iPod Classic not recognized

When you restore/reformat you lose all the current content on the device. If you format the drive you also need to restore the firmware using iTunes afterwards. If there is content on the device that isn't in your library see Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community. This is all covered in the initial link: Corrupt iPod Classic - Apple Community.

tt2

If you're running Windows 10, and you installed iTunes from the Microsoft Store, then you might need to uninstall that version and use the old school iTunes64Setup.exe installer that you can get from https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win64. I suppose it is just possible that the DFU driver or restore code has been left out of the sandboxed store version.

tt2

I'm pretty sure the HP USB tool is meant for flash memory not hard disk based devices. You can try restoring with iTunes, using the Windows Explorer format tool, deleting all files and folders via Explorer, the DFU restore method (timing should get you the right screen), or getting a Mac owning friend to restore it for you.

With only one pending sector and a relatively low realloc count you should be able to get more use out of this drive without needing to worry about a conversion kit yet.

tt2

In disk mode it shouldn't require any iTunes specific drivers. It should show up in Windows Explorer as a drive that can be formatted if desired. Do you have any third party security software that could affect behaviour? Can you reformat on the other computer where it connects? You can try reinstalling iTunes to fix the driver issue.

tt2

Are you certain you're trying to format the right drive? Do you have any third party security software that could be blocking things? As far as I know write protection for drives is normally associated with floppy drives and some USB key drives, but I don't believe there is a write-protect feature for the classic's drive.

tt2

Shut down your computer, connect the device, then start the computer. See if iTunes will detect the device to restore it. If you put the device in DFU mode correctly then the screen should be blank. DFU mode may workaround the freeze on connection problem.

tt2

iPod classics were shipped in FAT format and could be used with either Windows or Mac. If restored on a Mac they would be formatted as HFS+ which only Macs could read, but they could be reformatted on Windows. The history shouldn't matter.

Do you have any security software that might interfere with low level disk access? Temporarily disabling might help. Don't know how far back a Power Mac goes but the problem with anything older than 12.6.5.3 or 12.7.2.58 is that they cannot reach the store for secure traffic, which probably rules out fetching firmware too.

tt2

I'm afraid I don't know what else to suggest. As long as the drive hasn't failed completely and the stats aren't off the charts one of those methods typically works. Windows to Mac and back again maybe the one you need.

tt2

See https://joshhighland.com/2006/03/29/fix-your-ipod-by-spanking-it/. Slapping the iPod in just the right fashion, or opening it up and putting the components back together properly, could potentially help.

tt2

See Corrupt iPod Classic - Apple Community. What are your HDD stats? Try a different cable and/or check for fluff in the docking port.

tt2