I Tunes and new computer

[admin_exported]

Hi All,

I have got a new computer and was wondering if I downloaded I Tunes and connected my Ipod Classic to it, would I lose all my items and music on there, or would I just be allowed to add more cd's and podcasts to it, download them to my ipod, but not be allowed to upload the music already on the ipod to the computer?

Im worried about losing all the stuff already on there...

Phil

 

[chebby]

In order to move new stuff from iTunes to iPod you need to 'sync' the iPod. As far as I am aware that will overwrite whats on the iPod.

Can't you import the music from your old computer into iTunes on the new one? I did that with no problems when replacing an old computer last year. (It preserved playlists and all settings and artwork etc.)

 

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately it was my dads computer which he has changed, so I have no way of getting it all moved across.

I was hoping that you could plug it in and it would not sync to the new computer. Damn, Ive got 110GB of songs on the ipod classic, so would take me ages to do again and I am off on holiday tomorrow at 4am!

What a stupid method, why did apple do it like that!

 

[chebby]

Well I have only ever done iTunes - iPod/iPhone 'by the book'.

Maybe someone else will come along with an answer.

Didn't you or your dad have an external backup of the old system to preserve music, documents, photos etc? (In order to move everything across to the new system?)

 

[Anonymous]

My dad did but not the music as it was a huge file of it. I only got a computer 9 months ago so have never had the nead to. 37 and only just coming out of the dark ages

.

Hope there is a way around it as want to delete some cd's and add new ones!

 

[chebby]

Try this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nth7kRPQtc

I have never used this method but it looks simple enough.

 

[Anonymous]

That looks easy enough to do. My question still stands though. If I connect my ipod to the new computer, will i tunes automatically sync it and wipe the files already on it?

If it doesnt, then I can do as the video shows and copy them all across to delete the various ones I want. If it does or will delete them, then I dont want to connect it up.

 

[chebby]

Bring up iTunes without the iPod plugged in first.

Then uncheck/untick the sync box to be safe.

Then try the method in the video clip.

 

[professorhat]

Don't think you'll be able to change the settings for the iPod until it's plugged in - when you first plug it in with iTunes though, it should prompt you saying it was setup with a different computer and ask if you want to sync with this one - just click No here and then you should be able to follow through that video hopefully.

You can also pick up software which claims to do this for you, but I've never used any personally. Since they're of dubious legality I won't post links but a Google search shows them up fairly easily.

 

[Anonymous]

Will give it a try in a minute and report back. Fingers crossed!

 

[Anonymous]

Connected it up and it is saying you must restore it to use it on a windows computer (as it was done on a mac). Then when I pressed yes, it said you will lose everything on there!

Seems as if it is not going to let me do it then.... Unless im being thick.

 

[chebby]

Bring iTunes down.

Does your Windows system recognise the iPod as a device of any kind? (When you look at 'My Computer'.)

If so then just try to open up 'iPod Control' folder and 'Music' as shown in the video. (Remember the bit about showing 'hidden files'.)

If the music folder opens in Windows then just try dragging one track into the iTunes music folder on your computer's C drive.

Called something like this

C😀ocuments and SettingsyournameMy DocumentsMy MusiciTunes

 

[Anonymous]

When I connect it up it says removable disk in D drive, but when I click on it, it says to format the disk. I take it that if I format it, it will wipe everything from it? Or maybe it wont, who knows lol (not me!)

 

[chebby]

It will destroy. DO NOT FORMAT!!

 

[SnowyJohn]

the tracks will, as chebby said, be hidden within the ipod folder but the file names will be jargon as they are stored in some mysterious manner by itunes.

I would:

• copy the whole hidden folder to the computer HDD
• see if merely adding the folder to the itunes library works and unravels the nonsense, or
• if the above doesn't work there will undoubtedly be software out there to unravel the tracks..

Needless to say, the data is on that ipod - it IS possible to retrieve the data, but the extents may vary.

 

[chebby]

So you have an iPod that was formatted and sync'ed up on an Apple that your Windows/iTunes won't talk to.

I guess you will need to get advice from our Apple experts.

We have an iMac but we (daughter's and I) have our iTunes on the other (Windows based) systems in our house.

I have never needed to migrate anything between iMac - PC based iTunes before.

Sorry.

 

[Anonymous]

There is no ipod folder as it does not recognise my ipod on the computer. I have done the hidden file thing and it is not showing it. Will try again though.

 

[Anonymous]

Im sure it is because it was done a mac firstly and now Im trying to do it on a windows vista based computer.

 

[Anonymous]

This wont help but it does highlight the importance of backing up files you need. I have an external hard drive, one of those passport ones, and it has a back up of my itunes folder (ie all the mp3 songs), pictures and home videos. One scare of almost losing all those files and backup is now regularly done.

And from this passport I have moved files from one computer to another.

 

[SnowyJohn]

Apple time machine - convenient and effective.

 

[Anonymous]

So basically what we are saying is there is no way for me to do what I want, apart from formatting the ipod and then starting from scratch again?

 

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily. Part of the problem is you have to stop the discovery service which runs independently of itunes.

Disconnect the ipod if connected

Quit itunes

Stop any service to do with itunes - might be easier to uninstall itunes but you'll need to reboot if you do.

Attach the ipod. As Chebby says you should now be able to see the ipod as an external device. Proceed as he suggests.

 

[professorhat]

potboyslim:So basically what we are saying is there is no way for me to do what I want, apart from formatting the ipod and then starting from scratch again?

Do you know anyone with a Mac? You could try doing the same except using the Mac which should hopefully understand the file system the iPod is using since it was created using this.

EDIT - quick search on Google for this issue has thrown up this:

you'll need software to read HFS+ formatted drives, of which your "Mac-formatted" iPod is an example. You can get a trial of MacDrive 6, which adds that kind of support for long enough to get the files on your Windows computers with a tool like iTunes. Another option is MacOpener.

Link to MacDrive. Looks like MacOpener has been discontinued though - link.