No DFU devices found

[questions2000]

Some family and friends have asked me about figuring out how to get Rockbox running on various iPods.
I have been lent a few iPods to work on but I choose the 6g one to start with because I imagine it is probably the most difficult.  I believe someone I know has a 7g also, but I think the process will be the same as with the 6g.

-Using Linux / Debian Based DE
-Would like to achieve this manually rather than using the Rockbox Utility.
-iPod 6g using regular mechanical hard drive that came with the device and is formatted FAT32
-Using newest RB development builds
-Had to compile "mks5lboot" because I could not find a compiled Debian based version anywhere?
-I have libusb-1.0-0 library version 2:1.0.26-1 installed

The issue I am having is even though the device is in DFU mode, mks5lboot does not seem to recognize the device when running scan.  Device has Apple BL and Apple FW on it and runs fine, also enters DFU mode fine as well.

I have tried many different combinations but here is the main steps I have followed based on pdf manual instructions.
No sure if this is the proper order of steps to follow?

STEPS TO RUN DFUSCAN
-I plug the device USB into computer, which mounts automatically and I leave it in "normal" mode
-The Rockbox firmware ".rockbox" folder has been transfered to the root level of device

-Then I run this command to perform "dfuscan"

Code: [Select]

./mks5lboot --dfuscan -l
-It keeps showing the scan attempts
-I then perform the button combinations to enter DFU mode which works fine
-The scan keeps repeating/counting but does not detect

Code: [Select]

[5] DFU scan:
[INFO] libusb: no DFU devices found
[ERR] DFU device not found

[6] DFU scan:
[INFO] libusb: no DFU devices found
[ERR] DFU device not found
Again I have tried many combinations of steps and cannot seem to figure out why the mks5lboot dfuscan is not detecting the device?  Is this scan still needed?  Is there a way to just directly link the device, I saw a PIDS approach but did not know how to perform it?

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas why the device is not being detected during this scan and maybe offer something else I can try?

Thank You

[questions2000]

I was really hoping someone would respond.
I still cannot understand why if the device is in DFU mode that it does not detect during the scan.
If anyone has any ideas, please mention them, I really could use some help.
Thank You

[saratoga]

If the apple firmware isn't working restore the iPod first or you won't be able to dual boot.

iPodpatcher is for a different iPod.

[questions2000]

To answer your question, Apple firmware works, enters DFU mode and when reset goes back to regular default "OS".
Is the DFU mode required for all installation methods?
Initially was going to try the "dual boot" method but if need to can just go the "single boot" route if this bypasses the need for DFU dfuscan detection with the device.

Thank You

[makeprop]

Hi,

Please refer to this guide -  https://www.ott.net/mach/rockbox-on-ipod-video-without-itunes/
or the pinned post on the Apple Installation thread.

A much quicker way of just testing out a manual restore on the iPod is this guide: https://blog.kimiblock.top/2024/09/05/ipod-on-linux/

Let me know how you get on - i struggled a lot until I came across those two - the guide on the RB page is a bit dated. The only way to restore an iPod using windows is via iTunes and HxD live- involving a writing of the first two bits of the MBR. Do not waste your time restortingn to reddit solutions of this or that partition manager - all of these are bloatwares masquerading as partition managers.

PS: If you're not using the original HDD i.e some kind of CF/adaptor solution - one thing which might not be entirely clear is that if the adaptor is malfunctioning or the ribbon cable isn't properly inserted the device won't be able to communicate properly. One of the easiest ways to test this is to see if you can actually speak with the device's storage using any standard disk partition software. If you're able to get fdisk to work and comms properly with the iPod then you're good to go.

As for DFU/non DFU mode - don't take my word for it but I honestly think they're meaningless as far as manual restoration is concerned. I've done hunreds of restorations so far when experimenting in different use caseas and not once have i ever needed to explicitally put it in a specific moe. I've played with 1G mini, 4G, 5G and 6G iPods and never have i bricked an iPod.

[questions2000]

@makeprop
Hello, thank you so much for replying and for offering some help, it sounds like you have a lot of experience with this.

Device uses original HDD.
As mentioned the Apple FW was installed and worked.
Was originally going to try dual boot but then decided to just try single boot.
I tried many things to get the "single boot" mode to work, similar results did not seem like the device was getting detected.  I ended up deleting some content off the device to see if I could get single mode to work but did not work out.
After doing this, luckily I had the guide you provided to restore the device.
The link you mentioned that requires compiling is probably too complicated for me but I was able to figure out the kimiblock link to restore the device.

Thank you for providing this, I had never seen that page before, that is a good find

[makeprop]

Hi I'll only be able to respond properly to you in a few weeks, I'm not near my gear now so I can't properly test let alone remember.

All I know is I never needed to run the command you speak of. All the iPods I have set up are rockbox only. I was only ever successful at getting Dual boot to work with the original HDD and not with my CF cards. But I'm only working away with rockbox only on CF cards so for me the issue is irrelevant.

Question: You mentioned you're running Linux debian, which build exactly? I remember when I was working through ott.net's thorough blog I wasn't able to compile properly on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS because of some incompatible libraries. So I needed to go back to Ubuntu 22.04. That also applied I believe to even getting the ipod to be read by my OS. For instance it wouldn't even sync properly. I'd be able to give you a more thorough answer but as I said I'm not near any of my gear.

Have you tried getting something like gtkpod to work at all?
Cheers

[questions2000]

No problem.
I was actually able to try other devices I had access to and I have been able to get this to work a few times with them already.
So I think I have the hang of it now.
Thank you again for those links that was something I was looking for/trying to figure out as well, the guides you provided were very helpful.
Thanks again for your replying at all