I'm hoping someone can help me out here:
Usually I plug my iPod into a Power Outlet to charge it, but last night, after the battery died, I plugged it into my USB to charge it because I wanted to update some songs too. A few hours later, when I went to see if it was charged, I noticed that my iTunes did not recognize the device as being plugged in. So my iPod said "do not disconnect", but I couldn't eject it because iTunes didn't recognize it as being plugged in... so I unplugged the USB. Now I can't get my iPod to play... it keeps going to an error screen that refers me to a apple.com/support site. I went there and tried just about everything to fix it. I updated my iPod software for my computer, but I can't update my iPod because my computer won't detect that it is plugged in. I Reset it, but that didn't help. I can't Restore it, because the computer won't recognize that the device is plugged in. I'm pissed the f*ck off about the whole ordeal.
The iPod is only 3 months old, so it can be sent away for warranty. Apple sends you a pre-paid box for shipping the device to them, then sends you another iPod (again, at their expense). But I really don't want to go through all the hassle.

Can any of you gurus help me out, on how to fix my iPod?

If nobody can help, at least tell me this... should I:
A) Send my iPod to Apple to get it fixed under warranty?
B) Take it back to the store I bought it from, tell them that I spend $380 on an iPod, that crapped out after 3 months and I want my money back? If I go this route though, I would use the money to buy another iPod (5th generation), but I have a $50 iTrip FM transmitter and I don't know if it is compatible with the 5th gen. I also have a $50 iSkin cover for the iPod which isn't compatible with the 5th gen. I would have to convince them to let me return those too, so I could switch them for accessories that are compatible with the 5th gen.

What do you think? I'm really pissed about this whole ordeal!!

 

does it click when you try and play it? usually that screen means the ipod is dead and you have to send it in

 

Yup, that's what it's doing.

I don't understand how it could die though. It worked fine earlier in the day. I was listening to it in my car, then the battery died. So I went home and plugged it in to the computer to recharge it. It did it's thing, and when I checked on it a few hours later, I opened iTunes so I could eject the iPod, and the device wasn't on there, so I had to unplug it even though it said "do not disconnect". I've unplugged it like that before, and havn't had problems.
It seems like more of a glitch that froze up, rather than instantly going from 'being fine" to "being dead".

 

Two possibilities:

1) Your computer is messed up somehow and doesn't like talking to the iPod. It left the iPod's file system in an inconsistent format and the iPod needs to be formatted. Try connecting it to a different computer. (Have you rebooted your computer since this happened?)

2) Your iPod is messed up. Do the Apple warranty thing.

 

have u tried resetting it by holding down the play and menu buttons until the apple logo appears?

 

u may have to try it a few times also try toggling the hold button on and back off before each try.

 

I can relate very well to this as my ipod shuffle is doing the same thing on several different computers. I've actually had two that have done this. Even trying to use the ipod updaters I get an error message saying that "cannot mount ipod" Do a search on the phrase in the quotes and you will find that you are definately not alone. Of course tech support from apple is some of the absolute worst I have ever had.... ever for any product i've ever bought. My second ipod shuffle i luckily bought from walmart and returned no questions asked. The first was bought online from apple. I went out on a limb and directly called one of the apple stores here in TN in Nashville and as i'm headed there this weekend for the Titans game and they said they would just switch it out for me...

When i get the new one it will immediately be put up for sale on EBAY. I'm done with apple crap. I bought a samsung clip on YP-F1 player for the gym and haven't looked back. Definately no clunky quirkey proprietary software you have to use to upload music. You just drag and drop what you want to copy onto the drive and it's there. Not to mention it's smaller than the shuffle and you get a friggin display

 

They die at the most random moments, im not sure what you have to do to send it into apple. I had my ipod die numerous times last year, but my school gave us the ipods, so our IT department took care of them if they break. The fickle hard is why i upgraded to the nano. BUT from what it sounds like is that when the battery died you tried to use your computer to charge it. sometimes when the battery is too low you cant use your computer to charge it, you have to plug it into the wall to charge, so you can try that. But for the most part the clicking means death

 

First thing to do is download the iPod updater software and try reformatting the thing. 99% sure your iPod just needs a tune up:

http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

Plug the iPod in, give it a sec, and run the app.

 

exchange it