How to Reset the iPod

One of the most common reasons iPods are returned after the initial purchase is that they freeze.  However, the iPod does freeze.  It is a common issue, and it is due to the fact that the unit uses a hard drive to hold information.  If you leave your computer on too long, the computer will slow down and possibly even freeze unless you restart it.

The iPod cannot simply be shut off like a computer. When you hold down the play button to "turn it off," you are simply putting it into a hibernation mode. Even when you put it on hold, while it does conserve battery life, it does not shut the iPod off. While the hard drive is in hibernation mode, the hard drive is still working on some level which means that the iPod may eventually freeze from being overused like this.

If this is the case, you can reset the iPod. In nine out of ten cases, this reset will fix the freezing problem. It may also fix other problems, such as skipping through songs, songs not finishing or other hard drive-based issues. If you experience one of these problems, try resetting the iPod first before assuming the device is defective. In order to reset the iPod, you want to hold the menu and the center button down for ten to twelve seconds.

The iPod will shut off, the Apple logo will show up and the device will reset itself.  This will zap some battery life out of the device, but it should fix most problems you have especially when it comes to any sort of freezing.  If you still have issues after the reset, then you may want to take the device back and exchange it.  However, you only want to do this if the freezing is persistent as opposed to occasional.