DO NOT USE THESE INSTRUCTIONS AT THIS TIME - THIS IS COMPLETELY UNOFFICIAL AND SUBJECT TO DELETION

A Microsoft Windows only tutorial for all iPods (Except iPhone) if your iPod won't turn on, if Apple's OS won't boot, or many other problems you may experience trying to restore, reformat or reinstall your iPod.

Step 1: Making sure your iPod turns on (skip to step 2 if your iPod can turn on, even if it will not load)

This part is only for people who can't get anything to show on their screens.

a) Hold down the three buttons: Ctrl+Alt+Delete. This will bring up task manager. Click the "Processes" tab and look for "iPodService.exe". Right click it and select "End Process". I also recomend you end the processes: "iTunes.exe" (if available) and end: "iTunesHelper.exe" to be extra safe.

Note: Refer to these every time I say "Kill the iPod Services".

b) Attach your iPod to your computer. Whether your screens turns on or not, leave it attached for a good 3-5 hours, then eject and detach it. Next, hold down the menu button and the center button on your iPod for about 7-10 seconds. Repeat holding down these buttons until your iPod restarts. As long as it's showing something on your screen, you are in good shape. If your iPod is now fully functional, then good,you can go post how great this tutorial is. If your iPod turns on but won't work properly go to Step 2, and if your iPod still won't turn on, go to Part c

c) So your iPod still won't turn on? Well, first before you continue, try part a and b (yes, another 3-5 hours on charge) again before you continue.

You're going to have to buy an iPod wall socket charger, plug it into a socket, and plug the charger's cable into your iPod. Leave it there for another 3-5 hours, disconnect, and then repeat part b.

If you still get nothing, you have a hardware problem beyond the extents of this document.

Step 2: Recovering

a) Must Be In Disk Mode! (Make sure your iPod is disconnected from the computer before continuing)

Restart your iPod (by holding the menu button and the center button for 8-10 seconds, repeat until it reboots). When you can see the iPod screen go black and you can see the a white/black apple on your screen, immediately hold down the center button and the play/pause button.

If all went well, your iPod should now say "Disk mode" at the top and the screen should be in black and white (if you're using a Nano/5g/5.5g/Photo iPod).

b) Reformatting!

Download one of the following (There is a link to the HP format utility and one to another reformat utility, but they both look exactly the same and do exactly the same thing)

A Single .exe formatting utility (No install required)(36 KB) Mega Upload: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3LLMK296

FileFactory: http://www.filefactory.com/file/dfe12d/

The HP reformatting utility (Install required)(1.97 MB) Mega Upload: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VVXDN3OQ

FileFactory: http://www.filefactory.com/file/fe6d17/

Now that you have downloaded them, kill the iPod services if they are running, then plug your iPod in, and then kill iPod service if it appears in Task Manager after you plugged it in.

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Now install the HP utility if you've got it, otherwise just open the program and it should look like this:

With "Quick Format" checked and under "fat 32" press the "Start" button, if it reformats and says successful go to step 3, if you get an error, UNCHECK quick format, and click format again; if you're using a 5g iPod this can take several hours. Just leave it running over night or something, when it finishes it should say "iPod volume to big", if it says this, your good to go, if it says successful, that’s also good too, either way proceed to step 3.

Step 3 - Just a case of restoring

-Now, restart your iPod. Make sure it is in Disk mode. If you have your iTunes set up to open when you connect, it should pop up.

-If you're using iTunes 7 or above, then it will prompt you to restore it; if it doesn’t prompt you, then click restore by yourself.

-If you don't have iTunes 7 or above, open your iPod updater. (Note: you cannot download this any more from Apple, and iTunes 7 disables it. Download iTunes 7 if you don't have the Updater and redo this step.) Once it recognizes your iPod, click restore.

-Another error some people have is that when you Update or Restore your iPod, it just disconnects itself and then iTunes just sits there saying it is updating or restoring but the progress bar doesn't move. A simple solution is this: once your iPod disconnects, (as in DOESN'T SAY "please do not remove", but it is still connected) just boot into disk mode (without disconnecting your iPod from the cable), then iTunes will continue restoring or updating.

If iTunes, your computer, or "My Computer" cannot detect your iPod, then restart your iPod, and don't go into disk mode, attach your iPod and repeat this step, your iPod should be detected by your computer, if not, try a different usb port on your computer, or buy a new iPod cable if it is defective, then once again, restart this step; but if you still can't get anything try the method below.

