Ipod video 30GB not found

[AstroBoy]

I have an ipod video 30GB.
The ipod looks like the one on the right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ipod-comparison.jpg

When I turn the ipod on I get:
"Connect to your computer.
Use itunes to restore."

I can see files when connected to my XP or Linux system.
I can play the MP3 files using XP.

However, when I use rbutilqt.exe or ipodpatcher.exe I get no ipod found.  I have tried on XP and Linux.

What is wrong?  Do I need to use itunes to "restore".  My son says that will wipe the disk.  The ipod belongs to my son, and he is sick of doing the restore.  So I want him to try rock box.

I did copy the .rockbox dir to the ipod, but I can't install the RB boot loader.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[linuxstb]

The Rockbox installation requires a working ipod, so yes, you'll need to either restore with itunes, or use another method to restore, e.g.:

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

Both of these involve reformatting, which as your son says will wipe your disk.

[AstroBoy]

Ok, thanks.  I hope to "fix" it with Linux.  Thanks.
3 questions:
Once I do the conversion to fat32, can itunes still put it back to normal?

Is fat32 required for RockBox?  Somewhere I read that it was, but the RockBox install instructions did not say fat32 was required (or I missed it).

The fat32 instructions say to verify the sector size with:
"ipodpatcher /dev/diskN"
However, ipodpatcher says ipod not detected.  Catch 22.  What should I do about that?

Thanks.

[Chronon]

Yes. Rockbox requires FAT32.

iTunes can interact just fine with a FAT32 iPod.

[AlexP]

The fat32 instructions say to verify the sector size with:
"ipodpatcher /dev/diskN"
However, ipodpatcher says ipod not detected.  Catch 22.  What should I do about that?

ipodpatcher should be run with root rights.

[bluebrother]

ipodpatcher should be run with root rights.

Same applies for Rockbox Utility when performing the bootloader installation (as it uses ipodpatcher internally) ...