Introduction
Your iPod's motherboard controls just about everything on the iPod.
What you need
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Insert a large iPod opening tool into the seam between the plastic front and metal rear panel of the iPod, near the headphone jack. The tool's edge should point towards the metal rear panel to prevent any accidental scratching of the plastic front.
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Run the tool along the top seam toward the upper left corner of the iPod. Press the tool into the corner, creating a small gap on the side of the case.
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Push the large iPod opening tool into the upper left corner of the iPod, creating a small gap along the side seam.
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With the large iPod opening tool still inserted in the top seam, press a small iPod opening tool into the gap you just created.
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Run the iPod opening tool down the side seam, releasing all five tabs.
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Run the iPod opening tool around the lower left corner of the iPod and along the bottom seam to free the two retaining clips near the dock connector.
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Run the iPod opening tool around the lower right corner and slide it down the right side seam to free the five tabs holding the iPod together. You may be able to free the tabs by gently wiggling the front panel of the iPod.
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Open the case like a book with the dock connector edge at the top, and lay the rear panel next to the front half of the iPod.
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Use a plastic tool or your fingernails to carefully disconnect the orange headphone jack cable. Be sure to pull straight up on the connector, not the cable itself.
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Grasp the hard drive with one hand and carefully disconnect the orange ribbon cable from the hard drive using your other hand.
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Use the tip of your finger or a spudger to carefully flip up the black connector securing the hard drive cable to the logic board. Note that the black retaining clip flips 90 degrees toward vertical, in the direction of the cable.
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Carefully disconnect the white battery connector from the logic board. Be sure to pull only on the connector itself and not on the cables.
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Use a spudger to flip up the black retaining bars securing the display and click wheel connectors to the logic board.
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Slide the orange click wheel ribbon cable out of its connector. You must unlock this connector before sliding the ribbon cable out. The locking mechanism is on the opposite side of where the cable is inserted - it swivels upwards 90 degrees. Use a plastic spudger to lift the locking mechanism.
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Carefully lift up the large end of the logic board and disconnect the display connector.
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Lift the logic board out of the iPod.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.