Stability issues iPod Classic 6G with iFlash adapter

[RockBoxNewB]

Hi fellas,

Searching around for hours on the internet didn't get me any further, so my only hope left is the opinion of true experts.
Some of you might know me already for experimenting around with some rockboxed iPods, using Tarkan Akdam's iFlash adapters. Unfortunately, the result is dissatisfactory - because of instability. Anyway, I'm trying  to make the best out of it.

For those who are interested from the other thread: I finally managed to get my complete database migrated to this iPod - countless re-installations of Rockbox and transferring the files back and forth at some point led to success. Now all files are complete with ReplayGain info and rating. Looks like the USB handler still has some issues (I'm using the V8 build with the new bootloader, no EMcore), but who knows what the true problem was/is. With this iPod, it's not possible to use the USB connection from the Apple firmware, since it doesn't work with more than 128GB of storage on this particular model (6G 80GB).

With this problem solved, another (even more serious) one remains: Instability. I am still not able to let my iPod run more than 1 hour in one go without having to reset it. Playback would suddenly stop, with the device freezing: after a couple of seconds, it would play music for another second, then freezing again, until it becomes completely unresponsive.

I've noticed that these iFlash adapters gain more and more popularity - but for what I can say, they seem "unfinished" and not working as advertised. Whether you have experience with these adapters or not, please let me know your thoughts and ideas! They are more than welcome on my desperate attempt to make this device run stable after all.

Thanks and best,
RBNB

[saratoga]

See my reply to your previous thread: http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php/topic,51510.msg238065.html#msg238065

[RockBoxNewB]

Hi saratoga,

Yes that's true, I was also referring to your statement when I said that the adapters are sold with reference to Rockbox (because some models need RB to unlock all storage) but not working at all with it, at least "out of the box". Since there must be many people out there using iFlash and RB, I was still hoping someone would have improvement suggestions from their own experience.

Best,
RBNB

[[Saint]]

I have a couple of SSD converted iPod Classics, and a couple of other solid state converted iPod Classics that use the original iFlash adapter (I have no experience with the iFlash Dual or iFlash Quad).

I think a lot of issues come from several things, or a combination of two or more of the following:

• Users not understanding that they have a hard cutoff at either 128GB or 256GB¹ depending on the iPod Classic model they are converting
• Users that are almost certainly using Windows based operating systems²
• Users who mistreat flash based removable media and then blame the hardware³
• Users who end up inflicting mild to significant hardware damage when making the conversion⁴
• Spooky ghosts⁵

• It isn't common knowledge, it seems, that there are two storage variants in the iPod Classic, ATA and CE-ATA, the latter can come in a 160GB dual platter variety and can address 256GB.
• Windows operating systems can be significantly less forgiving in terms of timing when addressing removable volumes, which gives them a tendency to give up a far more willingly. The modern Designware USB driver most certainly helps in this regard but still relies on the hardware responding in a timely fashion.
• Many users will abruptly pull a removable volume as soon as it appears to them that a transfer has finished. A transfer that appears to have finished is not necessarily any indication that that transfer has actually been written out to disk. The write can still be pending, this behavior is known as write caching. Any removable storage, on any operating system, should be safely ejected before disconnecting it to ensure that the write cache has been flushed to disk. I have seen it play out multiple times when operating in a support capacity that users will blame either or both the software or the hardware for filesystem corruption they have directly caused by failing to safelyJust because t eject a removable volume.
• The flex ribbon cables must not be flexed too far in either direction, and absolutely can not be creased under any circumstances. The traces located within these cables are not particularly forgiving at all and can be broken partially or fully, causing intermittent connections that can manifest in all sorts of crazy behavior that will appear to be caused by software.
• thank mr skeltal ^{doot doot}

[Saint]

[Frankenpod]

My understanding is that the issue with the 160gb fat classic is that the firmware seems to be designed to detect what interface its using, and will default to LBA28 if its not using the original CE-ATA (that model ipod being the only one using that interface by default).  That's why when using the OF its limited to 128gb with flash mods (that require changing the drive cable as no flash mods use CE-ATA) even though it can go higher with the original drive.

And I don't know about SSDs, but there's no doubt in my mind that with SDcards the brand of card makes a difference with respect to rockbox compatibility (thought I'm not clear if it's exclusively a rockbox issue, as I've noticed issues with the OF as well, but don't use OF enough to be sure, as my library is way past the OF's database size limit).  I can only assume either different brands don't follow standards scrupulously, or perhaps whatever the relevant 'standard' is for sdcards, isn't pinned down as precisely as one would hope.

[RockBoxNewB]

HI guys,

thanks for your thoughts on the topic. Glad to see that there is some experience out there that might provide fresh ideas.

@Frankenpod - sorry if I got you wrong, but I am using an 80GB iPod, and not the thick 160GB one! The issues do not seem related to the size (or the generation). I've had similar problems with a 5G iPod Video.

@[Saint] - Of course you've got valid points there. All I can say is that from day one, I tool greatest care always to eject the iPod, wait for processes to finish... but there are some things I cannot rule out either. Maybe I did cause some damage when I installed the adapter. I guess if one considers what power you must apply to actually OPEN the case, bad things can happen anytime. Although I don't think this is the cause here, to be honest.
The only thing I could try is to remove one of the SD card and reset the system with then-256GB of storage. It's not as much as I need in the end, but if the iPod's interface can at least address these 256GB, that might be a benefit to stability, wouldn't it?!

What I cannot recall actually, is whether I had installed the V8 version or the V8 Designware one.

Best,
RBNB