By Joshua Bailey
How To Replace the Hard Drive in a iPod Mini
IPod Mini's are infamous for their abysmal battery life. What better way to give new life to your iPod than to upgrade the hard drive while replacing the battery. A new hard drive can make the music player more durable and much more responsive.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Flathead screwdriver
Popsicle stick
Small, sharp knife
Hot-glue gun
Double-sided tape
- Flathead screwdriver
- Popsicle stick
- Small, sharp knife
- Hot-glue gun
- Double-sided tape
Use a small dab of hot glue to anchor a Popsicle stick to the top cover of the iPod's case. Be sure to activate the "hold" switch on the top cover before applying the Popsicle stick. Use a flathead screwdriver and the attached Popsicle stick as a lever to pry off the top and bottom covers. Remove the Popsicle stick and the hot glue residue, which comes off rather easily.
Use your thumb to push the innards out of the top from the bottom. This is rather easy because the majority of the case is a solid aluminum cover, eliminating fragile tabs and seams. Be careful not to damage the now unprotected screen, which is challenging to replace.
Step 3
Remove the hard drive by pulling the ribbon cable that attaches it to a small motherboard underneath the battery. Be sure to pull from the back of the cable, as doing so from the sides could damage it. Use the sharp knife to cut the tape and bumpers surrounding the OEM drive. Now wiggle the hard drive connector loose, removing the hard drive.
Apply a small piece of double sided foam tape into the hard drive bay, followed by the new hard drive. The replacement drive can either be a traditional disk drive, or a faster and more durable flash drive. Make sure the connection is secure and the drive does not rattle when the chassis is shaken.
Step 5
Plug the iPod into a computer before reinserting it into its case. Use iTunes to restore the iPod to its factory settings. This will automatically format the new drive and assure that it is in working condition. Once finished, insert the internals back into the case in the correct orientation and reapply the top and bottom covers. No glue is necessary.
About the Author:
Joshua Bailey resides in Pennsylvania and has been a professional writer since 2007. His writing focuses on topics in film, entertainment, music and religion. Bailey has been published on eHow and has written numerous articles for three universities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in business and creative writing from Moravian College.
