No, this isn’t about using Disk Utility to partition it and break it, this is about partitioning it and keeping the iPod’s functionality intact. Useful for those with 40GB of iPod and 25GB of music…
It goes without saying this is not something Apple intended a music player for, so if you break your toy you’re on your own. Apple’s iPod Firmware Updater program can usually restore the iPod back to its former self but reader beware: you may kill your little friend in the process. You have been warned, and since this is merely an educational guide I will take absolutely no responsibility if this fails to work for you even if you follow the directions perfectly.
Step One – Backup
I don’t want to play with iPod Firmware programs or having to send this beast back to Apple after breaking it, so we’re going to make a good backup of the things we need to beforehand. There are two partitions on the iPod: the first is for the firmware, the second for the music. We’ll need a backup of both.
Locate the iPod — disktool
First, you need to discover which disk the iPod is, so do this:
[ codepoet@europa ] $ disktool -l
***Disk Appeared (‘disk2s1’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’)
***Disk Appeared (‘disk2s2’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’)
***Disk Appeared (‘disk2’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’)
***Disk Appeared (‘disk2s3’,Mountpoint = ‘/Volumes/Ganymede’, fsType = ‘hfs’, volName = ‘Ganymede’)
The iPod’s on disk 2.
Partition Map — pdisk
We’ll need to know where which partitions are and their sizes if we are to do a proper restore should the time come, so run the following:
[ codepoet@europa ] $ pdisk /dev/disk2 -dump
/dev/disk2 map block size=512
#: type name length base ( size )
1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62 1
2: Apple_MDFW firmware 65536 63 ( 32.0M)
3: Apple_HFS disk 78060448 @ 65599 ( 37.2G)
Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126040
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
Save the output of your iPod in a safe place.
Firmware — dd
We’ll make a file that contains a binary disk image of the firmware partition on the iPod so that should we do anything crazy we can restore the iPod back to where it was.
[codepoet@europa] $ dd if=/dev/disk2s2 of=iPodFirmware.dd
To restore, switch the arguments to if and of.
Data — ditto
To backup the disk of the iPod we’ll use ditto to make a copy into a folder on the local drive. This works best when you have little to no music on the iPod. You can clear out the iPod quickly by moving it to playlist mode in iTunes and selecting no playlists or moving to manual mode and selecting all songs and deleting them.
You’ll want to trim your iPod’s music down unless you want to spend several dozen minutes copying music back to your Mac that’s already on your Mac.
[codepoet@europa ] $ mkdir iPod\ Backup
[ codepoet@europa ] $ sudo ditto -rsrc /Volumes/Ganymede iPod\ Backup
Password:
[codepoet@europa ] $ ls -l iPod\ Backup/
total 80
drwxr-xr-x 2 root unknown 68 17 Aug 2008 Calendars
drwxr-xr-x 4 root unknown 136 23 Aug 2008 Contacts
-rw-r—r— 1 root unknown 0 23 Aug 10:08 Icon?
drwxr-xr-x 3 root unknown 102 23 Aug 2008 Notes
drwxrwxrwx 6 root unknown 204 23 Aug 10:08 iPod_Control
I ran it as root because I know ditto will keep certain things as root it could not otherwise (i.e. ownership). I do not believe it’s strictly needed but I dislike taking chances. The iPod Backup folder now holds the data from the iPod.
Step Two – Partition
The trick here is that iPod’s firmware is stored on the disk, so you can’t just partition it with Disk Utility as it won’t put the firmware on there. This is why the iPod dies if you do it that way; it has no OS. But there’s a few utilities right in Mac OS X that will help with this.
Partition Table — pdisk
Now we get to the fun part: partitions. We know that the iPod, in my case, is on disk2, so let’s take a look at it in pdisk:
[ codepoet@europa ] $ pdisk
Top level command (? for help): l
Name of device: /dev/disk2
/dev/disk2 map block size=512
#: type name length base ( size )
1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62 1
2: Apple_MDFW firmware 65536 63 ( 32.0M)
3: Apple_HFS disk 78060448 @ 65599 ( 37.2G)
Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126040
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
I have about 26GB of music, so a 30GB partition should be more than enough, especially when I remove the crap I never listen to. 
