Why convert MacPod?

[spek10]

OK new to a MacBook and I have an iPod Video 30 GB.  I want to start using more and more ogg files on my iPod as I know it's a cleaner better format.  I tried to use the RB Installer and it errors that it can't install on a MacPod.  I realize after reading the forums that in order to use RB I will need to convert my iPod to FAT32 (WinPod) and how to do it using my neighbor's PC.  Here are my questions:

1.  Will the reformat erase my music?  Its all backed up but its 20GB so it will be an overnight process to reload it.

2.  Say what you want, but I REALLY like some of the functionality of iTunes with the iPod that I have right now - collecting my podcasts, easy video conversion from DVDs and AVI files, automatic syncing, etc.  Will I be able to do all this from my MacBook after the conversion? 

3.  Will songs I load into iTunes still sync to the iPod? 

4.  Will I have the option to boot the iPod up in RB or the old OS so I can still buy content from the iTunes store?

I guess my main questions is:  what do I lose by converting to FAT32?  I know what I gain, and I heard the mount time is longer, but I don't care...

Sorry to be long winded and thanks for any advice

[saratoga]

You don't lose anything using FAT32 except the ability to have single files larger then 4GB.  And yes, formatting a disk erases it.

[soap]

I want to start using more and more ogg files on my iPod as I know it's a cleaner better format. 

Off topic, but "cleaner" is an odd description, unless you are refering to the patents.  "Better" is also subjective, but not true when it comes to sound quality except at low bitrates.
Back to the question...

I tried to use the RB Installer and it errors that it can't install on a MacPod.  I realize after reading the forums that in order to use RB I will need to convert my iPod to FAT32 (WinPod) and how to do it using my neighbor's PC.  Here are my questions:

1.  Will the reformat erase my music?  Its all backed up but its 20GB so it will be an overnight process to reload it.

Yes

2.  Say what you want, but I REALLY like some of the functionality of iTunes with the iPod that I have right now - collecting my podcasts, easy video conversion from DVDs and AVI files, automatic syncing, etc.  Will I be able to do all this from my MacBook after the conversion? 

Yes

3.  Will songs I load into iTunes still sync to the iPod? 

Yes

4.  Will I have the option to boot the iPod up in RB or the old OS so I can still buy content from the iTunes store?

Yes

I guess my main questions is:  what do I lose by converting to FAT32?  I know what I gain, and I heard the mount time is longer, but I don't care...

That's about all, you lose the other features of HFS+, but I doubt you use any of them on your iPod.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_file_systems

[spek10]

OK i converted and reloaded all the data.  Now when I run the installer I get this message:

Personal Message (Offline)       
   
can't load rockbox.ipod - 5.5g 30GB
« on: February 08, 2008, 02:08:18 pm »    Reply with quote
Hi!

I've trying hard to install rockbox on my ipod 5.5G 30GB that I recently got from ebay. The ipod is functioning normally with the apple firmware. After installing rockbox and when trying to boot into it I get this message on my ipod:

Code:

Rockbox boot loader
Version: 2.0
IPOD version: 0xFFFFFFFF
TOSHIBA MK3008GAL
Partition 1: 0x0B 28521MB
Loading Rockbox...
Error!
Can't load rockbox.ipod:
File not found
Hold MENU+SELECT to reboot
then SELECT+PLAY for disk mode

Now I have tried everthing.  Small install and full install using the auto installer.  manually unzipping th files into the device root directory...  what gives?

[Gareth Schakel]

did you perhaps hide the rockbox.ipod file?

[yapper]

Is there a rockbox.ipod file inside the .rockbox directory?

[bluebrother]

Now I have tried everthing.  Small install and full install using the auto installer.  manually unzipping th files into the device root directory...  what gives?

Manually unzipping using OS X's unzip tool most likely will put the files into the wrong folder. This is a known OS X issue. You need to have a folder ".rockbox" (note the leading dot!) in the root of your player after unzipping. This folder will contain the file rockbox.ipod.

Have you tried using the "manual installation" tab of Rockbox Utility? Does that work? Did you get any error messages during installation?

Mystic_Kitsune: hiding rockbox.ipod won't make a difference.

[yapper]

User has posted a new topic for this issue here: http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=16683.0