Rockbox Utility says "failed to add Bootloader"

[mjb2008]

I'm trying to use the Rockbox Utility to install Rockbox on the iPod colour (4th gen), using the 'Complete Installation' option. I get "failed to add Bootloader" in the Progress window. I am an Administrator, the iPod is FAT32 formatted, and everything seems to be configured correctly. Any idea what's going on? Here's the full sequence from the Progress window:

Starting bootloader installation
Searching for ipods
Downloading file bootloader-ipodcolor.ipod
Download finished.
failed to add Bootloader

Let me know what other info I can provide to help diagnose. Thanks!

[MarcGuay]

I believe there are still some bugs to iron out with the "Complete Installation" method.  Try installing the  bootloader by itself (under the second tab?) and see what happens.

[mjb2008]

Same result when using that method, sorry

[bxawesomeness]

my friend got this error with his nano, i really don't know the answer, but I doubt it has anything to do with your fault.

[Chronon]

You can also try the manual installation method.

[mjb2008]

Solved!

I started to do the manual installation, but stopped when ipodcatcher.exe told me I have a 5th generation iPod video (30 GB), not a 4th generation iPod colour (which, incidentally, is what the AutoDetect on Rockbox Utility said I have). This is a hand-me-down, and I'm in a hurry, so I didn't check it very carefully beforehand. Anyway I double-checked the model # with Google and sure enough, I do indeed have a video iPod. So I configured Rockbox Utility for 5th gen, and it worked like a charm.

To summarize:

• The user misidentified the iPod model when configuring Rockbox Utility - a 4th gen bootloader won't install on 5th gen device
• Rockbox Utility fails to properly auto-detect the iPod model - it thought a 5th gen device was 4th gen

[bluebrother]

• The user misidentified the iPod model when configuring Rockbox Utility - a 4th gen bootloader won't install on 5th gen device
• Rockbox Utility fails to properly auto-detect the iPod model - it thought a 5th gen device was 4th gen

That is almost impossible -- the autodetection mechanism is the same used by ipodpatcher, and if that identifies the Ipod correctly Rockbox Utility will also do. Are you 100% sure that clicking the "Autodetect" button in the configuration dialog selected the wrong model (and you didn't by accident click on the 4G after detection)? Can you reproduce this? If you can reproduce it I'd be interested in a dump of the MBR and firmware partition to check this.

[mjb2008]

Strangely, I can't reproduce it now. Before I installed Rockbox, here's what I did:

I didn't bother with Autodetect; I just manually selected "Ipod Colour / Photo / U2 (4th gen)" from the Rockbox Utility config screen, then attempted & failed several times to do Complete Installation or just a bootloader installation. I then ran ipodpatcher.exe, but pressed C to cancel when I saw it autodetected a 5th gen device. So I went back into Rockbox Utility and manually selected "Ipod Video (5th gen) 30GB" in the config screen. Before leaving the config screen, I tried clicking the Autodetect button, and the selection immediately changed to "Ipod Colour / Photo / U2 (4th gen)". I know I didn't click on anything else or press any keys to make that happen. So I manually selected the correct one again, and proceeded with the Complete Install.

Now, though, Autodetect is consistently choosing the right thing. *shrug*

[nodecks]

I have a 1st generation 20Gb iPod that I recently thought would be very useful as a harddrive and had heard that RockBox could be added to it. After wading my way through the paragraphs of instructions and manuals followed by carefully downloading the version of software for the unit I set about installing it - or at least attempting to. Sadly all was not to be. The installation failed to add bootloader.

I went online to the forums to find an answer, followed out most of the suggestions, including looking for iTunes tasks running in Task Manager, re-downloading the Rockbox etc. Basically wasted three hours so far and have achieved nothing.

I have searched for an answer and cannot find any at all. Does anyone (non-geek language friendly, something lacking in these forums!) have any suggestions. I can see loads of listing here with this error, but no solutions. Find me a solution and, as I always do, I will donate a fee to the project.

[bluebrother]

(non-geek language friendly, something lacking in these forums!)

Nice to hear. I bet this makes the people posting frequently here having less interest in replying to your question. Like it or not, replacing a firmware is a rather technical process so you'll likely get technical answers. You could always ask for explanation if you don't understand the language used ...

I can see loads of listing here with this error, but no solutions.

Are you absolutely sure your player is a 1st gen Ipod? According to Wikipedia the 1st gen wasn't available with 20GB. Did you try autodetecting the player in Rockbox Utility, and did it identify it as 1st gen Ipod?

[nodecks]

I was very annoyed with the time wasted this morning so I apologise for attitude  - perhaps harsh on modulators, even though I read some unbelievably unhelpful putdowns to other users like me. Anyway, back to point in hand. . .

Rockbox uses the word 'automated' quite a few times in their instructions for installing so I am surprised that it should be so complicated. I will go back and check my model type as I cannot be sure.

Finally for now, thank you for your responses to date. I appreciate it

[saratoga]

Rockbox uses the word 'automated' quite a few times in their instructions for installing so I am surprised that it should be so complicated. I will go back and check my model type as I cannot be sure.

It is generally quite automated, but if you don't know what player you have, it can be quite hard for the software to automate things.  Worse, depending on whats been done to the player before you try installing rockbox, it can be very difficult to automatically identify which model it is, so its a good idea to at least check what it thinks is being installed. 

[nodecks]

I had indeed chosen the wrong version. It was a 4th generation and the Rockbox OS is now installed. Easily and without hitch. I will now keep my side of the bargain and make a donation immediately. Thank you.