First, do the following in Terminal:
If you do this in the Finder or iTunes the iPod will exit disk mode and you will not be able to proceed.
[ codepoet@europa ] $ sudo umount /Volumes/Ganymede/
[ codepoet@europa ] $ disktool -r
Refreshing Disk Arbitration …
Then back in pdisk, choose ‘e’ for edit and specify the location of the iPod.
[ codepoet@Europa ] $ pdisk
Top level command (? for help): e /dev/disk2
/dev/disk2
We’re editing the iPod’s map now. Press ‘p’ to print it out and make sure we’re on the right disk.
Command (? for help): p
/dev/disk2 map block size=512
#: type name length base ( size )
1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62 1
2: Apple_MDFW firmware 65536 63 ( 32.0M)
3: Apple_HFS disk 78060448 @ 65599 ( 37.2G)
Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126040
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
Looks good. You have a backup of the disk, right? You’ll need it because you’ll need to restore it after this. Delete the main disk.
Command (? for help): d3
Command (? for help): p
/dev/disk2 map block size=512
#: type name length base ( size )
1: Apple_partition_map Apple 62 1
2: Apple_MDFW firmware 65536 63 ( 32.0M)
3: Apple_Free Extra 78060448 @ 65599 ( 37.2G)
Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126040
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
Now create a smaller disk. The formula for length is:
size in GB * 1024 * 1024 * 2 = sector/block count
So if you wanted a 30 GB disk:
30 * 1024 * 1024 * 2 = 62914560
Command (? for help): c
First block: 65600
Length in blocks: 62914560
Name of partition: disk
Command (? for help): p
/dev/disk2 map block size=512
#: type name length base ( size )
1: Apple_partition_map Apple 62 1
2: Apple_MDFW firmware 65536 63 ( 32.0M)
3: Apple_HFS disk 62914560 65599 ( 30.0G)
4: Apple_Free Extra 15145880 62980160 ( 7.2G)
Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126040
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
Now write the table out by pressing ‘w’ and return. Then quit pdisk.
Command (? for help): w
Writing the map destroys what was there before. Is that okay? [n/y]: y
The partition table has been altered!
Command (? for help): q
Top level command (? for help): q
The end
Then erase that partition in Disk Utility so it has a good filesystem on it (or use newfs). Now copy that backup back to the disk so that iTunes can sync with it.
[ codepoet@europa ] $ sudo ditto -rsrc iPod\ Backup /Volumes/Ganymede
Password:
To get a second partition you can repeat the partition creating step for the remaining space … or boot a Linux CD and have at it like I did. 
Yes, I installed Linux on my iPod. I’m that pathetic. The secret for the bootloader is that it will always be disk2 as long as no other disks are present (disk0 = hard drive, disk1 = CD). But then my music collection grew and I remembered why I don’t use Linux anymore, so I trashed all this and put more music on the iPod.
Hell, we all know the answer: Because I Could™.
Shouldn’t the formula for length be:
size in <b>GB</b> * 1024 * 1024 * 2 = sector/block countYeap, it should. Thanks.
I followed those instructions and did some testing, and while I was able to partition my iPod, and still have it seem to be an iPod, it never worked right. The iPod could never figure out which partition it was supposed to be looking at for the music. An iPod control folder appeared on both partitions, and sometimes iTunes would put music onto one partition and sometimes onto the other, and even after iTunes had put some songs onto each partition, when I tried to use the iPod it thought that it had no songs on it.
Ended up using the iPod updater to restore it to it’s original single partition condition.
This was with a 60 gig iPod photo.
Right, so, cute bug there. The other partition has to be non-HFS for this to not confuse the begebus out of iTunes and iPod. In my case I’d installed Linux on the remaining parts of the iPod so it didn’t really mess with anything. Putting anything else on there could cause problems.
—
cp
my iPod 3rd gen 40GB disk is damaged:
- first 5 GB are ok – following 5 GB give problems – following 30 GB are ok
using this procedure I was able to divide my iPod in 3 parts, the first (5GB) for iPod music, the second (5GB) unusable, ther third (30GB) for files.
But this situation give me only 5 GB of music… does exist any way to use the third part of 30 GB for iPod music ?
thantk to anyone will help.
