New Laptop and iTuns/iPod question

My less than fertile grey matter | 02/09/09 | me

[Phantom Lord]

I am soon to pull the trigger on getting a laptop. Which one, I do not know.

But one thing that is slowing me down and is of great concern to me is transfering the bazillions of songs I have in my iTunes software to the new computer so I can use my iPod with that instead of the old desktop.

What is a quick, simple, and easy method of doing this for someone that knows jack squat about computers?

[Phantom Lord]

Thanks!

[Mr. K]

I got THREE Acer laptops for my children from BestBuy for $399 each for Christmas and I am VERY happy with them so far.

[Puppage]

http://www.jakeludington.com/downloads/20050420_ipod_access_for_windows.html

Best 19 bucks I ever spent

[Cousin Eddie]

Get a Macbook or Macbook Pro. I would imagine that you could link the two via a USC cable, or perhaps blutooth, to transfer the data.

[Richard Kimball]

If your old computer is a Mac, during the setup process it will ask you if you have stuff you want to import from another Mac. I did it last fall, and all you had to do was hook a cable between them and the computers did everything. Pretty painless, but of course, MS Office is a pain, cause it's now an "unauthorized installation." Everything else works great. It also imports all your iTunes songs, but you do have to authorize the new computer to play them.

[melissa_in_ga]

If some of your bazillion songs on your ipod were not purchased using itunes (for instance, ripping a cd, or perhaps downloading from a torrent site), using a transfer program won’t work. The new itunes library on the new laptop will not recognize those songs and you’ll have to transfer them in other ways. Trust me - we had to do this over Christmas with my daughter’s ipod.

Google using your ipod as a hard drive to transfer music. Print the instructions and go from there. It was easy.

[Phantom Lord]

I should have been more specific for all you cult members out there. My desk top is windows, and the laptop will be windows.

One big reason is the places I play poker do not work on a Mac.

[gondramB]

Simple if you have DVD burner in the PC.

Select Library, then backup to disk. Feed it DVDs (or CDs but it will take more of them).

On the new computer insert the first disk and it will import by itself.

[Phantom Lord]

I have never purchased a song from iTunes. My iPod consists entirely of mine and my wifes CD collection. Which, having worked at a radio station many years ago, is freaking huge.

[philsfan24]

how many is a bazillion? would there be enough space on a few burned dvds? they hold quite a bit of data if you have a dvd burner.

[cvq3842]

I just did something similar. Here is what I would do.

Once you have the new computer, install the iTunes software on it - just download from the iTunes website again.

Then, use a USB cable from the old computer to the new one to add the iTunes files as follows: click on top-left corner of iTunes on the new computer - I think it says “file” - and find “add folder to iTunes.” When you click on itm, find the file which on a Windows computer would be marked “My Documents/My Music/iTunes (again, the file on the old computer). Click on that, and the program should copy all the tunes onto your new hard drive. (Or, you could just downloady the My Music/iTunes file to a storage drive and plug it in to the new computer - same thing.)

Just connecting your old iPod to your new computer will NOT accomplish this - it might just erase everything from the iPod. In fact, once you have all the songs on the new computer, then you will have to “re-format” your iPod, since the new computer will not recognize it. The computer will re-add the songs back on the iPod.

There may be a way to choose “manage music manually” option/preference (on one of the drop-down menus at top left), and just load everything directly from the iPod, but I never did it that way.

Email me if you want me to try to talk you through. Or you might get better advice from others. But I have done this kind of thing myself, successfully. Good luck.

[Bearshouse]

I just moved a bunch of music, pictures and graphics from my old computer to a new one and just burned them to CD and installed directly from the CD. It seemed much easier for me than cables, because I am being so selective in what I move.

[Right Cal Gal]

That’s how it’s done. And iTunes will prompt you to put in a new DVD when the other is full.

Download iTunes on your new computer and “Authorize” it on your iTunes account and you can feed your entire library.

[the invisib1e hand]

iTuns is so cool.

[NellieMae]

I have 3 Macs and would like to keep all of my music synced on them. If I want to transfer my music from one Mac to another which file do I use?

[Right Cal Gal]

Yes, you can request “manually manage songs and videos” when you plug the iPod in for the first time.

Older iPods cannot be used to transfer anything but iTunes purchased music to a computer, alas. I don’t know if the newer ones have data transfer capability.

[ThomasThomas]

VooDoo Envy you can get any thing you want mostly under $5,000.

[cvq3842]

Thanks. I don't have iTunes on the computer I'm on now (at work) so I'm going from memory. For what it's worth, I do like using the program for managing music although I rarely buy fromn them. I just set the importing function to "mp3" and I can rip tracks that play on just about any player.

[Fawn]

I remember seeing your question in the Itunes ‘Help’ files.

