Using an old iPod as a mass storage device...

Hey there!
So, here's my dilema:
My (almost-3-year-old) iBook died on me 4 weeks ago. The logic board bit the dust and it's not covered by that 3 year logic board replacement program that Apple set up. So they (official Apple service centre here in London) want to charge me £728.50 to replace the logic board when a brand new MacBook would cost me £740.00. (If I could afford to fix the logic board I'd just buy a new MacBook!!!)
Anyways, that gripe is going into another forum...
Sooooooo.... I have an old Version 3 iPod that I want to use as a mass storage device but in a PC-based environment. So, if I re-format it for PC is it recogniseable/useable with Macs as a storage device still?
I know that PCs don't recognise Mac stuff but, and correct me if I'm wrong, I remember something about Macs recognising PC stuff??
So here's an example:
* I want to reformat my old V3 iPod into a Windows environment.
* I then want to take my newly re-formatted V3 iPod (set for disk use only) and use it to back up stuff (files, documents, MP3s) from my old, broken iBook (take it from the hard drive).
* Then I want to take those files, documents and MP3s and put them onto a new, Windows-based laptop (which I am yet to aquire).
Is this do-able?
Thanks peoples!

" I know that PCs don't recognise Mac stuff but, and correct me if I'm wrong, I remember something about Macs recognising PC stuff??"
An iPod formatted for Mac it won't run natively on a PC because the Windows OS does not support the HFS Plus file system and therefore will not see the drive. There are third party helper programs to overcome that, however Macs can read Windows formatted drives so you should be able to use your old iPod as a straightforward removable drive without any problem.

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