Issues with installing iPod mini v2 2005 128gb

[sweebiegeebie]

I have a few iPods that have flash upgrades that I bought on ETSY.  The first is an iPod 5.5g 256 gb that is the start of my journey.  The 2nd is an iPod mini v2 128gb.  For the first, I bought it for about $500, I tried to put rockbox on it last year with my m1 MacBook Air and I completely bricked the iPod.  I wound up having to get a used 2013 iMac Mac in order to resuscitate it with iTunes (no longer on Sonoma c. 2020).  The iPod was back to life but it is now being upgraded to 1tb, I mailed it back to the seller and requested rockbox. 
Today I was focusing on the mini.  I installed the Mac version of the auto detector and installer, and I read the manual.  It looks like I shouldn't be having an issue because I am able to convert the iPod into a fat32 with disk utility on my old iMac.  Maybe the issue stems from the fact that my iPod mini is not synced with a windows machine, but then I don't understand why this Mac installer exists.  I am getting a few roadblock popups.  a.  it says- there is an update for the installer available on the site-, but the link for the most updated version only downloads the version that says a newer version is available, I don't see why this should be an issue.  b. I've made the iPod a fat 32 with disk utility and it says- multiple devices are plugged in and to unplug the ones which I don't intend to install to, though it also states this as a non issue. c. the rockbox installer doesn't run a clean install, it says- the mount point is unknown or invalid.  my iPod is now in iPod limbo, but fortunately I have a Mac that is able to doo a factory restore on it.  yet I can just tell that I would really prefer this rockbox software to the stock iTunes problems(creating a load of playlists and having iTunes lose files and songs).  joining this forum here on 9/13/2024.

[bluebrother]

I installed the Mac version of the auto detector and installer, and I read the manual.  It looks like I shouldn't be having an issue because I am able to convert the iPod into a fat32 with disk utility on my old iMac.

That doesn't work. It's not just the format of the data partition, the partition tables are different between a "Mac" and "PC" formatted Ipod. Restore using Itunes on Windows, or manually restore as described in the wiki: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodConversionToFAT32.html

Maybe the issue stems from the fact that my iPod mini is not synced with a windows machine, but then I don't understand why this Mac installer exists.

Because there are two things. Itunes on Mac can work just fine with a "PC" formatted Ipod. However, restoring on Mac will always restore to "Mac" format. Once the Ipod is in the correct format installing Rockbox works just fine on Mac. That's why there is an installer. It has nothing to do with "synching".

it says- there is an update for the installer available on the site-, but the link for the most updated version only downloads the version that says a newer version is available, I don't see why this should be an issue.

That's a bug with the binary. Ignore it.

I've made the iPod a fat 32 with disk utility

This does NOT work. See above.

the rockbox installer doesn't run a clean install, it says- the mount point is unknown or invalid.

That's because (a) at that point you didn't select a mountpoint (since auto detection couldn't.) At that point it cannot continue and did NOT make any changes to the Ipod.

[sweebiegeebie]

I have followed the guide for Mac (I don't have access to a windows) at  https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodConversionToFAT32.html.  I don't think it managed to do anything.  I copied the commands into an editor, and with terminal, tried to run the command on the .bin file then run the command that was supposed to attach that bin file to the disk image of my ipodmini, in this case, disk4.  When I ran the whole command together it looked like: 'dd if=mbr-mini2g-4gb.bin of=/dev/disk4'.  I don't know what to expect it to do when it worked but the eject command did not work.  when I ejected the iPod in finder it remounted the disk.  I am not sure that it was supposed to do that.  Is this command supposed to factory reset what is currently synced to the iPod?  Does it just mount a bin file to the disk that primes it to be used in the rockbox easy installer?

here is my terminal session:

user@users-imac downloads % dd if=mbr-mini2g-4gb.bin of=/dev/diskN
dd: /dev/diskN: Operation not permitted
user@users-imac downloads % dd if=mbr-mini2g-4gb.bin of=/dev/diskN
dd: /dev/diskN: Operation not permitted
user@users-imac downloads % dd if=mbr-mini2g-4gb.bin of=/dev/iPod
dd: /dev/iPod: Operation not permitted
user@users-imac downloads % dd if=mbr-mini2g-4gb.bin of=/dev/disk4
dd: /dev/disk4: Permission denied
user@users-imac downloads % eject /dev/disk4
zsh: command not found: eject
user downloads %

Hope this finds help well.

[saratoga]

Permission denied, so try running as administrator or with su. 

[sweebiegeebie]

I am a novice with terminal, how do I run as administrator?  does with su mean sudo command?