Partition errors, at the end of my wits.

[Jake_Kulp]

This is my first time attempting to install Rockbox on a device.
 
I have a 120gb marked ipod 5th gen. I installed a sdcard hdd replacement and have formatted the card, installed itunes, verified it was functioning before trying to install RockBox.
 
 I keep getting stuck on trying to install the bootloader. The tool installs the firmware juat fine, however the tool won't find my device, I have it set to disk use mode with itunes and have searched numerous similar topics around the fourms and nothing has fixed this. I've tried reformatting the 8gb card I have in the device multiple times.  I have also restored the ipod through itunes multiple times without luck.
 
Hopefully this is just a simple thing I've missed and not something like busted hardware. Any constructive advice is appreciated, thanks!

[Frankenpod]

There isn't a 120gb 5th gen, so either you have a 6th gen or it's an already-modded device.  5th and 6th gen are very different from rockbox's point-of-view.  The problem you describe seems more plausible in a 6th gen, I don't really see how this could happen with a 5th gen.  The installation with a 6th gen is more complicated.

I don't understand what you mean when you say 'the tool installs the firmware' and 'the tool won't find my device'.  Surely in order to install the firmware it must have found the device?  Are you saying it loses the ability to see the ipod once the firmware is installed?  What does windows explorer (assuming you are using windows, you don't say which OS you have) see?  And likewise device manager?

  Once you write rockbox to the ipod, do you reboot in rockbox mode?  What happens if you write rockbox directory but then reboot in of mode?  I can't see any reason why the ipod would become undetectable by the computer just because you wrote the rockbox directory to the drive.

What format are you using for your card?  (also 8gb seems quite a small capacity to 'upgrade' to, is this just a test, or is that all you require?)

[saratoga]

You have a 6th gen and need to use that installer.  However, most of those SD adapters work poorly or not at all with rockbox, so you may want to use the OF anyway.

[Jake_Kulp]

@Frankenpod,
The 8gb card is in there just to test it. When I run the installer through the rockbox utility I can run each 'box' except the bootloader. I attempt and then it shows 'Error reading partition table' message. That's what I mean by it's installing the firmware but not the bootloader. I can see the device in windows explorer just fine. Perhaps, just wiping the device once more and attempting this as a 6th gen install.

@saratoga,
pretty much the same info listed above.

[Jake_Kulp]

Alrighty. I've figured it out now. I've just been trying to install the wrong version onto the iPod. I've found a correct installer for the 6th gen 120gb. Idk the etiquette on links here so I'll leave it out till further notice. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Helped clear up lots of headache!