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Subject: Re: Problem putting iPod into disc mode for RB install

Re: Problem putting iPod into disc mode for RB install

From: Mark <discardedswimwear_at_googlemail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 09:55:50 +0100

Hi Jacob,

"Jacob Rau" <jacob.rau_at_gmail.com> wrote
> I don't know hardly anything about XPlay, but from the page I found it
> looks like if Xplay tried to install itself, it might have formatted it
> for the Mac (an HFS+ filesystem that Windows doesn't know how to read) or
> it might have corrupted the firmware. My guess is that the file system is
> corrupt or isn't FAT32.

My thought is that it looks like the firmware might be corrupt, since my
understanding is that the iPod needs to get itself into some sort of very
primitive state (i.e. disk mode) before it presents itself to another PC as
a "external drive" (which it isn't really since the iPod is a "PC" in
itself)

>As for what to do with it...Windows should've mounted it as a drive even if
>the file system was corrupt and you'd be able to format it.

Yes, I thought that was what should have happened, and the fact that it
didn't is what makes me think that the problem is not with the drive, but in
the flash bios inside the iPod simply not being able to get the iPod into
any sort of disk mode state where it could then be seen by another PC.

>Did you have it in disk mode when Windows detected it and Xplay tried to
>install itself?

Yes, I'm assuming that was the case, since I connected it to the PC and it
showed up in "My Computer", for a while at least.

>Maybe windows isn't mounting it to a drive because of the file system.

My fairly uninformed view on that is that it shouldn't be the file format
that causes Windows to not see it. When it was previously detected the
drive format showed as "Raw" under the drive proprties. That might be what
Windows says when it sees a Mac-HFS file system iPod, I'm not sure, but at
least it saw something.

>Also, do you use iTunes?

No

>Another problem may occur if you are using network drives. In this case,
>the iPod's letter might be taken up by a network drive and you will need to
>use the instructions at
>http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93499 to change the iPod's
>drive letter to stop conflicting with the network mapping.

I'm pretty certain that's not the problem, because Windows does dynamically
allocate drive letters OK. I've got an external USB drive assigned to drive
M, and others after that, but this iPod (and other iPods) are usually
allocated to drive H, which is the first free drive letter.

> If you need anything at all, feel free to mail the list, or me. I think a
> Rockbox install issue is a Rockbox issue and definitely belongs on this
> mailing list.

Thanks,

I have this sneaking feeling that the bios might have been corrupted during
the XPlay installation, which means that there's no way for me to get the
iPod to boot itself into a state where it can then be seen by the PC. And
so if it can't be seen, then there's no way to restore or format the iPod,
since the PC cannot see it. That's the worst case scenario, but I'm not
giving up on it just yet. All I need is a way to get it into disk mode! My
last hope might be that the local Apple store have a magic box for
re-flashing the bios. Any thoughts anyone?

Mark

>
> >
> Mark wrote:
>> hello,
>>
>> Firstly, I realise that my problem is not directly a Rockbox issue, more
>> related to trying to get an iPod in a state where I can install Rockbox,
>> but I'm hoping that there's someone who can help. Apologies for
>> wandering off the RB theme, and if you think it's better please reply
>> off-list.
>>
>> OK, I'm trying to install Rockbox on a 60GB iPod 5G.
>> The problem is that when I plug it into my PC, it is not detected.
>> I have spent hours trying to get it into iPod "disk mode" so that it'd be
>> seen by the PC, to no avail.
>> I know it was working because I had earlier today plugged it in and it
>> had been detected by the PC, and also then by XPlay which then proceded
>> to try to install itself on the iPod.
>> subsequent disconnection and reconnection of the iPod now mean that it is
>> no longer being detected by my PC.
>> (One slight minor complication is that I'm blind... but that's not too
>> relevant since the iPod screen is broken anyway. The rest of it was
>> working fine though)
>> Once it is in disk mode, I'll be fine doing the rest of the installation.
>>
>> I suspect that the probable solution will be to take it along to an Apple
>> store, but I'm not sure exactly how helpful they'll be when they see this
>> 5G iPod with a broken screen that won't even get to disk mode. I will
>> give them a try, but if there is anyone on the list who has experience of
>> trying to get a stubborn iPod into disk mode, and who can help then
>> that'd be great.
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> Mark
>> London
>> England
>>
>>
>
Received on 2006-09-07

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