The iPod will use the first HFS+ partition for music. Blank out the first 10 GB and then you get the 30 instead of the 5.
—
cp
How did you get that far? i am trying to fix my ipod also. Is administrative privelages needed to get the partitions created?
Yes.
how can I do that ?
I try many configuration, like:
Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on ‘/dev/disk2’ #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map 62
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553663 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_HFS disk 5708892921037119 ( 27.2G) 4: Apple_Free Extra 2097152065599 ( 10.0G)Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126048 (37.3G)
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
none of them works, I’m able to use my iPod only if I have a Apple_HFS partition that start on block 65599, in all other configuration the device is not recognised and mounted by OS.
Don’t leave it as free. Make it something other than free, firmware, or HFS and don’t give it a format.
—
cp
setting in this way:
Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on ‘/dev/disk1’ #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553663 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_MDFW fault 2097152065599 ( 10.0G) 4: Apple_HFS disk 5708892921037119 ( 27.2G)Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126048 (37.3G)
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
I have no error upon exit of pdisk, volume is mounted, ipod is recognized as 27.2 capacity and iTunes load musin into…. but when I detach it from my powerbook the apple logo appear on the ipod display and nothing work.
I try to reset it or to follow apple/support istructions, but I have to restore initial setting and restart the process.
It’s a nightmare.
The other strange think is that this configuration work only with a “fault” partition of 10 GB, if I try do create it larger or smaller, I got problem after pdisk and volume is not recognised/mounted.
I think that it was a problem of the damaged disk, so I tried with a full working 15GB 3rd generation iPod, but I was not able to do the same operation and no way to set a “fault” partition.
You marked it as firmware (Apple_MDFW). Don’t do that. That confuses the iPod.
—
cp
sorry I’m not so smart…
I tried with apple_ufs without results, which kind of partition type do you suggest ?
thanks a lot for your help
Simone
Finally I was able to do that…
my iPod 3rd gen. 40 GB, have disk damaged, GB from 5 to 10 have problems.
I tried to create an empty/fault partition after ther firmware one, but the problem is that iPod firmware seek for the first partition (NOT for the first HFS partition), so iPod firmware do not work (you can use it only as external disk).
To solve this problem I remake iPod partitions elarging the firmware one up to 10 GB (deleting it and recreating it) and creating a new smalled partition (27,7 GB) for music.
After restoring the firmware I got a full running and unique 27,7 GB iPod (better than a 40 GB crashed iPod).
Okay, that’s really curious. So you made the firmware larger than normal and it took the same firmware image? Pretty cool. I wouldn’t have thought that work work, but now that I think about it I can’t see why it wouldn’t.
Cool.
—
cp
Making the firmware partition larger than normal works (super as a temporary work around)
.
The trade-off when you find you have to ‘restore’ the iPod the updater puts partion 2 and 3 back to original setting.
I suppose that is not a problem if your willing to go back and reset the partitions.
Respect Adam for Macgreekery.
Bob
Working from the command line, how would one go about partitioning a blank 1.8” HD for use as a replacement disk in an ipod?
I have already made backups of the “Apple_MDFW“s sectors as .bin files. I note that you use “.dd”. Does dd cause the backup to be stored as a “*.bin” file?
Thanks
The file’s name is irrelevant as long as you use the same tool. dd just copies the bytes on-disk straight to the file. Make the partitions the same type and size as before and then replace the firmware.
Actually, Apple’s iPod Restore program might do it all for you. Give it a whirl.
—
cp
Bought a new blank 1.8” HD (Toshiba MK4006GAH) and put it into iPod. In the finder I got a “this disk is unreadable…” I declined to format. Opened terminal and diskutil list showed my internal HD as /dev/disk0 with the usual Apple_partition_scheme ; Apple_partition_map, & Apple_HFS Macintosh HD ( disk0, disk0s1,& disk0s2 respectively).
I then ran disktool:
disktool -l ***Disk Appeared (‘disk1’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’) ***Disk Appeared (‘disk0’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’) ***Disk Appeared (‘disk0s1’,Mountpoint = ‘’, fsType = ‘’, volName = ‘’) ***Disk Appeared (‘disk0s3’,Mountpoint = ‘/’, fsType = ‘hfs’, volName
I then ran iPod updater “restore”. The iPod disk could be heard to have started up and was making a sound as if the disk heads were repeatedly searching or formatting with a regular barely audible click at about a two second interval. Then after about a minute the following error message appeared:
“The iPod does not have the correct structure. You must restore the iPod.”
