I'm afraid I may have just bricked my iPod >_< [RESOLVED: NOT BRICKED]

[to_the_kill]

I've been running in circles trying to get my iPod back up and running and hoping I can find some help here because I'm just about driven myself stark raving mad trying to fix it.

I use Amarok. Last night I deleted a lot of things to make space in my music library, so instead of syncing (which wouldn't delete anything from the iPod) I decided to just start fresh. I deleted all of the music from the iPod and tried to re-sync it. Well, it got to about 13% and then wouldn't allow me to add anything else...all file copying failed. I tried a bunch of crap and asked around the Ubuntu circles before deciding I probably just need to reinstall the firmware. I can't reinstall the firmware now that I'm only running Ubuntu. I discovered RockBox and decided to install it instead.

I read through the instructions in the pdf carefully and downloaded the utility...for some reason it can download the files it needs but it can't unzip them (I get a "zlib" error). So then I tried manually. I mounted the iPod and downloaded the zip file for my 3rd gen. I unzipped the contents to the root of the iPod but it returned an error (which I probably should have written down, basically said it can't copy). I unmounted, remounted, tried again...same error. I disconnected the iPod and restarted it but surprisingly it must have copied something over because it flashed the Apple logo and then immediately went to this screen...

Rockbox boot loader
Version: 3.0
IPOD version: 0x00030001
TOSHIBA (my model #)
Partition 1: 0x0B 14260 MB
Loading Rockbox...
Error!
Can't load rockbox.ipod:
File not found
Hold MENU+PLAY to
reboot then REW+FF
for disk mode

It won't respond to anything now, just stays lit up with that message on the screen. Pressing buttons won't do anything, the computer will no longer recognize it...the only thing it responds to is sliding the "hold" switch over (just adds a line at the bottom saying it's on). I can't even get it to turn off. It should go off soon though because the battery was already low, but even then what can I do?

I haven't used cds in years, I basically just hook this thing up to my car, my computer, and play it in my office so I can have all of my music wherever I go...it's crazy how much I don't even know how to function without this thing. I'm going on a long road trip Friday and in a mad rush to get this fixed before then. Any ideas? At all?

[saratoga]

I can't reinstall the firmware now that I'm only running Ubuntu. I discovered RockBox and decided to install it instead.

You need a working ipod before you can install rockbox.  Fix your original issue first.

I read through the instructions in the pdf carefully and downloaded the utility...for some reason it can download the files it needs but it can't unzip them (I get a "zlib" error). So then I tried manually. I mounted the iPod and downloaded the zip file for my 3rd gen. I unzipped the contents to the root of the iPod but it returned an error (which I probably should have written down, basically said it can't copy). I unmounted, remounted, tried again...same error. I disconnected the iPod and restarted it but surprisingly it must have copied something over because it flashed the Apple logo and then immediately went to this screen...

You installed the bootloader, but not rockbox.  Since you can't write to your partition, I'm guessing you have a file system error.

It won't respond to anything now, just stays lit up with that message on the screen.

Do this:

Hold MENU+PLAY to
reboot then REW+FF
for disk mode

[saratoga]

That's the problem - none of the buttons respond. Pressing Menu+Play or Menu+Select does absolutely nothing.

This probably means you're not doing it right.  Make sure hold is off, and hold them down for a while.  It will work unless you've damaged the buttons.

And I can't fix the original issue because I have no way of reinstalling the Apple firmware (that I can find). I was assuming that reinstalling a different firmware would also fix the issue.

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/IpodManualRestore

[to_the_kill]

I thought Menu+Play wouldn't respond at first but I finally figured it out...just wasn't holding it long enough.

Alright...looks like I need to find the original power plug then so I can do a manual reset. Sorry for the dumbness.

[Febs]

I've modified your thread title to reflect that your iPod is not bricked.