How to Make an iPod Bootable

The iPod Classic is essentially a computer, thanks to the inclusion of a hard drive that provides many times more storage space for the operating system and data than a flash memory--based model. To use the Classic as a hard drive for booting up a computer, install a boot program onto the hard drive. The boot program modifies the iPod so that it can go from being a media player to an external hard drive that can be used to diagnose or repair the computer's hard drive when it is attached.

• 1

  Download and install an iPod boot program to the desktop, for example, the free DasBoot program (see Resources). Double-click the file once it's downloaded. Follow the menu commands to install the program on the hard drive. Restart the computer.

• 2

  Launch the iPod boot program by selecting it from the "Start" > "All Applications" pop-up menu. Insert the iPod connector at one end of the iPod cable into the iPod's dock connection. Insert the other end of the iPod cable into a USB port on the computer.

• 3

  Eject the disc tray of the DVD drive. Place a utility program disc on the tray and close the tray.

• 4

  Click the "Start" button on the program's main screen. Wait as a copy progress bar at the top of the screen fills in from left to right. Continue waiting as a duplication progress bar beneath the copy progress bar fills in from left to right.

• 5

  Click the icon of the iPod that is now no longer dimmed. Click the "Start" button on the new screen that appears. Wait as a copy progress bar at the top of the screen fills in from left to right. Click "OK" in the confirmation window that pops up. Quit the program.

• 6

  Right-click the icon of the iPod that is on the desktop. Select "Eject" from the pop-up menu. Remove the iPod cable from the iPod and from the USB port of the computer.