Re running restore just yielded the same error message again.
This experience suggests to me that iPod Updater, as the name suggests, updates the operating system software program but does not format the disk. The clicking is the repeated search for the MDFW (Music Device Firm Ware?) which after a time out sequence yields the error message.
So I’m back to my original question as to how to format the blank hard disk from the command line. I do not want to use diskutil which is the equivalent of the “Disk Utility.app”. I think the pdisk would be the correct way to go but I am very new to unix and the command line and need some direction as to the exact details. For example, when to unmount, wheather to run as root or sudo, setting partition size etc.
Thanks,
Leo
Erase with Disk Utility and then run iPod Restore.
—
cp
Thank you code poet for your help.
I tried to erase with Disk Utility and a hang occurred at about 5% accross the progress bar. I waited two hours with no further progress. I could not hear any sound from the iPod when holding to my ear that would have indicated that the disk was even spinning so at that point i quit Disk Utility.
I then ran leo-clarks-powerbook-g4-15:~ root# diskutil eraseDisk HFS+ ipod os9Drivers /dev/disk2
So far I’m past 5% and have slowly added three dots to the progress – we’ll see what happens but I’m worried because I’ve tried this method before without success.
Last month I purchased another Toshiba MK4006GAH and tried to erase with Dish Utility planning to then restore with iPod Restore. (That had previously worked with a used 2nd Gen 1.8” Toshiba/with the Apple logo that I bought on eBay). The third/fourth Gen disks such as the Toshiba MK4006GAH seem to be harder to format. In the try last month I was never able to get past 5% on the progress bar, nor 5% with diskutil eraseDisk.
I’ll let things run overnight to assure that the erase has had more than enough time. The new disk last month never could be formatted & was returned as defective. Having the same experience again makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong since the odds of getting two defective disks in a row is too remote.
Thank you again,
Leo
I have the exact same problem as Leo with my wife’s 20 gb G2. Her hard drive failed and I was unable to get a disk image. Trying all with a new HD, but having no luck. I finally figured out pdisk and created what I thought were the correct partitions:
/dev/disk1 map block size=512 #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553663 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_HFS izzyipod 38996920 @ 65600 ( 18.6G)Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=39062520
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
I figured if I could get the structure right then the ipod restore would work. Didn’t. Now if fails with an “unexpected error”. As my wife said, not really. I’d like to try restoring a disk image. I tried to create one from my mini, but it’s formatted for a PC and, while it would mount on the Mac, I couldn’t create the image with Disk Utility or DD. Does anyone know where I can download an appropriate disk image, without any songs?
Thanks for any advice.
Anthony
My experience is that once you have formatted the disk with the three partitions e.g. (for 40GB iPod)
1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553663 ( 32.0M)3: Apple_HFSi disk 78060448 @ 65599 ( 37.2G)
You are nearly home and dry.
When you try to connect you may get a message saying something along the lines of this disk is unreadable. Select initialise option.
This will launch Disk Ultility. The disk will then mount in the window.
Select the volume. Select security options. Select write zeros. select erase.
On completion of the this activity the iPod should mount and you’re home and dry.
So first up – 4G 40Gb iPod – bad disk (less than 30 days out of warranty).
Any idea whether the firmware partition has to be partition 2? I suspect that there are some errors on that part of the disk – how can I check (NB ipod diagnostics say disk is OK – don’t believe it though!!).
Also BTW – I setup partitions using pdisk avoiding the dead area (set an Apple_UFS partition called dead in the normal firmware area). When I run iPod Software Restore, it ditches my new partitions and rebuilds its own.
Any ideas how I can just install the firmware into the partition I want? Will it work to do that? Can I get the firmware out of the installer or do I have to find a copy elsewhere?
Cheers
—
SteamSHIFT
http://blog.steamshift.com
—
SteamSHIFT
Thanks to the power of pdisk (with this excellent article), I have a functioning 30Gb iPod.
