Video iPod Battery Support

We have assembled our most frequently-asked support-related questions on the 5th Generation Video iPod on this page. If you do not find your answer here, contact us and we will get back to you right away.



I have tried and tried but just cannot open up my 5th Generation iPod Video. What do you suggest?

Whether your iPod Video is black or white, the process for opening it up is exactly the same. And here is a trick you can try: in order to increase the gap between the black or white top and the silver metallic bottom, try pushing down on one of the top edges as if you were trying to push it into the bottom part. This force usually buckles out the silver bottom part just a bit, which is just enough space to slide the flat sharp edge of the iOpener tool into the gap. From here, just starting lifting the white or black top out of the bottom half and continue doing this around the entire perimeter of the Video iPod. If the tip of the tools is not sharp anymore, try using some sandpaper or file to make it sharp again, but avoid getting blue dust particles inside the iPod Video and particularly from getting behind the LCD. Here is a short clip that shows how to do it:




I am in the midst of a battery replacement on a gen 5 iPod. The brown ribbon cable that connects to the silver backing to the logic board came loose. I have been able to replace the battery without any problem but cannot see where the end of the brown ribbon cable should attach. Can you advise?

Yes, that ribbon cable in rare situations can come loose. First re-open the iPod using the blue tool provided, and carefully disconnect the battery again. Once battery is disconnected, carefully lift up the hard drive to expose the board underneath. There are now two ribbon cable latch-type connectors on this board.

The most commonly disconnected cable is from the latch on the left which connects to the sound port. If this is the latch your loose ribbon cable goes to proceed as follows. You will see a small latch-type ribbon cable connector on the left hand side with the LCD facing away from you face down. Take your time to correctly identify the latch on the board. Below the latch are two orange colored circuit board components. Carefully lift up the latch, place the loose ribbon underneath it, and then close the latch. The ribbon cable should be securely in place now.

The other latch connector is connected directly to the hard drive and will be at the bottom of the board with the LCD facing away from you face down. It is approximately a half of an inch long. To reconnect this simply lift up the latch and insert the loose ribbon cable. Then close the latch over the ribbon cable to secure it to the connector.

After all ribbon cables are connected reconnect the battery and reassemble the iPod. Plug the iPod into a charger to power it on and verify that it works unplugged. If any boot-up issues occur try re-setting the iPod by holding the center button and menu simultaneously for several seconds. If there are any other questions or issues feel free to contact us via email or phone!

Please see the following pictures as they may help you in completing the process.




The battery clasp on my 5th Generation 30GB 60GB or 80GB Video iPod is broke or lost. What now?

If you are a bit too rough with the battery clasp on the Video iPod, it can break completely or simply pop off. If it fell off, you should be able to slip it back onto the female battery port. Unfortunately, this is somewhat hard to do without breaking the thin, fragile, plastic clasp. We have been trying to get our hands on extra battery clasps for the 5th Generation Video iPod for a long time to no avail or we would gladly send you a new one free of charge.

However, if just the battery clasp is missing or broken, you can usually still connect the battery. Put a kink in the cable, forcing it to point in the downwards position. Tape down the battery ribbon connector with some anti-static or masking tape to hold it in place. The sole purpose of the plastic clasp is to hold the battery cable into place so it doesn’t come out of the female battery port – if you can re-secure it without the battery clasp, you should be able to complete the video iPod battery installation.


The female battery port on my 5th Generation Video iPod is loose or has completely broken off. What now?

Depending on the severity of the damage, the female iPod Video battery port might be able to be re-attached to the motherboard for about $30. If it cannot be re-soldered back in place, the entire mainboard would have to be replaced for approximately $100. Just contact us to get the process started.


The ribbon cable from the off/hold switch and headphone jack that runs close to where 5th Gen Video iPod battery lies has ripped or broken. What now?

It seems that every once in a long while the manufacturer gets a little too generous with the adhesive that secures the battery to the underside of the silver backing. If the adhesive comes in contact with the ribbon cable that connects the headphone jack and off/hold switch to the motherboard, it could tear when the battery is removed. Fortunately, if this happens, it is something that we can repair here in our shop. Just contact us to learn more about our repair process and prices.


The screen/LCD on my Video iPod 5th Gen has cracked. Now what?

The LCD on the Video iPod is fragile and can easily break if too much pressure is applied to the back of the screen. Also, don’t forget that the battery for the 60GB and 80GB iPod Video is too thick for the 30GB version – if you try to cram one of these inside the screen will break!


My new ipodjuice.com Video iPod battery is not holding a charge? Now what?

First, make sure that the charging method you are using has not malfunctioned. We suggest finding a friend or relative and use their functioning charger just to rule that out as a possible cause. Next, open up your 5th Gen iPod Video (following all of the warnings provided in our instructions) and make sure the new battery is securely-connected to the female battery socket and the clasp that holds the battery in place is still there. Double-check to make sure that the battery ribbon cable is still connected to the female battery socket. Also, make sure that the female battery socket has not become loose or broken off. If you have checked all of these things and your new ipodjuice.com battery is still not holding a charge, you can contact us with a brief explanation of your issue and what you have tried to resolve the problem so that we can begin the process of getting you a replacement battery.


I have replaced the battery and now there is no sound coming from the audio jack. Now what?

Open up the unit again and make sure that the thin ribbon cable that runs along the interior of the silver backing (close to where the battery lies) has not been damaged, nicked, or cut. This cable is attached to the headphone jack as well as the off/hold switch, and might explain why you cannot hear any audio.


I get a file folder symbol when I turn on my iPod Video after replacing the battery. Now what?

This symbol typically means that the hard drive has become disconnected. In rare circumstances, it could mean that your hard drive is damaged. First, re-install your old stock battery (assuming that it was working at least to some extent) to see if the file folder symbol goes away. If it does, that would suggest there is something wrong with your new ipodjuice.com battery. You can contact us to learn more about our battery replacement process.

If you suspect your hard drive has been damaged, let us know, and we will be happy to provide you with our latest prices on a brand new hard drive for your Video iPod.


Click here for common iPod battery support related questions…