iPod Nano diagnostics menu

Incase you were like me and were wondering if your iPod nano has a secret diagnostics/engineers/service menu, then you'll be pleased to hear there is! There is a lot of information floating around about how to get into this menu on the full-size iPods, but unless the engineers at Apple have fingers about 4mm across its impossible! I spent a while just messing around holding down buttons and stuff in various combinations until I found it.

Ok, one thing before we start: Follow this information at your own risk! I dont think you can do anything to damage your iPod, but obviously if you aren't happy about taking the risk, dont do it! I've got no idea what this does to the warranty - if in doubt, leave this well alone.

Step 1 - Reset your Nano

First you need to reset your iPod. As far as I know this is a well known universal iPod feature, but incase you don't know this is how you do it:

Flick the hold switch to the "on" position, then back to the "off" position.
Press and hold the "Menu" and the action (the one in the middle!) buttons.

Having done that, the ipod will now reset.

Step 2 - getting into the diagnostics menu

Ok, now here is the tricky bit. As soon as you reset your nano (after you did the steps above and the usual iPod gui disappears), hold the "Previous" button and the action button down. If you did it right, it'll give off a little 2-tone beep and you're into the service menu!

You'll notice that there is no fancy Apple GUI here - its black and white with a kinda emacs style text-mode scroll bar! Basic but functional so be prepared. The scrollwheel wont let you navigate the menus like usual, instead you can use the "Previous" and "Next" buttons to move around the menu.

What is in the Nano diagnostics menu

Ok, so for the curious here is what I found in the menu:

FiveInOne
Seems to check the system's ram and size of installed storage, as well as 3 other things (1 is a cheksum of something (ram? firmware? storage?), the other is an ID of something (the iPod?), and the 3rd is a little mysterious - it just says "RTC=21" whatever that means)

KeyTest
Lets you test each of the wheel keys (but not the hold switch!)

FlashScan
Appears to scan the flash memory for errors. Curiously for me it completed then showed a summary of the battery voltage and charge level! I assume if you have errors on the flash it will tell you about them here.

PowerTest
Gives you some info about the voltages and acceptable ranges of the battery for what I assume are the separate major components: A2D (analog to digital converter?), VCC (common-collector voltage?), ACC A2D. It also tells you about the current Charge Current.

WheelTest
Simple little test where you get to spin the wheel to check its working ok.

TouchWheelID
Shows you 5 8-character hexadecimal numbers; fascinating. I guess these are memory addresses or something

Playback
Plays a really irritating beeping noise through the headphones.

LineIn
Appears to attempt to record something from the line in (assuming you can get an adapter that lets you do this?), and then plays it back?

Status
Gives you some simple status information about the iPod: "LCD" (always seems to be "01"), serial number, model number, "HP" is the headphone status (1 when they are plugged in, 0 when they aren't), "FW_PWR_GOOD", "USBPWR_Det" is the USB power status (1 for power, 0 for no power), and "CHRG" which changes based on if there is USB power.

HD_Specs
Gives you the model and firmware numbers for the flash storage. Also gives you some basic partition information: total LBA, total size, partition type.

PatternTest
This cycles through a load of different screen tests - patterns, colours etc. Press action to cycle through them.

SleepShort
Puts your iPod to sleep. Press any key to resume.

Reset
Resets your iPod, where it will start back up into the normal gui.

So there you go, a quick tour of the iPod Nano diagnostics/engineers/service menu. Incase anyone was wondering, this was on a black 2gig nano, and the diagnostics menu had "SVC NOV 16 2005" at the top, which I assume is the date of the firmware update or something.

Back 22.03.2006.

"The diagnostics menu had "SVC NOV 16 2005" at the top, which I assume is the date of the firmware update or something."

I've got exactly the same date, but it isn't the date of the firmware update (That's iPod Updater 2006-01-10).

Knew this menu allready, but didn't know what everything was. You have cleared up some things... Thanks!

Jurriaan de V.M. 28.03.2006

RTC Is Real Time Clock, Must be a chip value?

