HELP: iPod microdrive formatting

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:36 am

I took out my iPod mini's 4GB microdrive, the little type that works with a CF card slot, but when I plug it in, my computer doesn't detect it. Or something like that. Let me explain: When plugged into my computer via a CF card reader/writer that goes through a USB port, my computer doesn't do anything. My Computer shows a G-drive (a drive I know is associated with the reader/writer as it is where I go to interact with my CF cards) but when I open it up I'm told to "Please insert a disc into Drive G". I'm pretty sure that somehow the computer is aware of the microdrive, since the whole time it's plugged in it's whirring away. I just can't open it up to do anything with it.
How can I get my computer to pay attention to this microdrive so I can put files on it and stuff?

P.S. I'm willing to format it or do anything that may wipe all data.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:38 am

You could try "fDisk G:\" or whatever the drive letter is...

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:41 am

Is that a command I should type or something? I'm not too-too computer savvy.

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:43 am

Oh, by the way. All the tutorials about this on the internet have a Hitachi drive. But mine is Seagate.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:44 am

Ok, in XP, go to run. type in cmd. command prompt opens. type in FORMAT your drive letter followed by colon (ex, G:) /FS:FAT32
EX: FORMAT G: /FS:FAT32

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:45 am

EDIT: Totokan beat me

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:47 am

Command Prompt wrote:Cannot open volume for direct access.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:48 am

Ok, then, goto command prompt again. type in:

Code: Select all

cd G:\

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:51 am

Command Prompt wrote:The device is not ready.

It seems god reeaaallly doesn't want me to do this.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:52 am

that's what I thought it would say. did you try a different cf card and do
cd G:\
? Can you?

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:56 am

Let me remind you that the iPod has multiple partitions. One for the iPod's operating system, one for your music, if there's more that I'm forgetting please tell me.

So, by wiping the drive your going to be wiping the iPod's operating system, so if you want to use it in the iPod again you'll need to run the Apple restore program (which would take it back to the state before you wiped it)

Now, how to do the wipe. Get some sort of Hex editor that can "open" the hard drive, and replace all of the data with zeros. After that, go into "Administrative Tools" on the Start menu (might need to right click on the Start button to enable it), open "Computer Management", click "Storage", and then "Disk Management". Find the iPod's hard drive and create a new FAT32 partition. Finally after that, format the partition.

Good Luck!

Hope this helps,
-iam7805

P.S. Despite the fact that I know quite a bit about the iPod, I don't actually own one. I just learned a lot so that when I get one (around Christmas), i'll be able to install iPod Linux.

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:56 am

@ totokan:
Yes but nothing happens. I just get the prompt again.
@iam:
Where are "administrative tools"?

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:58 am

Ok, I think your drive is broken.

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:00 pm

It's not broken, I was just using it in the ipod before I took it out.

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:05 pm

I plugged the drive back in the ipod and everything worked fine, played music and everything. It's not broken. There's a small text on the label that says "for embedded application only", could that mean there's some kind of blocker that's preventing me from accessing the drive directly like this? What if I just magnetted it, I heard that magnets really don't do anything but say my magnet just ravages the drive, could I start from scratch?