Installing iPodlinux and Rockbox from iBook (was: help!)

[flyingvshredder]

Ok... my set-up is Mac iBook G4 and a 5G Video iPod. now what is driving me insane is how to install iPodlinux and run rockbox. i'm fed up of the apple firmware and i just need it to change. i love the audio player on the rockbox firmware...

also. if there is any other way to change the firmware on my ipod by using my iBook. some tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks
-FVS

[linuxstb]

I think Mac OS X, ipodlinux and Rockbox is a combination that just doesn't work.  Basically, the situation is:

1) ipodlinux requires an ext2 or HFS+ partition
2) Rockbox requires a fat32 partition
3) Mac OS X can't write to ext2

So you can either install ipodlinux on a HFS+ formatted ipod, or Rockbox on a FAT32 formatted ipod, but not both.

There are probably solutions out there for 3), and I remember seeing a wiki page in the ipodlinux wiki describing how to install IPL on a FAT32 partition (i.e. without either HFS+ or ext2).  

There is no way (without someone writing a HFS+ driver to Rockbox) of installing Rockbox onto a HFS+ formatted ipod - so your only option is 1) or 3).  Both of which aren't really subjects for discussion in the Rockbox forums.

[Febs]

I've renamed your thread.  Please use descriptive thread titles, as required by our posting guidelines.

[flyingvshredder]

oh well.... ummm so can we talk english haha? i'm not as smart as all of you.

[linuxstb]

oh well.... ummm so can we talk english haha? i'm not as smart as all of you.

The short answer is that there is no easy way to install both ipodlinux and Rockbox on an ipod using a Mac - so you have to choose one or the other.

To install Rockbox, follow the instructions in the manual, and ask here if you have any questions/problems.

To install ipodlinux, go to http://ipodlinux.org

[Chronon]

I think Mac OS X, ipodlinux and Rockbox is a combination that just doesn't work.  Basically, the situation is:

1) ipodlinux requires an ext2 or HFS+ partition
2) Rockbox requires a fat32 partition
3) Mac OS X can't write to ext2

So you can either install ipodlinux on a HFS+ formatted ipod, or Rockbox on a FAT32 formatted ipod, but not both.

There are probably solutions out there for 3), and I remember seeing a wiki page in the ipodlinux wiki describing how to install IPL on a FAT32 partition (i.e. without either HFS+ or ext2).  

There is no way (without someone writing a HFS+ driver to Rockbox) of installing Rockbox onto a HFS+ formatted ipod - so your only option is 1) or 3).  Both of which aren't really subjects for discussion in the Rockbox forums.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really see the problem there.  Can't the OP create a FAT32 partition on their HFS+ formatted iPod and keep all their media and Rockbox there?

[flyingvshredder]

i'm so confused. all i want is to change my GUI on my iPod using my ibook. can some1 walk me thru something?  

[linuxstb]

i'm so confused. all i want is to change my GUI on my iPod using my ibook. can some1 walk me thru something?  

Look to the left of this page, find the "manual" link, view the manual for your type of ipod, and then read the Installation chapter.  If you have any specific questions/problems, feel free to ask, but please try following the instructions first.

[linuxstb]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really see the problem there.  Can't the OP create a FAT32 partition on their HFS+ formatted iPod and keep all their media and Rockbox there?

I'm not sure what you mean - if you mean have both an HFS+ formatted partition and a FAT32 partition, then no, that won't help.  HFS+ formatted ipods have an Apple Partition Map, which Rockbox doesn't understand - so Rockbox won't see such a FAT32 partition.

It's also very inefficient - you would need two copies (one on each partition) of any files you wanted to access with both the Apple firmware and Rockbox.

[Chronon]

HFS+ formatted ipods have an Apple Partition Map, which Rockbox doesn't understand - so Rockbox won't see such a FAT32 partition.

Ah. . . that's the part I was forgetting.  Thanks!

[flyingvshredder]

ok. soooo. i followed the manual. i got the bootloader on there. and i unzipped the rockbox.zip onto my ipod and i saw all the stuff go onto there. now... it says no partition found.

first off.... what do i do now?

second... if i can't do anything to fix it... how do i take all that stuff off?

thanks,
-FVS

[linuxstb]

Did you follow the instructions to convert your ipod to FAT32?  They are referred to in the first section (pre-requsiites) in the install chapter of the manual.

You first need to force your ipod into disk mode (hold MENU+SELECT together for a few seconds to reboot, then immediately press and hold SELECT+PLAY).  Once in disk mode, you can connect to your Mac and run ipodpatcher again, and select "u" to uninstall the Rockbox bootloader.

[flyingvshredder]

how do i do FAT32?

[Chronon]

This page is linked directly in the installation instructions.

[flyingvshredder]

ok i'm following these instructions to reformat my iPod. then terminal says ...

iBook G4:~ John$ dd if=mbr-video60gb.bin of=/dev/disk1s3  
dd: mbr-video60gb.bin: No such file or directory

what do i do. i have the correct file downloaded and everything. the file is sitting on my desktop and yea. i'm stuck