No DFU devices found

[questions2000]

First off, thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project.

Some family and friends have asked me about figuring out how to get Rockbox running on various iPods.
I have tried many things but I seem to be getting stuck already at the very beginning of the process.
I have many questions but I am trying to figure out as much as I can on my own to see how accurate the instructions are for new users, maybe I can share some insights that could be helpful to other users.

I have 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 also believe someone I know has a 7g they want me to try, I do not see much about that one but I imagine it is probably the same as 6g because I think they are the same just with different drive sizes/physical sizes.

-Using Linux / Debian Based DE
-iPod 6g using regular mechanical hard drive that came with the device.
-I also want to achieve this manually rather than using the Rockbox Utility.
-Using newest development builds

The main issue I am having is one of the beginning steps I read in the manual, which is running the "dfuscan" to identify the iPod.
When I run the following command

Code: [Select]

sudo mks5lboot --dfuscan-lit keeps doing scan 1 second at a time but never seems to find the device, it just keeps saying the following

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libusb: No DFU devices found
I was wondering if anyone has any ideas why the device is not being detected and maybe there is something else I can try?
I have tried many different combinations / methods, I will post some of the things I have tried below that maybe could help narrow down the issue, along with some questions if anyone is interested.

Thank You

[questions2000]

Using newest development builds available on website.

I could not find a compiled version of the "mks5lboot" application available for Debian based Linux, so I compiled my own.
I have both of the required dependencies libusb1.0 and libusb1.0-dev installed before doing so.
Works in general so not a compiling issue.
I have also tried this out on a Windows machine using admin rights using "mks5lboot64.exe" I found on this site and this generated the same results/issue as well.

This iPod I believe was used on a Windows machine, but when I tried to check the file system used, my system could not identify a file system?
I read that FAT32 was needed by Rockbox so I made backup of existing Apple folders and formatted the drive in GParted to FAT32.
Just one partition, now completely empty, no iPod firmware on the drive, but the iPod bootloader itself is in "special flash memory" as mentioned in the manual.

DFU Disk Mode (Method: holding Center+Menu and then Center+Play buttons)
I tried plugging the device into USB before entering DFU Disk Mode, entering the mode after it was plugged into USB.
I also tried running "dfuscan" first and then entering DFU Disk Mode before plugging into USB.

I tried running the "dfuscan"
Before formatting the drive
After formatting the drive, so the drive was empty
After formatting the drive + after extracting the RB development build ".rockbox" folder to the drive

I also saw that maybe you can type in "PIDS" maybe to direct the scan to the actual device, I tried many number/letter combinations that I have seen but none worked, but not exactly sure what this option requires.

This is all I can think of that I tried at the moment

Also, with so many combinations I might have missed something, so if there are any items I mentioned that could be a solution, let me know and I can try that item again.

Thank You

[questions2000]

SOME QUESTIONS
1) Is the iPod firmware needed on the drive for this dfuscan to work?

2) I saw that there is something called "ipodpatcher", sounds like it might be similar to the "mks5lsboot" application.
From reading, it seems like maybe the "ipodpatcher" is older and maybe linked to "ipodlinux"?
I read in the wiki on this page that it is used for iPod firmware/partitioning but also to install the RB bootloader, but I thought that is what the "mks5lsboot" application is for.
Does anyone know if this "ipodpatcher" application is needed?
Do I need to partition drive?

3) The "manual" instructions kind of show RB Utility / manual instructions together.
Have not gotten there obvious yet because cannot detect the DFU device, but when/if I do, does anyone know what should be installed first, the RB firmware or the RB bootloader? or does it not matter as long as both are installed.

Thank you to anyone who reads this post

[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]

Thank you for your reply.
To answer your question, Apple firmware works, enters DFU mode and when reset goes back to regular default "OS".

Being that I am on Linux, not as easy to restore, I think I would rather just single boot to RB.
I have read a good amount about this but still kind of confused.
If I go this route, do you know if I would still require DFU mode?
In this post it appears to be mentioned that DFU mode is required, but not sure if true?
https://forums.rockbox.org/index.php/topic,51810
If so then would still be stuck, because DFU mode is where having issue getting "mks5lsboot" application to detect during scan 1 second over and over process.

Not sure where the DFU mode is run from, Apple bootloader or Apple content on the hard drive itself?

Would like to do this single boot RB manually

-Can I remove the Apple bootloader from (what I have seen called) the "special memory" and install just RB bootloader into that "special memory" instead, so that RB will be as fast as possible?
(This question I am really interested in an answer for, if anyone knows.  Was just curious if RB can be installed into this "special memory" is this where mks5lsboot is installing the RB BL to?)

-Also erase the Apple content off of the hard drive (FAT32) and just paste Rockbox hidden folder right on the hard drive.  (Which I have already been able to move this hidden file over)

Basically eliminating the two Apple based items and replacing with the two RB based items.
Because DFU mode is not being detected by "mks5lsboot" am just looking for a way to bypass the need for DFU mode if it is possible, and just setup a single boot RB.

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.