Replaced hard disk for my 5Gen 80Gb ipod, now when i restore it with itunes i get "error 1418"

I tried the first 4 things on this list but I can't do the fifth. Windows seems to recognise it as an apple ipod with 0Gb of memory and won't let me format it.

Have you encountered similar problems or have any advice please?

Well for one, it needs to be reregistered with iTunes because the keys would have changed. I don't think iTunes has tools to format your iPod, you'll have to download something special for that, however Windows might be able to do that. I think iPod do work with a FAT32 format since I know that they can be used for storage on PCs.

Thanks for replying. It seems the hard disk i bought is broke. Tried formatting it in Linux a few times, either my dad doesn't quite know what he's doing or it can't be formatted. Gone back to my partly broke hard disk, trying to return the one I bought.

If it's an iPod specific disk then it may already be formatted, just in a style that Windows and Linux can't read. I believe that by default they are in OSX Journaled format and I know Windows can't read that and I'm not sure about Linux.

It sounds to me like firmware hack time. Try to get a firmware hack to circumvent needing to use Itunes.