[oinkbanana]

well i've found the solution to my original problem
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthre...highlight=ALAC

This is a known problem. I think one fix is to run the "m4a optimize" utility codec on the files after converting to ALAC, which is in the "m4a utilities" codec on the m4a codec page.

but on with the bigger one... i'm sure i'll find a solution
but right now i'm looking at:

no screen activity
no HD activity
won't mount to the computer
i doubt it's charging
i've hit reset (menu&start) a dozen times with different configurations
hard reset (turn hold on then off then menu + select + back)
diagnostic mode by holding center and rewind
disk mode by holding Center Button and Play
tried alternate USB cables/ports
holdon/holdoff


correct version of rockbox was installed (ipod video)
rockbox was working, even installed a nice usable theme
I and had loaded a few batches of flac,mp3,alac files for listening and everything worked wonderfully
but after repeating the same steps that had worked, it just konked out
what happened when it died was this:
I loaded some new songs, ejected the ipod, did a database "update now" and restarted the ipod (menu+start)
& the ipod never restarted

i'm not sure if that's how to properly update the database, but it had restarted normally the other 6 times i did it :erm:
over to apple service & rockbox

THANKX for all your help.1!