256GB mSATA SSD for iPod 5g/5.5g - possible with current release of Rockbox?

[dreamlayers]

Did you try disabling DMA (HAVE_ATA_DMA) or enabling DMA for writes (ATA_DMA_WRITES)? Neither of these are a good long-term solution, but they might help narrow down what's failing.

[DMinor]

Just want to say BIG thanks to Torne and Dreamlayers for your time and efforts to benefit many Rockbox hardcore followers like myself.

[cereal_killer]

There's an ipodvideo test build of this available here if anyone wants to try: http://whitefang.wolfpuppy.org.uk/temp/rockbox-piotimings.zip - if you try this let me know how it works.

So is this test build only for iPods that are modified with mSATA SSDs + adapter? Or does it make sense to try it on an unmodified iPod Video too?

[torne]

The test build is for iPods that have some kind of storage/adapter fitted that doesn't work with normal Rockbox; it doesn't matter what kind of adapter/disk that is really, it's possible that this change could fix problems on any weird hardware that wasn't previously working

Feel free to test it on a regular unmodified one as well, but you shouldn't see any difference (it may be very slightly slower to access the disk but not so much you'd notice).

[DMinor]

Has anyone tried the patch or test build with a mSATA drive? I am really interested to know if the USB issue as mentioned by Torne is a common issue for this type of drive.

[torne]

Nobody has tried it and told me about it. :/

I'm going to do some more tests on the drive I have soon, but I've not had a lot of time lately.

[DMinor]

Nobody has tried it and told me about it. :/

I'm going to do some more tests on the drive I have soon, but I've not had a lot of time lately.

Look forward to your latest results. I am assuming if you have issues with the USB then you probably have issues with the LOD as well.

[torne]

No, there's no reason why line out should be a problem. That has nothing to do with accessing the disk.

[DMinor]

As long as the USB can still charge the battery , maybe we can have the rockbox installed first and then remove the ssd drive. Connect the ssd  drive to the computer using an external adapter for copying files. After the files are copied, put the ssd drive back to the ipod. Would that work?

I don't expect to delete and copy files after the ssd drive is filled full.

[torne]

It works fine in the original firmware, there's no need to do that.

[DMinor]

It works fine in the original firmware, there's no need to do that.

But the point is I don't want to use the original Apple firmware. So if rockbox can be installed to the drive and it can play music, then maybe we just need to find a way to copy the files to the drive since the uSB is having trouble to do that.

[saratoga]

It works fine in the original firmware, there's no need to do that.

But the point is I don't want to use the original Apple firmware.

Why exactly?

[torne]

It works fine in the original firmware, there's no need to do that.

But the point is I don't want to use the original Apple firmware. So if rockbox can be installed to the drive and it can play music, then maybe we just need to find a way to copy the files to the drive since the uSB is having trouble to do that.

Yes, so the way to copy the files I was suggesting is "reboot into the original firmware".

[DMinor]

Yes, so the way to copy the files I was suggesting is "reboot into the original firmware".

How does that work? So you reboot into OF, then plug it into computer thru USB, then what? I want to copy my FALC's to the mSATA drive.  Hint please ....

[DMinor]

Posted a patch for this here: http://gerrit.rockbox.org/r/#/c/469/

There's an ipodvideo test build of this available here if anyone wants to try: http://whitefang.wolfpuppy.org.uk/temp/rockbox-piotimings.zip - if you try this let me know how it works. On the device I have this is not 100% functional yet; it boots and plays audio but test_disk hangs and USB behaves badly.

I finally got all my parts and tried this test build and it didn't work.

This is what I did. I restored the ipod using the iTunes after the 256GB  mSATA drive was installed. Then I installed the Rockbox using the Utility, and followed immediately by replacing the rockbox folder with the test build. Booted to RB, then it hung while trying to play a flac file. Forced a reboot and everything went down hill from there with all kinds problems (kept rebooting, asking for restore, saying low battery and please wait, etc..). So I gave it up and restored it to the apple OF. Well, at least I have a working 250GB mSATA ipod running on the OF.