iPod mini (2nd gen) - Battery warning icon; Won't boot

[QoraJoDlev]

Hi everybody

I'm using Rockbox since 2006 on my Apple iPod mini and there haven't been any real issues for me until now. I love Rockbox and can deal with most problems but this one is actually a showstopper:

Once in a while my iPod won't boot. I'll just display the battery low warning and then shut down. There's no way to enter Rockbox or force it into disc mode. Trying to recharge won't help either: It'll just show the first frame of the charging animation forever (I tried "charging" it for 48h and it didn't help).

The only solution that works for me is to remove the battery from the PCB and reattach it after a few seconds.

Rockbox will lose the current time but it'll boot again (Apple logo, Backlight, Rockbox splash, Main menu)

I'm currently using a daily build (r16316-080215) on an iPod mini (hw rev: 0x00070002; 2nd gen, 4GB, Silver) with the ipodmini2g bootloader from March 2007.

It seems to be a rare problem (forum search didn't turn up anything) and I haven't figured out how to reproduce it.

Thanks for reading/replying in advance.

[bluebrother]

The only solution that works for me is to remove the battery from the PCB and reattach it after a few seconds.

Reset the Ipod using the Menu + Select button combination. You might need to hold those buttons up to 30 seconds or so. This will definitely work, as the reset is a hardware functionality. Removing the battery is not required.

It seems to be a rare problem (forum search didn't turn up anything) and I haven't figured out how to reproduce it.

That's an issue with Apples bootloader (which kicks in the moment the player starts). It's a known issue, but as it isn't a Rockbox issue there's nothing we can do about it. From time to time I get the same thing on my mini (and I never needed to remove the battery).

[QoraJoDlev]

Reset the Ipod using the Menu + Select button combination. You might need to hold those buttons up to 30 seconds or so. This will definitely work, as the reset is a hardware functionality. Removing the battery is not required.

Holding SELECT+MENU resets my mini after five seconds but it'll only bring up the battery warning again. I already held the reset combination for up to a minute without a proper effect the last time I encountered this bug. - I can only release the reset combination and press it again but it'll also deadlock again.

I have also tried the usual key combinations right after five seconds when it's resetting without success.
SELECT + BACK: iPod Diagnostics
SELECT + PLAY: Disc Mode

Removing the battery is my last resort and it always works.

That's an issue with Apples bootloader (which kicks in the moment the player starts). It's a known issue, but as it isn't a Rockbox issue there's nothing we can do about it. From time to time I get the same thing on my mini (and I never needed to remove the battery).

I agree that the culprit must be somewhere in the Apple ROM. - It could be everything from a misaligned battery ADC, whihc the code doesn't reset to normal ranges or an uncleared memory flag or register to "protect" the battery against total discharge.

Is there any other known workaround or way to avoid it? Or has anyone figured out what might be causing it?

[nvd]

It seems that I have the solution. After reset (Menu + Center), keep Menu + Play pressed when you see the apple logo.  It will bring the iPod to disk mode. Connect to a PC for charging. It works fine afterwards.

I don't know why iPod battery drains when it is in the shutdown mode.

[ramos8414]

I just tried this and it didnt work. Removing the battey is the only way to fix this.

This happens everytime I leave my Ipod playing music until the battery is completley drained.