After a long hiatus from iPod upgrades I am back and am offering this service once again! The most reliable iPod upgrade service is back!
Please note: return shipping is free, buyer is expected to cover shipping to me for upgrade.
This listing is for an upgrade service to upgrade your 5th or Enhanced 5th (sometimes called 5.5) Generation iPod or 7th generation iPod. You send in your iPod and I will replace your existing traditional HDD with a 256GB SD Card and Tarkan iFlash adapter and a new battery. All 5th and 5.5 Gen iPods, as well as 7th gen iPods, are compatible. 6th gen iPods, 80GB, 120GB or 160gb thick will require Rockbox to he installed in order to use the full capacity of the memory. This is an Apple limitation on those iPods.
Included with the upgrade service is:
SD Cards offer a HUGE advantage over traditional SSD upgrades as SD cards use significantly less power and generate less heat.
An SD card will be faster, lighter and use less power than the stock HDD these units come with. The biggest advantage to the SD Card over even an SSD is that an SD card uses even less power and does not suffer from the risk of Power Loss Corruption while syncing like SSDs do. An SD card is the most power efficient method of storage available for these iPods. The adapter I use in this upgrade is also known for its reliability and the most recommended for iPod upgrades. The SD cards WILL result in a battery life increase. This upgrade usually uses the iFlash Dual with 128GB cards or the Solo with a 256GB card. It just depends what is available at the time of purchase.
Please note that with this upgrade, there will be an approximate limit of either 20,000 or 40,000 tracks, depending on your iPod model (the exact limit will vary depending on how much metadata your iPod uses but should be within a few thousand of these numbers). This limit is a result of iTunes database size and the amount of RAM available in the iPods, not a result of the flash upgrade. Please see below for compatibility:
5th Generation Models:
Model numbers MA002 / MA146 / PA002 / PA146 / MA444 / MA446 / PA444 / PA446 have a limit of around 20,000 tracks.
Model numbers MA448 / MA450 / PA448 / PA450 / MA003 / MA147 / PA003 / PA147 have a limit of around 40,000 tracks.
6th Generation Models (Includes 120GB 6.5th/7th gen):
Model numbers MB029 / MB147 / MB145 / MB150 / PB145 / PB150 / MB565 / PB565 / MB562 / PB562 ALL REQUIRE ROCKBOX.
7th Generation Models:
Model numbers PC297 / MC297 / PC293 / MC293 have a limit around 50,000 tracks.
ALL UNITS CAN HAVE ROCKBOX INSTALLED IF WANTED.
THE 5TH AND 7TH GEN CAN HAVE BOTH ROCKBOX AND APPLES SOFTWARE ON THEM AND ALLOW YOU TO BOOT INTO EITHER!
You can check your iPod's model by navigating to Settings -> About. All legitimate models end in "LL", some counterfeit units from China will lack the LL at the end but are usually compatible with the upgrade. If you are unsure of which generation your iPod is please message me, and send pictures, I can usually identify through images which model the iPod is.
There is also an approximate 30,000 song queue limit. This means that if you plan on loading more than 30,000 songs on the iPod, you'll need to browse by artist, album, genre, etc. or create multiple playlists of no more than 30,000 files each. Using "shuffle all" or attempting to queue up all the songs at once to your now playing list when more than 30,000 songs are synced will cause the iPod to reboot.
If there are any existing problems with your iPod, please let me know prior to sending it, if the HDD has failed or is going bad that is not an issue as old drives are usually tested and then trashed if bad, since the drive is being swapped the HDD is not a concern.
Optional Upgrades/Extras (Please Message Me directly once purchased if interested)
FAQ:
Q: So how does this work?
A: You, the customer, purchase and pay for the upgrade service. Within 24 hours (usually within a few hours but it may take up to 24h) I will message you with my address to ship your iPod to. Once the iPod arrives, I will replace your iPod's hard drive with 256GB of flash storage and ship it back to you.
Q: What are the benefits of this upgrade?
A: Aside from the increase in storage capacity, this upgrade removes the only moving part from the iPod (the traditional HDD), making it much more durable. The upgrade will also reduce the weight, making it the perfect workout companion. A new battery will allow battery life about the same as when you got the iPod new. The SD card will be more power efficient than even an SSD. It also runs cooler than an SSD will and will not heat up during syncs.
Q: What kind of wait time can I expect?
A: Once I receive the iPod, I will perform the upgrade and ship the iPod back to you via Priority Mail within 10 business days, it may be sent first class if finished sooner. Once the iPod has been shipped back to you, you can typically expect a 2 to 3 business day delivery time.
Q: Why does ebays shipping time show 30 business days?
A: This is to allow you time to ship your iPod to me, and to allow me adequate time to get parts if needed, communicate with the buyer and ensure everything is done properly without being rushed. Typically iPods ship out MUCH faster than 30 business days.
Q: What kind of flash media do you use for this upgrade?
A: I use SD Cards along with an iFlash adapter to allow it to interface with your iPod. I will typically try to use name brand cards such as Sandisk, PNY or Samsung
Q: How much of the 256GB will be available for my media?
A: Anywhere from about 230 to 250GB. The full 256GB isn't available for storage due to formatting and manufacturer over-provisioning of the card.
Q: Why should I trust you to work on my iPod?
A: I've worked on these iPods for a while and have fixed many iPods. You can see my feedback on units I've sold for proof.
Q: What if you break my iPod?
A: It's very unlikely that something goes wrong and your iPod stops working while in my care but if that were to happen, your iPod would be repaired or, if necessary, replaced with an equivalent model (at no extra charge, of course)
Q: Is there a warranty?
A: There sure is! If anything relating to this upgrade should stop working within 14 days I offer money back or exchange. After 14 days you will have to contact me to see what we can work out I cover the parts that I work on for the lifetime of the iPod (or as long as I'm on eBay). Should you ever have any issues don't hesitate to contact me. I cannot cover damage due to misuse or parts that I did not work on.
Q: Is there a return policy?
A: Since this listing is for a service, not just a product, I'm afraid I can't take returns in the traditional sense but if for some reason you decide you'd like to go back to your original hard drive, you can send the iPod back within 14 days and I will revert the upgrade.
Q: Can you repair my iPod as well?
A: Sure! If there's something wrong with your iPod that you'd like me to repair while doing the upgrade, let me know before purchasing and I'll tell you the cost. If you agree, I'll send you an offer or an invoice, in the event you do not know the issue, that includes the cost of the repair.
Q: What about my music?
A:Unfortunately I do not transfer your songs over to the new memory, likely the iPod will be returned to you with my test library, which can be wiped through iTunes so you can restore your library to the iPod.
If you have any other questions, please don't be afraid to ask.
Thanks for looking!