Migration to Linux: iPod
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You are here: /Migrating from macOS to Linux/Migration to Linux: iPod
Why?
Since there's no way to sync iPods with a Linux-Music-Library, the original OS had to go! :-D
How?
- Get Rockbox
- rbutil (the GUI for installing files on your device): https://www.rockbox.org/ or https://software.opensuse.org/download/package?package=rbutil&project=openSUSE%3AFactory
- ipodpatcher (for installing the bootloader): http://download.rockbox.org/bootloader/ipod/ipodpatcher/linux64amd64/
- Partition your device
- Get at matching partitiontable: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodConversionToFAT32.html (I went with 2GB nano for my 2gen Nano)
- Apply partition table (as root) Check the devicename very carefully! You can easily delete all your data on your computer if you mess up!
dd if=mbr-nano2gb.bin of=/dev/sde
- Check partition table
HeikosL15:~/Downloads # fdisk /dev/sde
Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.39.2).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.
Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sde: 1.89 GiB, 2030043136 bytes, 991232 sectors
Disk model: iPod
Units: sectors of 1 * 2048 = 2048 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048 bytes / 2048 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 2048 bytes / 2048 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sde1 63 160649 160587 313.6M 0 Empty
/dev/sde2 160656 3984119 3823464 7.3G b W95 FAT32
Command (m for help): q
HeikosL15:~/Downloads #
- Create file system
HeikosL15:~/Downloads # mkfs -t vfat /dev/sde2
mkfs.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
HeikosL15:~/Downloads #
- Install bootloader
HeikosL15:~/Downloads # ./ipodpatcher
ipodpatcher 5.0 with v4.0 bootloaders (v1.0 for 2nd Gen Nano)
(C) Dave Chapman 2006-2009
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
[INFO] Scanning disk devices...
[INFO] Read XML info (6196 bytes)
[INFO] Ipod found - 2nd Generation Nano ("winpod") - /dev/sde
[INFO] Reading partition table from /dev/sde
[INFO] Sector size is 2048 bytes
[INFO] Part Start Sector End Sector Size (MB) Type
[INFO] 0 63 160649 313.6 Empty (0x00)
[INFO] 1 160656 3984119 7467.7 W95 FAT32 (0x0b)
[INFO] Read XML info (6196 bytes)
[INFO] Ipod model: 2nd Generation Nano (32MB RAM) ("winpod")
Enter i to install the Rockbox bootloader, u to uninstall
or c to cancel and do nothing (i/u/c) :i
[INFO] Using internal bootloader - 54336 bytes
[INFO] Padding input file from 0x0000d440 to 0x0000d800 bytes
[INFO] Wrote 55296 bytes to firmware partition
[INFO] Bootloader installed successfully.
Press ENTER to exit ipodpatcher :
HeikosL15:~/Downloads #
- Now you can start
rbutil and install the Rockbox-Application and add-ons. Note: Don't install the bootloader! You already did this!