[melissa_in_ga]

Okay, I’m not good at this html stuff on freerepublic, but here goes:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1329

this is the way we transferred my daughter’s itunes library from my computer to hers (I got an Iphone and wanted her library off mine). It took awhile, but follow the instructions. Sounds like Itunes won’t recognize your music unless you use your Ipod as a hard drive.

[TaxRelief]

Once you go MAC, you’ll never go back.

[melissa_in_ga]

One of my daughters has had an Acer for 2 years. It’s been great, but beware of the ac/dc connector inside. If you didn’t buy an extended warranty from the big blue box company, replacing it will cost around $150.00. Recent unhappy purchase for me. Otherwise, it’s been great.

[hc87]

Either:

a. Use a data transfer cable and accompanying software (I think Belkin has one for about $30 for XP to Vista) to move data from the old computer to the new computer

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Transfer-Cable-Windows-Vista/dp/B000JJPZW0

or

b. Use Anapod Copygear (part of Anapod Explorer, $20) to move the songs from the Ipod to the new computer

http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod/

I have done both and had no problems with either program.

[yazoo]

Not sure what a bazzilion songs means, but if you create a playlist that includes ALL your music you can then burn it to DVD’s. Make sure you burn them as MP3s and not audio files playable in any CD player. Then after you get your new laptop you simply import it into ITUNES off the DVDs. Be absolutely sure you DE-AUTHORIZE your old computer’s Itunes or you may not be able to play the songs that you downloaded from Itunes. Also, by burning all your songs to DVDs you will have a backup in case of future crashes.

[zeebee]

Go to your iTunes library (rt-click on any song in iTunes and choose, “Show in Windows Explorer”) and copy the mp3 files to a flash or external drive, cd or dvd. Each one is only 1 or 2 MB. Then import to the new computer.

[yazoo]

“Select Library, then backup to disk. Feed it DVDs (or CDs but it will take more of them).”

I recommended creating a playlist from all the music but it appears your way is better. I’m wondering if this is a new function in ITunes. I wanted to back up my music a few years ago and my ITUNES FOR DUMMIES said creating a playlist was the only way.

[AFreeBird]

You have an in house network set up I take it? Enable sharing on the music folder of the old system, attach to the old system with the new one. Copy music folder from old to new over the network. The CD/DVD copy option is a waste of time unless you want to make a backup anyway. But they invented networking for a reason. Make use of it.

As for iTunes, I can't help as I don't run it, but I would be surprised if there is not a way for it to import or scan your music directory. I mean, what are people supposed to do who move to iTunes after ripping all their CD's in another program? Start over? I don't see Apple as being quite that stupid.

[chris_bdba]

That is nonsense because with a mac nowdays you can run XP or Vista and sites do not know the differnwce between mac or pc.

[Phantom Lord]

Ya, but you have to know what you’re doing for stuff like that. Me, I know nothing.

[Phantom Lord]

In fact, I’m not even sure if I am logged on. I’m series!

[Petronski]

That’s hugh!

[AJ504]

I agree that the power connectors on laptops are major pain in the butts. One whack and you can severely damage the connector pin that attaches to your plug.

I recently switched to a MacBook Pro, and the power wire magnetically attaches to the laptop. So, if the dog or the grandchild come by and get their foot caught in the wire and pulls on it... no damage to a pin... because there isn't one!

[chris_bdba]

ROFLOL! You think I know what I’m doing? Thanks but I have a Dh for those sort of things. :)

[melissa_in_ga]

Oh my, hide this thread from my daughter! She wants a Mac badly. :)

[Richard Kimball]

I would imagine that you could link the two via a USC cable, or perhaps blutooth, to transfer the data.

I'd use a UCLA cable.

[Richard Kimball]

HEY! Melissa’s daughter!!!! Thread over here!!!!

[melissa_in_ga]

LOL! Actually, since FR is my home page, she might actually see it!

[AFreeBird]

iTunes does indeed allow you to add an existing music folder to your library. I just installed iTunes 7.x for W2K and it is cataloging as we speak.

Click on "File" and then "Add folder to library", and tell it where to look. So all you have to do is transfer your music directory from one system to the next. And as stated above: Networks are our friends.

[TexasRepublic]

What is a quick, simple, and easy method of doing this for someone that knows jack squat about computers?

Hire a 12-year-old to do it for you. ;-)

[Cousin Eddie]

You’re correct. Self-inflicted 20 lashes. can’t stand SC

[Richard Kimball]

I knew you knew, but it was too good to pass up.

[gondramB]

>>

“Select Library, then backup to disk. Feed it DVDs (or CDs but it will take more of them).”

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I recommended creating a playlist from all the music but it appears your way is better. I’m wondering if this is a new function in ITunes. I wanted to back up my music a few years ago and my ITUNES FOR DUMMIES said creating a playlist was the only way.
<<

I found that option by accident and without publicity - I’m guessing Apple would prefer you buy everything from them and thus never need to transfer “other” music.