An iPod system for Linux - Part 4 - Mounting the Ipod
13 October 2006
In previous posts, we discussed the ipod, and decided to replicate the functions of iTunes in Linux. We then started by looking at how to extract songs from CDs and how to manage our song library.
To get the iPod up and running in Linux, you will need to set your system up to mount the iPod.
FAT or HFS+
The early iPods had two versions, a version for Macs and a version for Windows. The more recent iPods are capable of swinging both ways as it were. The iTunes software formats the iPod as FAT if you are on Windows or HFS+ if you are on Mac.
What about Linux? Well you can go both ways. My iPod Nano came formatted for Mac, however I found that my Linux computers were a bit too conservative and would not let gtkpod write to the HFS+ iPod. So I opened the iPod in iTunes for Windows and it reformatted it as FAT, after that I had no more problems.
If like me, you use Linux as your main operating system then go for FAT, it will be a lot less pain, trust me, at least until all the HFS+ support in Linux is less flakey. Also if you find yourself on holiday at a Windows PC Internet Cafe then you can use it since it is FAT, an HFS+ iPod will never work in Windows (as far as I know).
Setting up fstab
You need to set up your /etc/fstab file to recognise your iPod. Use fdisk -l to find out what your ipod is called, on my system it is /dev/sdb, yours may say /dev/sda or something else.
Note that if your iPod is HFS+ then fdisk will not be able to read the table, gparted can however, so you can use that if you really want to look closely at the disk.
For a FAT iPod, you can use the line below, change the first bit according to what your drive was called. On FAT, the important partition is the second one.
/dev/sdb2 /mnt/ipod vfat rw,user,noauto,noatime 0 0
For HFS+ you need to do something like the line below. On HFS+, the important partition is the third one. Note, you need to have the correct kernel support for HFS+.
/dev/sdb3 /mnt/ipod hfsplus rw,user,noauto,exec 0 0
Now when you stick the iPod into your system it will mount automatically!
Setting up fstab
You need to set up your /etc/fstab file to recognise your iPod. Use fdisk -l to find out what your ipod is called, on my system it is /dev/sdb, yours may say /dev/sda or something else.
For a FAT iPod, you can use the line below, change the first bit according to what your drive was called. On FAT, the important partition is the second one.
/dev/sdb2 /mnt/ipod vfat rw,user,noauto,noatime 0 0
For HFS+ you need to do something like the line below. On HFS+, the important partition is the third one. Note, you need to have the correct kernel support for HFS+.
/dev/sdb3 /mnt/ipod hfsplus rw,user,noauto,exec 0 0
Now when you stick the iPod into your system it will mount automatically!
Backing up your iPod
If your iPod is a virgin iPod then you could ignore this, but if you have lots of songs already on there then you might want to back it up at this point (and from time to time), especially if you are going to be experimental.
Therefore the most important directory is:
/mnt/ipod/iPod_Control/iTunes/
If the Ipod has never been used then it will have just have an empty file (i.e. a touched file) called 'firstime' there.
If the Ipod has been connected to iTunes then it will have some files there, back them up onto your computer. If something funny happens later then you can copy the files back.
