So, my iPod died a couple weeks ago, but I found out that it is possible to replace the internal HDD with a ZIF to Compact Flash adaptor and a CF Card. I bought a Kingston 133x 16GB CF card and the Addonix adaptor. With neither of them hooked up, iPod just has a red X on the screen. With the adaptor only, it still has the red X. With both plugged in, it says "please use iTunes to restore." When connected to a windows computer, iTunes gives me the restore loop problem, where it looks like it restores but when the iPod reboots it wants restored again.

Under linux (Ub. 8.10) it shows up, but can't mount the drive.

lsusb tells me:

gparted says:

I can't fsck, mount, or fdisk anywhere in the direction of /dev/sdb, all I get are errors

any ideas, or is it toast? Anyone ever replaced a HDD on a classic 80GB iPod, or better yet, anyone done this mod in the aftermath of a HDD crash?


and I'd just like to add that Apple blows, and if they think I'll ever buy another product they are sorely mistaken. This product has not been anywhere near being worth what was paid for it, and when it dies a month out of warranty they want to charge 75% the cost of a new one to fix it. I have taken exceptionally good care of this device for the 13 months I've had it...

You have to create a partition and format it. After you do that, Itunes should restore it OK.

I don't think this is gonna work, it just can't do it. If I put the CF card in a reader and install the filesystems and use something like amarok to "sync" with the CF and build the db file, I wonder if it will just drop in the iPod?

Either way, I can't seem to get my CF card reader to mount with write permission. The reader is built into a printer. Is it normal for printer cardreaders to not be able to write to the cards?