Is there a way to reformat an iPod without erasing everything?

No, but you can rip the content before you restore it using senuti (you will have ot use a mac to rip it since it’s mac formatted)

Wilyel that is what I had to do. GA

No. By it’s nature, the word “reformat” means it will erase everything and reformat the drive to its original condition, empty. There’s no way you can change the iPod from PC to Mac mode without clearing it of its data.

Your best bet is to get an external hard drive or blank CDs/DVDs, get the mp3s from your friend’s mac, load them onto your PC, and sync your iPod like that. If your friend doesn’t have the original mp3s then proceed with @wilhel1812‘s suggestion.

like @dynamicduo said, reformat == erase everything.

And GQ for saying “I don’t want to be sad, I want to listen to music.”

There are several third party software that will allow you to “download” the music you currently have on the ipod onto a computer so that when you re-format the device you will have a copy of the music off the ipod. The software basically works by treating your ipod like a mounted hard drive and will allow you to search and copy files. One of the better programs are called Pod Rescue. If you google that you will get more information