Here’s my step by step…
1. Make sure you have a copy of the firmware (using the dd command above). I got mine by copying it off a friends 40Gb 4G.
2. Set up your partitions: i did a 5Gb dead zone (as Apple_UFS), then my 32Mb firmware, then a 30Gb music section then left the rest as dead.
3. write, quit out of pdisk
4. copy the firmware onto correct partition
5. Use diskutil to create a volume on the music partition.
6. Done.
I imagine something like this would work ok for a new disk too. Hope this helps someone.
Only thing was – it was very trial and error to find the bad blocks – is there a tool for finding them?
Cheers.
—
SteamSHIFT
http://blog.steamshift.com
—
SteamSHIFT
Could you explain better how to copy the firmware from a running ipod and back into the correct partition? i ran the command and it just stalled…
Filesystem 512-blocks Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
1024 1024 0 100% /.vol
/dev/disk0s3 488134944 313268416 174354528 64% /
devfs 211 211 0 100% /dev
fdesc 2 2 0 100% /dev
automount -nsl [150] 0 0 0 100% /Network
automount -fstab [165] 0 0 0 100% /automount/Servers
automount -static [165] 0 0 0 100% /automount/static
/dev/disk1s10 38796000 40728 38755272 0% /Volumes/Espace libr
/dev/disk2s3 19463904 16117472 3346432 83% /Volumes/iPod de Julien-Maxime
modemcable110:~ root# disktool -u disk2s3
disk2s3 device will be unmounted … ***Notifications Complete for type 1 ***Responding yes to unmount – disk2s3 ***Disk Unmounted(‘disk2s3’)
modemcable110:~ root# dd if=/dev/disk2s3 of=iPodFirmware.dd
dd: /dev/disk2s3: Device not configured
380248+0 records in
380248+0 records out
194686976 bytes transferred in 92.878731 secs (2096142 bytes/sec)
modemcable110:~ root#
I ran everything without copying the firmware, ran diskutil and erased the disk, and once i wanted to check if the partition table hadnt moved, I get this
Last login: Sun Oct 30 17:26:43 on ttyp1
1024 1024 0 100% /.vol
Welcome to Darwin!
modemcable110:~ root# df
Filesystem 512-blocks Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
/dev/disk0s3 488134944 313650400 173972544 64% /
devfs 206 206 0 100% /dev
fdesc 2 2 0 100% /dev
automount -nsl [150] 0 0 0 100% /Network
automount -fstab [165] 0 0 0 100% /automount/Servers
automount -static [165] 0 0 0 100% /automount/static
/dev/disk1s10 38796000 57120 38738880 0% /Volumes/Espace libr
modemcable110:~ root# disktool -u disk1s10
disk1s10 device will be unmounted … ***Notifications Complete for type 1 ***Responding yes to unmount – disk1s10 ***Disk Unmounted(‘disk1s10’)
modemcable110:~ root# pdisk
Top level command (? for help): e
Name of device: /dev/disk1s10
pdisk: No valid block 1 on ‘/dev/disk1s10’
Edit /dev/disk1s10 – Command (? for help): p
No partition map exists
Command (? for help):
the nightmare never ends.
also, i knoz i can copy the contens from a ipod to another completely. Isnt there a command to duplicate everything from a working ipod to the new drive? Cause i have a 1.8 inch hd usb interface here: i read somewhere i could connect the working 10gb ipod in firewire, the new hd through usb, copy the whole disk from one to the other and then modify the 3rd partition of the new 20 gb drive to match the available space. But again, id have to reinitialize the drive because the partition map would dictate that the overall device space is only 10 gb (it would originate from the old 10 gb one)
HELLLLP
I tried this to replace a shot 15GB drive with a MK3006GAL but failed thus far.
Wwith pdisk I get
Name of device: /dev/disk3
pdisk: No valid block 1 on ‘/dev/disk3’ I creted a new partition list which looks like this.
Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on ‘/dev/disk3’ #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map Apple 63
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553664 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_HFS disk 58539520 @ 65600 ( 27.9G)Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=58605120 (27.9G)
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
Not sure why the map comes up as 63@1
however, I cannot save the map onto the disk after w and quiting pdisk. I just get the same pdisk: No valid block 1 on ‘/dev/disk3’
The drive is recognized by diskutility but cannot be earased, just hangs while partioning.
