ipod format erase rockbox partition too?

[silentseraph]

If I use the apple restore utility, does that delete just the apple partition, or everything on the ipod. I'm using a 5.5g ipod video 30gb.

[Chronon]

Restoring repartitions and formats the entire drive and installs the Apple firmware to the first partition.  The data partition is also re-formatted so you lose all data stored on it.

"Update" only touches the first partition, so your data will be left intact.

[FLCLFan]

So if you want to remove the entire rockbox you cant use the restore utility? Does restore flash the ipod(thus removing the bootloader)?

[Chronon]

Rockbox doesn't write anything to flash.  The Rockbox bootloader is stored in the first partition (of type Empty) along with the Apple firmware.  Both Update and Restore options will erase this partition and write a copy of the Apple firmware to it -- thus also removing the Rockbox bootloader.

[bluebrother]

To remove Rockbox just follow the steps described in the manual -- ipodpatcher can completely remove the bootloader and the build itself just lives in a folder on the hard disk, i.e. the data partition of the player. There is no need to restore the Ipod just for removal.

[silentseraph]

oh no, i love rockbox to death, but i accidentally synced my ipod with a mac at school, which i no longer go to. I want to keep the rockbox partition (since it essentially is my music backup)  and sync the apple partition to my home computer. Is there a way to do that without erasing everything? (IE updating only messes with the apple part according to the second post right?)

[GodEater]

There isn't a "rockbox" or an "apple" partition.

There is a firmware partition, and a music partition.

No part of Rockbox is "flashed" either. We write our bootloader into the firmware partition, and we use the same music partition that the Apple firmware does.

[silentseraph]

i use the word partition loosely i suppose. damn, I guess that means ill have to back up all my data before I sync it to my home computer

all the hours....

[GodEater]

I'm not sure what you mean by "syncing" the apple partition - assuming by that you mean the firmware partition?

[bluebrother]

If you update the apple firmware the Rockbox bootloader gets overwritten (because the apple updater simply overwrites the firmware partition). You can then safely reinstall the bootloader and you're done.

Syncing the data with Itunes changes the files that are present in the hidden iPod_Control folder on the Ipod. It does not (or should not, unless Apple changed that) affect other files present on your player. This means that you shouldn't loose any data by syncing to a different PC (you did that at school, didn't you?). I don't know what happens if PC and Ipod are completely out of sync as this is an Itunes issue. Of course backing up all important data is always a good idea ...