iPod 5.5 80 / Prefetch & Data errors everywhere! (and a solution)

[Slipknot]

Apple iPod G 5.5 80 Gig user:
I was using v2.? since Nov07. My Rockbox/iPod worked well enough/

In OCT-08 I installed v3. and immediately started receiving Prefetch errors and Data errors ALL THE TIME.
I then tried to go back to v2.? from Feb08. Nope. Still prefetch errors.
OH NO.
- I tried reinstalling multiple times -> errors
-I tried installing Apple iPod SW v1.2.6 -> errors
-I tried reformatting the drive -> errors
-I tried removing the tag info on the FLAC files ->errors

However, each time I did this, I did a manual install; downloading the bootloader and the iPod 60/80gig Rockbox installation ->errors

I just NOW decided to use the RBUtil installer and see if that was any better.
INSTEAD OF CHOOSING MY IPOD TYPE,  THIS TIME I LET THE RBUTIL program select the iPod type AND IT CHOSE iPOD 30G !!! Huh. Well fine, it can't be any worse than what I'm doing.

All problems vanished. Yay.

[nls]

No need for all those caps, really.
The only difference between the 30GB build and the 60/80GB build is that the latter uses 64MB of ram, which the 60/80GB models have but the 30GB models have 32MB of ram, rockbox can not detect this so if you install the 60/80GB version on a 30GB it will have the problem you described. However some 60GB and 80GB ipod videos apppear to have only 32MB of ram, at least some of those players are refurbished. Was your ipod bought as refurbished or has it been repaired or aftermarket uppgraded?

[Slipknot]

If you knew how much time I've spent trying to figure out what the problem was, you would be more understanding of the ALL CAPS for emphasis.

My motherboard blew in Sept08. I sent it to Kansas (iResq) for repair. I requested the old motherboard so I have it here.  I'd venture to guess that very very few iPods from 2006 have survived intact.

When I choose Rockbox->System->Rockbox Info I see:
Buffer: 28.9MB

Is that an indication of the amount of RAM?
Why did the RBUtil program select the 30G instead of 60/80G. Was it able to distinguish the amount of RAM?
By the way, if you're one of the developers, Rockbox is just fabulous. Especially v.3 that seems to handle disk acess way, way better.

[Llorean]

It sounds like you got the main board from a 30GB model then, based on the errors. The buffer size just indicates how much is being used for the buffer (specifically, it'd say the same thing even if your player physically had 64MB of memory).

The utility can't distinguish. But 32MB builds work on 64MB players, while the other way around is not true, so since it can't distinguish it just errs on the safe side.

And there's no such thing as "v.3". There's Rockbox 3.0, which is one specific build of Rockbox released a couple months back. All later versions aren't "v3.0" or "3.0" or "v.3" or "Rockbox 3" but are instead just various revisions of Rockbox that should be identified by their revision number.

[Slipknot]

So you think I got a 30G motherboard rather than a 60/80G? I have no idea.

Although it sounds like I'm worse off with 32M vs 64M I don't know if I can tell the difference.

 Would I notice any difference in Rockbox performance if I call back iResq and insist on getting the proper 64M - 60/80 motherboard?

Thanks

[Llorean]

If you have a tendency to listen to music without skipping songs for long periods, you might see somewhat better battery life with the proper amount of RAM, yes. The more often you skip, the better off you are with less RAM, interestingly enough (at least, you should be), though there's no hard numbers to say how often is "too often" or anything.

As it stands, it's most likely not worth any hassle it would create for you to accomplish such a switch.

[Slipknot]

A little more information. I emailed iResq and they responded:

"The 30GB and 60GB models use the same motherboard.  This is the Rev. 1 logic board.  Only the 80GB model uses a different logic board (Rev. 2)."

[soap]

A little more information. I emailed iResq and they responded:

"The 30GB and 60GB models use the same motherboard.  This is the Rev. 1 logic board.  Only the 80GB model uses a different logic board (Rev. 2)."

Politely tell them that they are wrong and that the 60GB motherboard has 64MB of RAM while the 30GB motherboard has 32MB of RAM.
Interchangeable =/= identical.

And tell them that for providing such valuable information to them - which clearly increases the resale value of previously underutilized stock - they should reward you with a refund on your purchase.

[turantelle]

Had the exact same issue, and it's now fixed. Thx a lot! This should be in a faq.


UPDATE: I still get data aborts, but only infrequently, perhaps about each 30 mins, help?

[soap]

Playing the same files do you get some sort of error at roughly the same place in the Apple original firmware?

[turantelle]

No, but I did a reformat with itunes and reinstall of the stable Rockbox 3.0 build, and at least with all effects off (crossfading etc), I haven't gotten any data aborts

All is good in the hood...now if only someone figured out how to talk to the video decoder chip