Unexpected messages and recovery
Something on the iPod’s screen you didn’t expect? Find it below. If you’re in a hurry, these three steps get almost any iPod back:
- Slide Hold on, then turn the iPod on. Apple’s firmware starts, whatever bootloader is installed.
- Apple’s disk mode: hold Menu + Select until the Apple logo, then at once Select + Play. Connect to the app and remove what was added, or put back a backup (see Going back to Apple’s firmware).
- A full restore with the app, or, as a last resort, with iTunes or Finder on a computer.
Messages from the Scrollwheel bootloader
Section titled “Messages from the Scrollwheel bootloader”These appear under a SCROLLWHEEL heading. The iPod then says STARTING APPLE FIRMWARE and, after four seconds (press any key to skip), starts Apple’s firmware. The backlight also flashes a number of times, which helps if the screen is hard to read.
| Message | Flashes | What it means and what to do |
|---|---|---|
| SCROLLWHEEL OS IS NOT ON THE IPOD | 1 | /linux.bin is missing. Install Scrollwheel OS again from the app. |
| SCROLLWHEEL OS IS DAMAGED | 2 | The file didn’t pass its check. Update or reinstall Scrollwheel OS. |
| NOT A SCROLLWHEEL OS IMAGE | – | /linux.bin is something else. Connect, and the app offers to put Scrollwheel OS back. |
| THE DRIVE DOES NOT ANSWER / THE DRIVE COULD NOT READ | 3 | A disk or card problem. Reseat a CF/SD card adapter, charge the iPod and try again. |
| NO MUSIC PARTITION | 3 | The disk has no music area. Restore. |
| ROCKBOX IS NOT INSTALLED | 4 | You held Play, but there’s no Rockbox. Install it, or don’t hold Play. |
| ROCKBOX IS DAMAGED / ROCKBOX IS FOR ANOTHER IPOD | 4 | Reinstall the right Rockbox build for your model from the app. |
Messages from Scrollwheel OS
Section titled “Messages from Scrollwheel OS”| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| No music library on this iPod yet | Add music with the app. |
| Couldn’t read the music, with a reason such as “No PC partition table (a Mac-formatted iPod?)” or “The music partition is not FAT32” | The disk isn’t in the Windows format. See Mac-formatted iPods. |
| Couldn’t read the music: The library file is damaged | Connect to the app and put back the database backup it made (Put Back under iPod › Repair & Restore). |
| Battery too low to read music | Charge the iPod. |
| Drive not answering: reconnect or restart | Restart the iPod (Menu + Select). Reseat a CF/SD adapter if you have one. |
| Battery low / Charge soon | Charge soon. Below a safe level, Scrollwheel OS stops writing anything. |
| Battery empty, Turning off… | Charge the iPod. |
| Crashed (or another fault name), Press MENU to restart | Press Menu. If it happens again, share the app’s activity log in an issue. |
If a theme you made can’t be read, Scrollwheel OS quietly uses its plain look instead.
To leave Scrollwheel OS at any time, hold Menu for two seconds.
Rockbox’s messages
Section titled “Rockbox’s messages”- “Can’t load rockbox.ipod”: Rockbox’s bootloader is there, but Rockbox’s files are missing. Reinstall the Rockbox build from the app, or uninstall Rockbox. See Rockbox through the app.
Apple’s screens
Section titled “Apple’s screens”- A folder with a warning sign: Apple’s firmware can’t start. Do a
full restore. On an iPod mini 1st
generation, if it still shows after a restore, use the other firmware file (
3.1.4.1instead of6.1.4.1). - “Connect to iTunes” / “Use iTunes to restore”: the firmware is missing, often after Android’s format prompt was accepted. Restore it with the app (iPod › Repair & Restore).
- Plug-and-socket picture with a progress bar: normal after a restore. Leave it on a wall charger until it’s done.
Still stuck? Note your iPod model and exactly what the screen says, and share the app’s activity log (it’s saved only when you tap Share).