Leon Saunders 06.05.2006

Alright so I had mine in a backpack, and apparently got to this menu on accident.. However i am unable to navigate anything.. does anyone know how to return to the normal, boring playing my music screen???????

jle 11.07.2006

jle: You should be able to just use the fast-forward and backward buttons (the |<< and >>| buttons) to move the menu down to "reset", then press the centre button. This should reboot it back into the normal interface.

Or if that isn't working try this: hold down the menu button, then whilst still holding it down, press and hold the centre button too. Keep holding both for about 6 seconds and it should reboot back to normal.

It can be hard to do the reset sometimes - try doing it with the nano on a flat surface like a table.

Hope that helps!

Matt 11.07.2006

Hi there, thanks for your tips.Well...i dunno what its happening with my ipod as it appears:
"Ipod Diagnostic
SVC Nov(...)"And the other text above:
"Fivel none
Key Test
Flash Scan(...)
Lineln
Status"

But the problem it s that i dont manage to turn my ipod on, the light it s blank(tunerd off) and when i conect it to the pc, doesnt do anything...you have any idea what its the problem?I didnt let drop it.Plz help if you can.

Thanks,
Bye

Marina 20.07.2006

Hi Marina

Just try resetting your nano using the instructions I outlined in the reply above your comment.

That should reset your nano back to its usual self!

Hope that helps!

Matt 20.07.2006

I experienced the same problem (the diagnostics screen on my nano seemed to have frozen and the ipod could not be read by my computer).

I followed the second part of Matt's directions (lying the ipod on a flat surface and pressing the menu and center button together for about 6-7 secs. Low and behold, the apple icon appears and within seconds, the usual interface. Thanks Matt!

Shaili 31.07.2006

My ipod is stuck on the Linein Test and it sais "Press Action". I pressed every button on my ipod and held them. I have tried everything noted above and nothing works. What can i do?

Chris 08.08.2006

If you have tried resetting without any luck, try contacting Apple to see if they have any advice.

Matt 08.08.2006

I let the battery run dead and it recharched normally and was able to play music just like before, thanks :D

Chris 09.08.2006

Thanks for the tips - frozen ipod reset as normal.

Rich 14.08.2006

Found your page doing a google search because my ipod started and froze in diagnostic mode. Didnt even know one existed, but got out of it with you help...thanks Matt!

Anon 21.08.2006

I recently returned from holiday and found that my ipod nano had exactly the same problem as that described by others. I have had one previously without problem.

I left it to require a recharge and, when I plugged it in I got the apple symbol and the battery - it is now working apparently normally although the back light is pretty dim right now!

Wish I had come across the page sooner - I might not have needed to leave it to die a slow dath before recharge

lynne 01.09.2006

My ipod memory is showing full even though no songs are downloaded on it. How can i clear?

Gary W 13.09.2006

I have an IPOD Nano 1 GB. I have lost the two slide bars that indicate volume and time remaining for what is playing.

Any ideas how I can reclaim these?

Lloyd 25.09.2006

Tnx for all your tips,
my frozen ipod is back to normal.
even no data lost!!

Fabba 25.09.2006

i followed the instructions of matt about laying the ipod on a flat surface and pressing both the menu and center button together for about a few secs and lo and behold! it worked... thanks matt!!!

tetat 20.10.2006

I have a 4gb ipod nano that is STUCK on the spin wheel test, it just says failed, any suggestions on returning it to normal??
thanks

Nadine 29.10.2006

please can anyone help with the above issue, stuck in the spin wheel test.
thanks, waiting patiently.

Nadine 31.10.2006

This works on the 2g iPod nano too.

FirmWare 04.11.2006

SOME ONE PLZPLZPLZPLZ HELP ME my ipod is a video 30gb and everytime i turn it on or plug it in or do w.e the screen comes up but its a bright white with nothing on it? it said it was curropt when i plug it in to itunes but how do i fix this some1 plz help me e-mail me at zack_101@mchsi.com soon

zach 05.11.2006

pls how do you clear all the memory in an ipod nano. cos my nano is 4gb and ive only got 442songs with no picture and it said the memory only remains 15mb, how could this be. i will appreciate your help. thanks. mail me at big1112001@yaho .com if you have the solution

abi 06.11.2006

I have a 4gb ipod nano that is STUCK, the diagnostic test is showing on the screen and none of the buttons are working...MY IPOD IS DEAD, Please help.

