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How to install Rockbox on an iPod Classic

Written By: Aaron Cooke (and one other contributor)
  • Comments: 7
  • Favorites: 2
  • Completions: 10

Difficulty

Very easy

Steps

5

Time Required

20 - 25 minutes

Sections

1

Flags

1

Member-Contributed Guide

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

Introduction

This tutorial is for computers running Windows only. Doing this on a Mac running Windows via BootCamp will work, but not on a Mac thru VirtualBox or any other virtual machine on a Mac.

It is possible to install Rockbox via a computer running macOS or Linux, however I have not been able to successfully do an install on either macOS or Linux. If you are brave and have time to attempt this, here’s the web site for instructions on how to do so.

  1. Connect your iPod in normal mode (iTunes/file transfer).

    • Connect your iPod in normal mode (iTunes/file transfer).

    • Close iTunes completely if it opens when you plug in your iPod, as iTunes will try to interfere with this process if it is left open.

    • Download the Rockbox EXE file at the link below. Run the Rockbox EXE file and click OK through the dialogues.

    • Download the Rockbox EXE file here

    • Once you are at this screen, click "Show disabled targets" and click OK at the dialogue.

    • Don't be spooked by the dialogue... even if something were to go wrong with this process we can still go back and restore your iPod.

    Edit

  2. After you have enabled the disabled targets, click the "Autodetect" button and your iPod's model should be highlighted in the menu above. After you have selected your iPod's model, click OK.

    • After you have enabled the disabled targets, click the "Autodetect" button and your iPod's model should be highlighted in the menu above.

    • After you have selected your iPod's model, click OK.

    Edit

  3. OPEN ALL THE TABS

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  4. For the next steps we will be installing everything but the bootloader. We will deal with the bootloader later on. Check all of the boxes selected in the blue box.

    • For the next steps we will be installing everything but the bootloader. We will deal with the bootloader later on.

    • Check all of the boxes selected in the blue box.

    • After checking all of the boxes that are necessary, click install.

    • Take a sip of your beverage, or a bite of your food while this process is being completed. It should not take very long.

    Edit

  5. Once the installation of the firmware, themes and games has been completed, it's time for the most challenging part... the bootloader. Check the bootloader checkbox.

    • Once the installation of the firmware, themes and games has been completed, it's time for the most challenging part... the bootloader.

    • Check the bootloader checkbox.

    • Click install again.

    • You must follow the on-screen instructions in order for this to work. Pay close attention to the console. Make the window bigger so you can interpret the text easier.

    • When this message appears in the console, press and hold both the MUTE and the SELECT button until there is a message in the console telling you to release the buttons.

    • It is important to do this quickly, otherwise the process can fail requiring you to re-do everything in this step.

    Edit

    • If this process has been successful, you will see that Rockbox has started on your iPod and a success message will appear on the console.

    • One other thing from my experience is that the console may take obnoxiously long to tell you the installation was successful but the iPod is running Rockbox just fine. You should be OK to remove your iPod anyways.

    Edit
Conclusion

Let me know if you have problems installing Rockbox with this guide in the comments. I will try to attend to every question I see.

10 other people completed this guide.

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with 1 other contributor

Aaron Cooke

Member since: 08/28/2018

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6 Comments

Add a comment

Rockbox failed to install on mine. I followed every step but never got the message to press and hold select and menu for the bootloader. It said it had installed sucessfully but when it booted up I just got error -3. I put it in disc mode and deleted the software but it didn’t put it back to factory settings. Tried to install again but got the same thing except it said bootloader was already installed when I tried the last step. I’m afraid it is now bricked. :(

jdennis61 - Reply

Hi,

I am running rockbox release 15e1f592D-170118 on my Ipod Classic 7th gen. Soundwise should I look for a newsest release

also would you know at which frequency and range works the Rockbox ‘‘bass’’ setting

Thanks a lot

Denis

Denis Ménard - Reply

I tried to install Rockbox onto my iPod Classic 160GB, and I got no results , as a matter of fact; I got negative results asuch as I am not able to restore my iPod Classic in iTunes on my Mac, and I can’t listen to any of my music on the device, even though it appears as though my music is still there. Please help 911 because this is one of my favorite Apple devices of all time!

Dennis Porter - Reply

How do i uninstall rockbox and restore my ipid?

Brant Mcgregor - Reply

Can you put this on a 7th gen classic?

Eli Stettner - Reply

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