Newb Opener / Do you need the iPod firmware to run RB?

[kidblast]

Hi, I recently formatted my 2G Nano with Windows Disk Manager so that the Nano screen know tells me to "...restore with iTunes"

In this state can it not be utilized to run RockBox?

This is killing me because even though my PC recognises the iPod as a mass storage device or as drive:F, itunes will have nothing to do with it.

Can I do anything to get this Nano going that doesn't involve iTunes or iTunes uploader?

[vocrobot]

It looks like you have reformatted your iPod into NTFS rather than FAT32 which is how the iPods are formatted.

If you do a google search you'll see there is a way to reformat for FAT32 but if your PC recognises your iPod and you can see it in My Computer, just install Rockbox and drag and drop your music files direct to the player in folders. Rockbox doesn't need iTunes but I would advise you to reformat into FAT32 again because the 2nd gen iPod build is still in it's early stages and could be a bit buggy still. That way you can use rockbox or Apple firmware.

[kidblast]

Hi Vocrobot.

Thank you for replying.

The iPod has been formatted to FAT32. When it is connected to the PC explorer shows the device as disk F: and checking it's properties it states it as being "Apple iPod USB Device"

I was reading the literature regarding RockBox installation and it requires you initially run ipodcatcher.exe to install the boot loader.

This application does not recognise my iPod when I run it.

Therefore, am I not able to install Rockbox firmware?

May main question was can you install Rockbox on an ipod that does not have relevant ipod firmware already installed on the device?

[AlexP]

No, the Rockbox installer checks for a valid Apple firmware.

[kidblast]

Well, that's put a dampener on that one.

[gevaerts]

Have a look at http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodManualRestore

[Chronon]

There's information about ipodpatcher here: http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodPatcher

I believe (though I'm not certain) that it is possible to install Rockbox without an Apple firmware present.  But you would have to use "advanced options" of ipodpatcher to do so. 

[torne]

No, it's not really. You need to at minimum have:
1) the correct partition layout as expected by the Apple bootrom
2) the firmware partition needs to have the table of images
3) RSRC must exist with the right contents, on ipodvideo and possibly others

I suspect the bootrom will *also* be unhappy if AUPD and HIBE don't exist.

It's possible to not have the actual original firmware binary in OSOS, but the rest of the firmware partition is probably not optional

[Chronon]

Of course this makes sense.  I must have been confused earlier.  If the OP merely formatted the data partition then the original firmware should be intact anyway, though maybe not bootable without a valid FAT32 partition.