-You may also want to make sure the "Hold" button on the top of your iPod is not in the lock position( Showing red at the top Tongue ) and make sure you have no headphones connected, that just might make it become recognized by your computer (Who knows, that might be the problem). Once again restart this step.

Optional Step 4: Apple Firmware Issues with iPodLinux Installer 2 and Rockbox

You only need to do this step if you want to install iPodlinux with the Installer 2 using the latest firmware from Apple, or as a last resort to aid in your installation of rockbox (Although I have never experienced any Firmware issues with Rockbox and Apple's OS).

If you're trying to use the Installer 2 from IpodLinux you can change your iPod "SysInfo" file, go to the root folder of your iPod and open "iPod_Control" then open the folder "Device". In here you should see a file called "SysInfo", open it with your favorite text-editor (e.g. NotePad) and then paste one of the following codes into this file, you do not need to replace the "X's" with your iPod's serial number (Located on the bottom back of your iPod) as it is no longer needed for iTunes, if you choose to do so, make sure you leave a space between the colons :

5G 60GB:

BoardHwName: iPod M25
pszSerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXX
ModelNumStr: PA003
FirewireGuid: 0x000A27001486D670
HddFirmwareRev: BU011A
RegionCode: LL(0x0001)
PolicyFlags: 0x00000002
buildID: 0x06008000 (6.0)
visibleBuildID: 0x01008000 (1.0)
boardHwRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
boardHwSwInterfaceRev: 0x000B0005 (0.0.11 5)
bootLoaderImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diskModeImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diagImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
osImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
iPodFamily: 0x00000000
updaterFamily: 0x00000000

5G 30GB:

BoardHwName: iPod M25
pszSerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXX
ModelNumStr: MA002
FirewireGuid: 0x000A27001482E5FC
HddFirmwareRev: BU111A
RegionCode: NF(0x001B)
PolicyFlags: 0x00000001
buildID: 0x06208000 (6.2.0)
visibleBuildID: 0x01208000 (1.2.0)
boardHwRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
boardHwSwInterfaceRev: 0x000B0005 (0.0.11 5)
bootLoaderImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diskModeImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diagImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
osImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
iPodFamily: 0x00000000
updaterFamily: 0x00000000

4GB Nano 1G:

BoardHwName: iPod M26
pszSerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXX
ModelNumStr: MA005
FirewireGuid: 0x000A2700128567DA
HddFirmwareRev: ADBA41KB
RegionCode: S(0x0006)
PolicyFlags: 0x00000001
buildID: 0x05108000 (5.1)
visibleBuildID: 0x01108000 (1.1)
boardHwRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
boardHwSwInterfaceRev: 0x000C0005 (0.0.12 5)
bootLoaderImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diskModeImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diagImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
osImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
iPodFamily: 0x00000000
updaterFamily: 0x00000000

2GB Nano 1G:

BoardHwName: iPod M26
pszSerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXX
ModelNumStr: MA004
FirewireGuid: 0x000A27001229F42D
HddFirmwareRev: ADBA40KA
RegionCode: LL(0x0001)
PolicyFlags: 0x00000000
buildID: 0x05008000 (5.0)
visibleBuildID: 0x01008000 (1.0)
boardHwRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
boardHwSwInterfaceRev: 0x000C0005 (0.0.12 5)
bootLoaderImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diskModeImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diagImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
osImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
iPodFamily: 0x00000000
updaterFamily: 0x00000000

Here is an example (5G iPod code used):

Credit goes to Der Papst for getting these codes. Original Source: http://www.ipodlinux.org/...t=17911&highlight=sysinfo.

Now the installer should work.

If it doesn't, you may want to downgrade your iPod's firmware, and this is possibly an aid with installing rockbox too:

Downgrading using iTunes 7: http://www.ipodlinux.org/...t=18847&highlight=sysinfo (Also includes another method of changing your iPod's SysInfo file) - With credit to jgjake2.

Lastly you can download a program called "iPodWizard", from www.ipodwizard.net. This program will let you downgrade your iPod's firmware. (Only use if you are using iTunes' programs under version 7.0).

You may revisit parts of this tutorial for additional help, or request new features.

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Congratulations!

Your iPod should be working now. If not, try re-reading this tutorial as you might have skipped something.

If a firmware upgrade causes loss of stability while operating your iPod, or compatibility issues with software on your computer/iPod, it is strongly suggested that you downgrade your iPod's firmware (see step 4).