, they seem to hold up better than the generic ones.

emmam891mo ago

Honestly I gotta disagree with you on this one. Those Korean batteries are hit or miss, I've had two die on me within like 8 months. Tbh the iFlash setups are way overpriced for what you get, I'd rather just keep the spinning hard drive and deal with the noise.

patricia2621mo ago

Ah man, @blake792 I totally feel you on those ribbon cable clips. I broke one on my 5th gen a few years back and had to use a tiny piece of cardboard to keep it pressed down. Works fine but it's janky. And yeah the Korean batteries are decent, I've had good luck with the 850mAh ones too. The iFlash stuff is pricey but at least you don't have to worry about the spinning drive dying on you.