Does anyone has a suggestion?
Get it working in Disk Utility first, then try the article. This only works once you have a valid and working drive.
As for why it’s not working in Disk Utility, post an account of what you did in the Help! forum and see what comes of it, then try this again.
Thanks for the reply. Well this is a brand new toshiba MK3006 GAL to replace the broken drive. I plugged it into the ipod and tried first earse with disk utility. The drive shows up, but when you try to earse it will start clicking and then starts ? partioning, but an hour later the partition bar hasn’t moved. So I tried pdisk, but I can’t write a partition map to it.
hi hcr21!
i got the same problem on my 3rd gen ipod. i also got a new MK-3006GAL (toshiba one, not apple branded)
apple uses the same toshiba drives, but with an own firmware, so connecting the ipod with a toshiba branded MK-3006GAL via firewire does not work. (you hear clicking).
use usb and everything ist ok!
just open apples ipod-firmware-upgrade-application and reset the ipod.
Hi all,
Like you, got a 3006GAL in my 3rd gen ipod.
I tried with usb but like hcr2, drive hangs when i erase it with disk utility (security with zeros). Disk utility find a 3,9GB drive (it is a 30GB !!). Mac OS X see an ipod but the 3006GAL is not working well
Is there anybody how solve all of that problems and have an ipod with an 300GAL drive ?
(life is hard 
)
Should be ok after reading the posts, but not working for me
Hi,
i’m very interesting in partitioning my ipod 4G 40GB, but i must stop very early. When I umount my ipod i obtain
eugenio@Meridian] Volumes $ sudo umount iPod_eugenio/
umount: unmount(/Volumes/iPod_eugenio): Resource busy
and so, if i try to use pdisk i obtain:
Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on ‘/dev/rdisk2’ #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map partition map 62
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553663 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_HFS disk 78060440 @ 65600 ( 37.2G)Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=78126048 (37.3G)
DeviceType=0×0, DeviceId=0×0
and then:
The map is not writable.
Where am i wrong?
Thanks
As long as the device is mounted, the map is not writable. As long as something is using a file on the iPod, it’s unmountable.
Quit all programs except Terminal, make sure no shells are currently in a directory on the iPod, and then try again. If it still fails, reboot and retry.
Hello all, great guide above. I followed it to the letter and have had good results. I noticed the warning against creating a second HFS+ partition, but I have not had a problem doing that. I have a 15GB 3rd gen iPod, and have create two ~7GB partitions. I formatted the first one and then sync’d with iTunes, then formatted the second one (actual formatting done using “erase” in Disk Utility). I intend to install a trimmed down Mac OS X with Disk Warrior on the second partition for use as a rescue disk should my iBook fail. And because I can.
...you don’t need to partition it for that. I have a 30GB 5th Gen iPod that I use like this.
HELP!
Partition map details below but my ipod and I still can’t see in itunes (mac or PC). I have reformated the “extra” partition but no joy. Thing is, ipod will launch standalone (ie not connected via FW) therefore I know my firmware is on there and working (I think!). I just get the ipod spinning up and then constant clicking. Anyone any ideas?
Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on ‘/dev/disk2’ #: type name length base ( size ) 1: Apple_partition_map Apple 63
1 2: Apple_MDFW firmware 6553664 ( 32.0M) 3: Apple_Free Extra 38941427 @ 65600 ( 18.6G)Command (? for help): c
First block: 131136
Length in blocks: 48234496
Name of partition: Music
requested base and length is not within an existing free partition
that’s the message I keep getting. What should I use for the base number?
I’m on a 30g 5g
PLZ SOME1 HELP I AM A NOOB HOW DO U DO ALL THIS WERE IS THE IPOD DISKTOOLS MAN!!!
I accidentally erased my ipod and im using a software to recover it; but i need to know what type of partition it is. thanks
Please note that you can skip the first block and length in blocks by using easier values.
To create a partition at #4, and the size of #4
Command (? for help): c
First block: 4p
Length in blocks: 4p
of, for a partition at #3, size 10 gigabyte:
Command (? for help): c
First block: 3p
Length in blocks: 10g
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