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iPod Bench

iPod 4th generation

The first click wheel, and a monochrome screen. The case opens at the right edge, like the 3rd generation.

Open the interactive page All iPods

What is inside

Metal rear panelHard drive andribbonHeadphone jackassemblyLogic boardDisplayBatteryPlastic front andclick wheel
  1. Metal rear panel. Pops off the plastic front from the right edge. Five retaining tabs.
  2. Hard drive and ribbon. On its own flat ribbon with ZIF connectors.
  3. Headphone jack assembly. A separate iFixit guide, so it comes out as its own piece.
  4. Logic board. The ZIF socket for the drive ribbon is on this board.
  5. Display. Monochrome LCD.
  6. Battery. iFixit's photo guide shows it stuck down with adhesive in the front case and lifted by its leads, with a spudger to free the glue.
  7. Plastic front and click wheel. Click wheel on the front side.

We have not confirmed an order for this model, so read the list as parts, not steps. Drawn by us, not to scale.

Quick facts

  • Model: A1059, EMC 1995. Launched July 2004
  • Storage: 1.8 inch ATA-66 hard drive, 4,200 rpm, 20 or 40GB. Its flat ribbon (Apple part 632-0259) plugs into a ZIF connector on the logic board.
  • Battery: iFixit sells a 750 mAh replacement shared with the iPod photo. Other sources quote 600 and 950 mAh for the original, so treat the original as unsettled.
  • Rating: Apple rated music playback at about 12 hours

How it opens

  1. Slide the hold switch away from the headphone jack to lock it.
  2. Put an opening pick into the seam between the plastic front and the metal back on the right edge.
  3. Release the five retaining tabs along that edge, then open the halves.

Tools named in the guides: Plastic opening pick, spudger.

Change the storage

  • The 4th Gen iPod to iFlash converter fits it, then iFlash CF, Solo, Dual or Quad. The iFlash-ATA1 board supports it without the converter. iFlash states capacities up to 256GB with its cards.

Rockbox

Stable. Rockbox lists the 4th generation greyscale iPod with no major issues.

What goes wrong

  • Sad iPod icon, or a folder with an exclamation mark: Usually the hard drive, or a torn or loose drive ribbon. Try charge, reset and disk mode first.
  • Drive not detected after opening: A cracked ZIF connector on the logic board can do this. An iFixit answer says the repair needed microsoldering, and a new drive ribbon is the cheaper fix when the cable is the problem.
  • Shuts down, will not charge: Battery. The same 750 mAh part fits the photo.

Mods that are documented for it

  • Flash storage swap. Replace the spinning drive with a memory card or an SSD. It is silent, runs cooler and wakes faster. Which board you need depends on the model, so check the model page. (iFlash)
  • New battery. The cheapest fix for a short day. Match the capacity to your exact model and size, because the 60GB and 80GB video and the thick classic take a thicker battery. (iFixit parts: iPod batteries)
  • New headphone jack and hold switch. For a crackly jack or a stuck hold slider. On the video the hold switch's plastic part may need moving to the new jack. (iFixit guides)
  • Click wheel replacement. For a wheel that skips or goes dead. On the classic it is the last layer of the stack and a long job. (iFixit: iPod Classic Click Wheel Replacement)
  • Rockbox firmware, dual boot. Open-source firmware that plays FLAC, Opus and more. The original software stays one boot away. Non-classic models need the iPod formatted as FAT32. (Rockbox, Rockbox install manual (mirror))

Parts to search for

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These links only search by name. Match your exact model before you buy. Disclosure

What we have not confirmed

  • The order the parts come out in, which we only have for the 3rd generation and the photo-model battery guide.
  • Where each part sits inside the case.
  • Battery voltage and connector.

Where this came from

Written in our own words from the pages above. Opening an iPod can break it, and a lithium battery that is bent, punctured or shorted can burn, so wear eye protection and stop if one is swollen. Boards and batteries vary, so check your own. Not affiliated with Apple.