I have a Linux server (Fedora Core 8) that runs 24x7. So how about utilising my server to do the work instead?
Here are the steps to charge your iPod under Linux:
1) Sync my iPod with all the songs from my MacBook Pro.
2) Eject iPod from my MacBook.
3) Connect the USB cable to my Linux server.
4) Determine the drive that iPod is using under Linux. Normally it should be an alphabet greater than all existing mounted drive. Execute the following command:
> mount
It should shows something similar to:
/dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00 on / type ext3 (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
/dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol03 on /data type ext3 (rw)
/dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol02 on /home type ext3 (rw)
/dev/sda2 on /boot type ext3 (rw)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/sdb on /mnt/media type xfs (rw)
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
sunrpc on /var/lib/nfs/rpc_pipefs type rpc_pipefs (rw)
In this case, /dev/sdb seems to be the last of mounted hard disk. So if I tried:
> mount /dev/sdc /mnt/ipod
Once this is successful, you should be able to perform listing on this directory.
> ls /mnt/ipod
5) You might want to umount the ipod to left it charging (we don't need to mount it for it to be charged because we are not syncing the songs).
> umount /mnt/ipod (if mounted before)
6) In order to fully eject the ipod, we need to execute one more command:
> eject /dev/sdc (or the drive that your ipod is connected to).
7) Next enjoy! Once fully charged, just unplugged from the machine.
