If you don't already have it fixed, I plugged my iPod into a USB power bank and it finished the restore instantly. I don't know about the charging thing, though. I still have that problem.
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Also, a FireWire charger is a special USB AC adapter released with the iPod Classic. It is a big white brick, but it is much more powerful.
If you don't already have it fixed, I plugged my iPod into a USB power bank and it finished the restore instantly. I don't know about the charging thing, though. I still have that problem.