iPod 3rd Gen Hard Drive Upgrade

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Sep 26, 2008
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Hey everyone. I have a third-generation iPod ... the one immediately before they had a click wheel. I've found that information on these is hard to find through Google searches, etc. because "third-generation iPod Nano" ranks higher in the results.

Anyway, I want to upgrade the hard drive in mine, because it's a 15-gig. Specifically, I have my eye on the Toshiba MK4004GAH 40-gig hard drive. This is the model that would have been included in an original 40-gig third-gen. The 15-gig drive is a single platter and the 40-gig has two platters. Will the 40-gig hard drive fit inside my original case? It seems like space is tight to begin with. Would an original 40-gig iPod have come with a different backplate with more space? Thanks for your help.

Also, when I had the iPod apart to have a look, I was removing the silicone "jacket" from the drive, when I realized that I had actually ripped a thin piece of copper in doing so.

This lower silicone piece, as I'm holding it for this photo, is upside-down compared to how it normally mounts, but this is for demonstration--- so you can see where this copper ribbon attaches.
2znyiz7.jpg


As far as I can tell, it's just connected to this foil layer inside the silicone. I'm guessing for some kind of grounding / static protection for the hard drive case and the circuitry.
2v1xlih.jpg


Was that a bad mistake?? I know where I can buy a new hard drive connector, and I don't want to risk frying my iPod. I'll wait until I hear a reply here, before I put it back together. Thanks. :Oops:
 
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R
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OK, I successfully fixed my disassembly mistake.

Can't any iPod experts help me on the hard-drive swap / case size question?
 
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Tolerances in the iPod are extremely tight. Look at the physical dimensions of the drive, if the 40 GB is any thicker, there's a 95-99% chance it will not fit.
 

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