Total Newb to Ipod trying to install RB onto iPod 5.5G 80GB using Win 7

[cBc]

I've enjoyed using RB on my 2 Sansa e280s for years, decided to seek larger music storage via this used iPod . Have literally never used one before, d/l'd manual, ran the RButility, which sees the player, but trying to install booloader gives unable to error. The screen on the ipod is blinking the do not  disconnect icon. Do not have Itunes installed. Did a search, but only found circa 2006 posts.
As far as I can tell , the former owner wiped it before sending. Do I  need to install something onto it before I can begin installing RB? Found a link to master boot record reference, but it seemed to be writte nfor Mac or 'nix users.
Apologize in advance for these dumb q's, but as I said I'm totally foreign to how they work
Thanks for any help.

[Chronon]

Does the Apple firmware boot currently?

[cBc]

yessir
I assume it is set to USB mode , as I can see it under Windows Explorer & open the drive to see the folders. It appears to already be FAT32 partition under Properties.

Also tried it manually, but installing bootloader again failed...


update:
tried to reformat ipod to FAT32, but only option was exFAT. Did that, then again tried the RButility,
but only get "error reading partition table, may not be an ipod."
I'm totally stumped. Any suggestions?

[Yotto]

(Note: I don't have access to a windows 7 machine)

According to a few articles I found on a quick google search of "windows 7 fat32" It appears that the GUI formatter for Windows 7 will only give you a FAT32 option for drives 32GB or lower. However, you can still format the drive from the command line, any size partition up to whatever the FAT32 limit is.

Code: [Select]

format <drive letter>: /FS:FAT32

Be VERY SURE that <drive letter> is correct before you type this.

[cBc]

Hi Yotto, thank you for the reply.
However, I decided to install itunes , and was able to do a restore on the ipod, which then allowed me to finally install the bootloader & RB. Yay! it shows the full size of the drive too (74GB)

Finally I can once again enjoy RB !!

Update:
ehh..spoke too soon. Well trying to transfer any music from my PC to my connected ipod results it the transfer starting and then dying to a dead stop. Nothing gets moved over, then finally the window says "11 hours left" (this for moving 600 mbs of tunes over??) Tryed several times using .mp3, flac, etc, no joy. I have a rockboxed player now, and no way to load any music onto it.

[torne]

Sounds like the disk might be broken, unfortunately...

[cBc]

really? Is there any method to confirm this? I want to return it to the seller if that is the case...crap...

[[Saint]]

really? Is there any method to confirm this? I want to return it to the seller if that is the case...crap...

Try booting the iPod into "Diagnostic Mode"


Reset your iPod by holding "Menu+Select" and as it is resetting, quickly hold "Left (Rewind)+Select" until it enters the iPod Diagnostic Mode.

From there, navigate the menus until you find the S.M.A.R.T data listed (sorry, I cannot tell you exactly where to find this information in this diagnostic menu, I am not familiar with the model) and report the S.M.A.R.T data here.

Someone will be able to tell you the condition of your disk upon examining this info.

PS: Exit Diagnostic Mode by resetting the iPod again, this should be the very last menu entry in the diagnostic menu, or you can also simply hold "Menu+Select" to reset the iPod.

PPS: It is quite likely that the seller will argue the condition of the disk at the time of sale, as there is no way to prove this, it would be short of a miracle if they were to accept the device back for a full refund. Unless of course it is under some form of warranty.



[St.]

[cBc]

Many thanks , will try this after work today.


Seller listed it as "100% working", but it isn't. Guess I get to look forward to more ebay fun...

[[Saint]]

Seller listed it as "100% working", but it isn't.

The thing is though, there is no real way to prove that it *wasn't* 100% working when it was sold.
The disk could have quite literally crapped out as soon as you got it.
I hope you *can* return it, but, I certainly wouldn't rely on being able to do so.

This is a risk taken when buying without a warranty.



[St.]

[cBc]

Well, I went thru a series of the  "5Rs" on the ipod, was able to restore it fine (according to ITunes) successfully install RB on it, but still could never get any music transferred to it. Restored it several more time, ripped a CD via itunes & successfully got it on the ipod, but later syncing produced more error messages, so I gave up. Contacted the seller who has graciously agreed to take it back. Never did the diagnostic check.
This was my first real hands on using an ipod, still may have been something I did wrong, but gave it a good shot.
Gonna go to Fry's today for a 16GB micro SDHC card for my trusty Sansa e280 and move on.

MANY THANKS for those who chimed in to help!!