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jac4565 · Jan 31, 2006, 12:12 PM

I'm a newbie here and I'm hoping someone can answer a few questions.

I bought 2 ipods for me sons (Cody & Tyler) this christmas. We have 2 PCs so Cody uses one for his ipod and Tyler uses one for his ipod. The problem is that the PC Tyler uses is having severe problems and I'm going to have to use the system recovery disk and wipe everything off of it and start over. My question is will Tyler loose all of his songs that are on his ipod? (He has over 300 already and is having a fit thinking he will loose them) Is there anyway he can somehow save his iTunes library before system recovery, or will the songs transfer FROM his Ipod to the new iTunes library when he reloads his ipod software?

Also is there a way to just add Tylers ipod to the PC Cody uses since that PC is more reliable? Only thing is they have very different taste in music and would need to be separate libraries.

Thanks for any answers anyone might be able to give me!
Jeri

ghporter · Jan 31, 2006, 06:33 PM

The iPod gets its songs from the computer. If you dump one or all of the songs from the computer, when you next sync the iPod it will delete those songs as well.

If the computer is running at all, copy the directory with the iTunes songs in it to some other media-or through a network connection to the other computer (in a different location on that computer, of course!).

There IS a way to get the songs off the iPod and back into a computer that lost the songs, but it's a bit of a pain. If you can use the failing computer at all, copy the songs NOW. Once you get it running again, copy the songs back into the correct iTunes directory (it's under Documents and Settings\user's Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music)

jac4565 · Jan 31, 2006, 09:57 PM

Thanks Glenn for replying. I will try to copy the songs back into the iTunes directory when I get it running again.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions.
Jeri

Big Mac · Feb 1, 2006, 07:28 AM

You also should try to back up the iTunes library file on the drive before erasing it. If you do not, you'll have to import all the songs back in, and you'll lose your son's playlists.

Mastrap · Feb 1, 2006, 08:27 AM

Alternatively: Take all of Tyler's muisic and move it to Cody's PC or to a backup medium. On Cody's PC, in iTunes, create a playlist called 'Tyler's music' or similar. Drag all of Tyler's music off the desktop or off the backup media in this playlist. iTunes will copy the music into it's internal directory structure.

Now synch Tyler's iPod with Cody's PC. Ignore all warning messages and allow the iPod to synch. This will erase all music from Tyler's iPod, but then replace it with the playlist called 'Tyler's music'.

All you have to hope for then is that your sons get on well enough not to sabotage each other's playlists.

jac4565 · Feb 1, 2006, 12:16 PM

Thanks everyone for your input. Some great ideas that I will talk over with the boys and see what we can do, they are better at all of this than I am. I just need to get that other PC up and running at this point, so I will hold my breath and hope it all works out, if not Tyler will just have to reload his songs again, he will survive....LOL

Thanks again everyone, have a great day!
Jeri

Pogomwg · Feb 1, 2006, 02:52 PM

ive got a question sorta on this topic... what about your purchased music if something like this happend .. what would you do then?

ghporter · Feb 1, 2006, 04:32 PM

That's one reason to copy the iTunes Library file. On a PC there's also a folder called "License Backup" under iTunes-it has the licences backed up, so copy that too.

Basically, copying ALL of the iTunes folder will get you everything you need. You may have to reauthorize the computer after it's been fixed, but that shouldn't be a problem.