Question regarding getting iPod repaired

[Black_Apalachi]

When I went to Glastonbury my iPod got wet and stopped working. If you plug it into a power source and try to turn it on, the Apple logo flashes a bit and that's the closest it gets to working. Anyway I've looked up the price-list for various jobs you can have done and I'm guessing because it shows some life when it's plugged into a power source, that the battery may need replacing.

My question is basically, if I take the iPod to an Apple shop to have it repaired, will they be able to tell that content on it has been illegally downloaded? For example, if you look at the options on iTunes, you can display a column entitled Notes. I have found that music downloaded from torrents often ends up with various information in this field, like URLs for example. Therefore I often sweep over my whole iTunes and remove all data from that column.

So would they be able to see stuff like that, or anything else that could suggest illegal activity? Is it worth me syncing it with an empty iTunes just to cleatr it out to be on the safe side? :P

Cheers x

[Markeh]

They're not going to look at your content, their main aim is to send your iPod off for repair, or replace it. If they repair it, they'll probably wipe it anyway. If they replace it, they'll bin it (or wipe, fix and sell as a refurb).

If it's out of warranty, and you can manage without your iPod for a month or so, then it might be worth leaving it on a shelf or something. When my friend's water-damaged iPhone was shoved in a cupboard, it worked after about a month spent to dry.

Plus if it's in the Notes column, it can't be viewed on the iPod anyway.

[Black_Apalachi]

Yeah I know they wouldn't go looking, but I just thought if they hooked it up to an iTunes or something to check whether it worked once they fixed it, they might spot something. Just paranoia I guess :P.

I thought that might be the case but it's been lying there for about 6 months now and hasn't improved. It's just a case of when I can get the money and get into Liverpool to go to the Apple shop :P.

[Chippiewill]

Yeah I know they wouldn't go looking, but I just thought if they hooked it up to an iTunes or something to check whether it worked once they fixed it, they might spot something. Just paranoia I guess :P.

I thought that might be the case but it's been lying there for about 6 months now and hasn't improved. It's just a case of when I can get the money and get into Liverpool to go to the Apple shop :P.

If you stick it in a bag with Cat litter stuff (Or rice) then it'll soak up the moisture... may help.

[Black_Apalachi]

If you stick it in a bag with Cat litter stuff (Or rice) then it'll soak up the moisture... may help.

Seriously? From inside the iPod though? :P It's been sitting there so long now that there can't still be moisture in it surely. It was sitting in a little pool of water when it got wet, so I think more damage was done than just getting damp.

[Recursion]

They'll use Macs at the service centers, the iPod will have to be wiped before they can read anything on it if you use Windows anyway

To be honest, you're best off buying a new iPod, Apple won't fix water damage, they have little strips of metal inside that react to water and change colour.

[Black_Apalachi]

Oh really? Is it not even worth trying, I mean will they charge me for looking at it then saying, 'oh we can't fix that soz'?

[Chippiewill]

They'll use Macs at the service centers, the iPod will have to be wiped before they can read anything on it if you use Windows anyway

To be honest, you're best off buying a new iPod, Apple won't fix water damage, they have little strips of metal inside that react to water and change colour.

I think there are ways to get around the metal strip problem...


Seriously? From inside the iPod though? It's been sitting there so long now that there can't still be moisture in it surely. It was sitting in a little pool of water when it got wet, so I think more damage was done than just getting damp.

Cat littler soaks up liquid in the air like a sponge, it may work, if you keep it somewhere warmish it may work.

[Black_Apalachi]

OK thanks.

[Markeh]

It may take quite a while for it to dry out still. My PSP took the best part of 3 years to dry out (even then, I got 30 mins battery life on the first charge. It got better after a few cycles). If Cat Litter doesn't sound appealing (might not be the best idea if your iPod has a click wheel), try a sealed tupperware box full of rice.

[danzooo]

No they don't look at your content, the iPod will get wiped anyway, or they may even issue a replacement. Although water damage is rarely covered by warranty, give it a bash though cos I got my Touch replaced about a year ago when I took it swimming with me... :eusa_wall

[Black_Apalachi]

I'm not looking for it to be covered, I've had it well over a year. I'm just going to walk into the shop and pay for it to be repaired.

[Laurensh1]

You should also try those little balls packed in plastic you get with some stuff you buy, they also help keeping things dry and thus will also dry your iPod! But those are hard to find so catlitter is an easier option. Good luck with it.

[danzooo]

I'm not looking for it to be covered, I've had it well over a year. I'm just going to walk into the shop and pay for it to be repaired.


That shouldn't be too much of a bother, no, they won't look at your content. If they do, so what, people who work at Genius bars are normal people like you and I who'll simply shrug things like torrent sites under the Notes off.

[Johno]

To those saying they don't look at your content, its not always true. You are always told to be sure with your data because it can be looked at, when a friend of mine sent her iPod away to be fixed they sent it back repaired with a notice simply saying "Don't Illegally Download."

The iPod was returned, fixed but wiped and although there were tracks on it that had been illegally downloaded - they can't do anything. Pretty sure Apple charge a diagnostic fee if you choose not to go ahead with the repair, but if you phone them they can probably tell you more. There is not a hope in hell for getting much from them if it is water damage though.

[Tomm]

When I took my iPod in once the guy at the Genus bar actually added some songs to my iPod for free as he had to wipe it so doubt they are going to care if you've got some illegal stuff on there :P

[danzooo]

To those saying they don't look at your content, its not always true. You are always told to be sure with your data because it can be looked at, when a friend of mine sent her iPod away to be fixed they sent it back repaired with a notice simply saying "Don't Illegally Download."


I can imagine them looking at any content on products put in for repair an extremely rare occurence. They go through several iPods, iPhones and Macs and such every day that they probably couldn't give a damn what people have on them, illegal or otherwise. That instance when they sent a note back with your friends' iPod, did it look kind of official or did it look handwritten by some random Apple store worker?

[Laurensh1]

I think there's laws against them looking into your personal documents? At least, I know there are some here that protect customers against them looking into your stuff, even though they are the manufacturers of it.