A.A 07.11.2006

Ok now i just follow the above step:lying the ipod on a flat surface and pressing the menu and center button together for about 6-7 secs. Low and behold, the apple icon appears and within seconds, the usual interface AND IT WORKS :)))) zillion thanks

A.A 07.11.2006

hey, my ipod tex was frozen, and lying it on a flat surface while holding the center and menu button together fixed it! thanks!

patricia 18.11.2006

thank you for your help on this page i am a music producer and i had about 30 gigs of samples on my ipod i was working with. i fell aslep and laid on my ipod and it when into diagnostic mode and i was going crazy trying to get it out. it was stuck doing a sdram test any way i was at the point where i just needed it to be functional again so i was about to factory restore and i did steps 1 and 2 for resetting and my ipot came back to life with all the data still working. just saying thank you

nironic 26.11.2006

I recommend if you find an ipod somewhere, and it looks trashed at least run the HD scan. That way you will know if everything is ok.

Pokesomi 03.12.2006

I did the reset thing and it worked! Thanks!

Freivolk 15.12.2006

Was at the gym and freaked out because I tried to turn on my nano and it was in diagnostics mode. Thanks for the tip to HOLD DOWN THE CENTER BUTTON AND THE MENU BUTTON AT THE SAME TIME. It worked. Thanks.

Lisa 18.12.2006

When your ipod is stuck in the spin wheel test, Just, like lisa said, hold down MENU en the CENTER button at the same time for about 6-7seconds.

Snaffer 27.12.2006

Thanks !! Mine locked on the Diag screen too, drove me nuts all day trying to get it back on until.... I found this page !! Thanks again.

Matt

Matt 12.01.2007

help plz my ipod nano wont play my songs...when you try to select a song it goes through my whole song list and shuffles through the songs and when it gets to the end of the list it goes back to the mail menu...shuffle isnt on because i checked it a billion times and no songs will play at all...people have told me it could be a virus? is that possible?

Kortney 30.01.2007

I did all the things that it says and nothing happend

kevin 30.01.2007

if you have problems try to reset the ipod through itunes

kevin 30.01.2007

i was updating my nano and i un plugged it now it doesnt show up on itunes none of the above worked

seth 31.01.2007

Thank you for the instructions to reset. I was worrying if my wifes nano was due for some work.I could fix it at home. Dont know why it went to that menu in the first place.

Vadiraj 01.02.2007

thanx mate it did work,

tameem 08.02.2007

I have a trouble with my 2gb Ipod nano, when i plug it to my computer, it requires to restore, but each time after I restore, then disconnect it my iTunes detects it again and requires to restore again, I try so hard but not successful, and my ipod always reminds me to restore with iTunes.PLEASE HELP ME.Thanks a loooo..t

Tuan 09.02.2007

dont click reset button!!!
i did and mine is COMPLETLEY RESTORING itself right now. i have to install my ipod all over again
good thing its still in warranty:l

blah 27.02.2007

my nano is on disk mode and says it ok to disconnect how do if fix this please help

darlene 01.03.2007

btw, you have to hold the reset combination through the first apple--as tempting as it is to let go, you will be stuck in ipod land

fishmonkeyfiend 03.03.2007

My screen is broken and I can only see the bottom half of it. Where do i find shuffle? Bearing in mind I can only see the top half of my menu.

Deon 06.03.2007

I have done all of the above and the ipod is still stuck in diagnostics menu. Now what!I can barely see the sceen.

I.L 10.03.2007

I tried one more time.
It worked.
Thanks

I.L 10.03.2007

I got here by just turning on my nano my nano is always crashing !! its really annoying !!

Lucas 12.03.2007

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO FIX THE FAST FORWARD BUTTON

katie 13.03.2007

Can anyone please tell me how to wake up my 2gb nano?
It seems to be frozen on switching on. Please help!!!

Nas 17.03.2007

Those steps worked so thanks heaps,

Isabella 09.04.2007

mdibb.net