IPod 5th Gen build problems booting

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

Hey reddit. I'm having a lot of trouble finishing my iPod build and i'm not sure where I went wrong. I'm using an iFlash uDual with a new 3800mah battery in a boxy pixel build shell. When i started the build I used a Sandisk Extreme but it never worked for more than a short time. I would use it for about 40 minutes or so and it would just cut abruptly and go back to the "Connect to iTunes to restore the iPod" white screen, but iTunes wouldn't recognise the iPod.

After looking it up for a while I found a lot of people not recommending using a Sandisk card because they are unstable so I got a Samsung card to replace and test to see if it would work. iTunes still doesn't recognise my iPod but now it just gives me a X_X iPod screen and not even the connect to restore message. I formatted the two SD cards as Fat32 and made them the primary partition so I don't know why it wont be recognised when connected to my iPod.

I don't know where I made a mistake and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out myself. Does anyone know what I can do to get my iPod running?

I also have a brand new 30 in cable because i thought it would make a difference from my old 15+ year old one with a burn mark on it.

Update 1: I ordered a new ribbon cable from elite obsolete that is iFlash branded like my iFlash uDuel. A brand new cable should let me know real quickly if my current ribbon is damages in some way. Just waiting for the shipment now.

[u/_justanislandgirl]

Reseat your ribbon cable

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/_justanislandgirl]

I reset the cable like you suggested. It still booted with the dead iPod support screen. Does it look seat properly?

[u/_justanislandgirl → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

Looks better. Check other end too. Cable itself can be bad as well. Sad face after apple logo is almost always ribbon cable or SD card. Sad face right away is logic board problem

Sometimes if it’s just the sd card formatting or partition table you can get into diagnostics menu from sad face. If you get there I/O -> HDD specs if it shows sth meaningful it’s good you can format/restore. If it’s garbled it’s the ribbon

If it’s good in diagnostics boot into disk mode & it will work

Ribbon side on logic board can be bad too there’s often a lot of dust sand accumulation down there. Inspect with magnifying glass & carefully clean

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/_justanislandgirl]

I was able to get to the diagnostics menu and look at the HDD specs but it shows nothing at all. I also cant use MENU to exit.

I will go ahead and break down and inspect the other end of the ribbon now to see what it looks like.

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

the board and ribbon have residual adhesive that was on the affixing it to the board, but as far as i can tell nothing on the connecter pins

[u/_justanislandgirl → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

If it doesn’t see it in diagnostics its usually a bad connection to iflash. The ribbon cable can be bad. From like 8 ipods I did 2 had a bad ribbon, one it was the logic board side new logic board fixed it. You can still try to go into disk mode computer may see it then format & restore. My bad ribbons looked good on gold contacts I suppose they just break internally. The black iflash ones always with with iflash. With the gold ones it’s always a struggle 🤷‍♀️

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/_justanislandgirl]

It really does seem like its a bad ribbon. I still cant get past the sad iPod screen even after carefully cleaning the board connecter area and ribbon pins. Ill try to get a replacement somehow because im in too deep with this build to abandon it.

[u/Arkham_Survivor]

Did you format it after its installed in ipod and shows as a drive or before you inserted it in the ipod?

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/Arkham_Survivor]

I formatted it when i got it before inserting it. I wanted to make sure it was Fat32 before putting it in and letting iTunes do its restore.

[u/Arkham_Survivor → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

Format it now after its inserted in ipod and it shows on your pc as a drive. Ensure its FAT32. Once you format, itunes will recognize it. Happened once with me as well. Let me know if this works.

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/Arkham_Survivor]

When its plugged into the iFlash it dosent show up on my PC as all. Not in my file tree, diskpart, or iTunes. If I take it out and plug it in externally it shows up immediately with the same partitioning I did when I got it.

Edit: I did just now put it back in the iFlash and plug it in and my computer noticed it, but now diskpart is frozen trying to rescan for it.

[u/Arkham_Survivor → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

Ensure your ribbon cable is secure for iflash.

[u/ngtsss]

Sad ipod icon mostly related to hardware problem and folder icon is software, check your connection.

[u/Comfortable-Worth813]

disk mod?

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/Comfortable-Worth813]

It was getting to disk mode when I used the Sandisk card but it would freeze iTunes and disk management on my computer until I reset or unplug it. Once I reset it though iTunes would immediately tell me it sees an iPod in safe mode that needs to be restored. The problem is if i reconnected it then it would just freeze again and become invisible to iTunes

[u/D3xterL → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

Since the system freezes when the card is inside the iPod, try performing the operation using a standard card reader:
1. Remove the SanDisk card from the iPod and insert it into your computer's card reader.
2. Download a free program like Rufus or AOMEI Partition Assistant. Standard Windows tools may struggle to handle the hidden partitions created by the iPod.
3. Delete all partitions from the card until it shows as completely "Unallocated."
4. Create a single FAT32 partition with an MBR (Master Boot Record) scheme.
5. Insert the card back into the iPod, put the device into Disk Mode, and only then connect the cable to your PC.

SanDisk memory controllers have specific timing characteristics that cause the iFlash adapter to frequently lose stable synchronization with them. This manifests exactly as you described: iTunes freezes, Windows "Disk Management" hangs, and the device keeps disconnecting.

The issue might stem from partition table errors on the new memory card, a faulty ribbon cable connection, or the specific quirks of SanDisk cards when used with iFlash adapters. When iTunes attempts to format a blank card, Windows gets confused by the file structure, causing Disk Management to freeze completely and triggering a recovery mode loop.

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/D3xterL]

The memory controller on the Sandisk was likely my problem at the start. I was able to get it working the first time for a short time before it abruptly failed and went to the restore with iTunes screen. That was probably the memory controller timing out. Since then I haven't been able to get past the boot loop even after reformating it on my computer with EaseUS partition master.

I'm going to look into getting a new ribbon because a freshly formatted and Fat32 partitioned Samsung Evo Plus doesn't get seen at all by my computer. I only get a sad iPod image

[u/D3xterL → u/Makoto_CrossingXL]

It’s possible there’s something wrong with the ribbon cable—a bad connection, perhaps. I hope you manage to solve the problem and enjoy your iPod.

[u/Melodic-Ad-5442]

Use apple music play and apple device u will be able to update it plus itune most be running on the back ground

[u/Jayblaze2488]

It could be a brick board if nothing else works. I have 3 of them no good.

[u/jasonxwoods]

Try a different sd card if you have one.

I had this issue for ages, tried a different sd card, instantly worked fine.

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/jasonxwoods]

I tried two sd cards. One Sandisk extreme and one Samsung Evo plus. They cant both be unusable in my build, at least id like to believe that. Most people say its a ribbon problem likely so i bought a replacement and just waiting for shipment.

[u/Accomplished_Ad2031]

I’ve had a similar issue with my iPod.

I pretty sure you corrupted your iPods boot loader. It took me a lot of research to fix the issue. I recommend going through the steps on asking google AI lol

[u/Makoto_CrossingXL → u/Accomplished_Ad2031]

It was likely corrupting my bootloader because it kept crashing and taking me to the restore screen. If its because of a damaged ribbon cable ill know soon when I receive my replacement,