"iPod not readable" - will I lose all my data?

[Pablo]

I've been using my iPod with my Powerbook an other Macs fine. Now I'm trying to hook it up to a Windows XP box to transfer some files between the machines.

When I connect the firewire cable, I get the following error:

This iPod needs to be reformatted for use on your PC. Click on the Update button below to run the iPod Updater application that will allow you to reformat or restore your iPod.

It shows the filesystem as CDFS. I don't want to reformat (and lose all my songs, calendar, contact, and other data), but want to be able to have Windows see it as a hard drive.

What can I do?

Do I need something like XPLAY (http://www.mediafour.com/products/xplay/)?

[sonofslim]

windows won't read the iPod because it's been formatted with a Mac filesystem. to have a cross-platform iPod, you'll need to reformat it from a windows machine. there may be some software solution out there, but i'm not familiar with any... ask around before you reformat.

[Horrortaxi]

To answer the question in the subject, if you reformat you will lose your data.

[stoid]

I'm pretty sure that Mac OS X can handle windows file format, so you can back up your data on the Mac, format Windows, then you wouldn't be platform dependent.

Windows is all about choice right? The choice to use Microsoft!

[deputy_doofy]

Or, if you download a program called MacOpener (or something like that), it will simply see the iPod as an external hard drive. That sounds more like what you were looking for anyway.

[nargot]

Or, if you download a program called MacOpener (or something like that), it will simply see the iPod as an external hard drive. That sounds more like what you were looking for anyway.

need to format, you can rescue your files if they are only on the ipod (bad thing if so, cause ipod drives are a fickle lot) using a program like ipod access to copy your files to the mac.