iPod iPod Mini (2nd Gen) stuck in apparent boot loop/battery issue??

[cmbrodermann]

I purchased an iPod Mini 2nd Gen to upgrade with a flash solution from iFlash.xyz. I have replaced the Microdrive with the iFlash board and the original battery (which was totally dead) with a new one from iFixit. Unfortunately, I seem to be having an issue. With the Microdrive or the iFlash board, plugging in the iPod with the new battery leads to a boot loop of sorts where the iPod goes from Apple logo to the "Sad iPod" screen, which is expected because I formatted both the Microdrive and the SD card to see if anything would change, to a screen with a 1/4 filled up battery and a lightning bolt, indicating charging of a dangerously low battery.

When the iPod is unplugged and attempted to be put in recovery mode, it shows the Apple logo, the "Sad iPod" screen, then shuts off after less than a minute. I cannot get it to boot into disk mode, nor does any computer I plug it into recognize it when plugged in through USB, even on the "Sad iPod" screen. This includes a PC running Windows, Hackintoshed macOS Catalina, a 2009 iMac running Mac OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), or even a Powerbook G4 from 2005 (same year as the iPod) running Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.8). iTunes doesn't recognize it, Disk Utility doesn't recognize it, Device Manager on Windows nor Disk Management on Windows recognize it, I'm at a loss. Is this a logic board problem? @noodles5666 ;-; plz help if you have some time to spare for a newbie haha. Your modded iPod Mini post is great!

 

[cmbrodermann]

I got it to boot into disk mode just now using the SD to CF adapter from iFlash. It went to disk mode, showed a totally full battery in the corner, said do not disconnect, flashed the "do not disconnect" sign for about 30 seconds then restarted back into the boot loop. the 2009 iMac I am attempting to work with this on still didn't recognize it even in disk mode in either Disk Utility or iTunes. Now it seems I can't get it to reboot manually anymore, and it doesn't recognize input from the click wheel. Either the click wheel died from me pressing on it, or the logic board took its last hurrah doing that and now is stuck in some infinite loop. When I attempt to press menu plus the center button, the screen will flash slightly but not reboot.