Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 16, 2002, 02:19 PM

I'm bringing my iPod back home with me for the Xmas break, and I'm gonna stuff it full of movies, pictures, apps and .mp3s to show my brother (they're on 56k, so I can't email it).

Now, what's the best way to do this? When I plug it into his mac, will it try to erase my song list or something (or tell me it's a different computer)? I know there are some programs that try to work around this...does anyone know a good one to use, or the best way to do this?

Thanks for the help all
greg

jfinete · Dec 17, 2002, 03:00 AM

When you plug the iPod into a new Mac, iTunes will ask you if you want to sync the ipod with that Mac.

In addition, iTunes sync'ing will never delete the files that you have stored on the iPod's hard drive.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 18, 2002, 11:46 AM

Okay, but what wil syncing with the new Mac's iTunes do? Will it only add the .mp3s that I don't already have, or will it try to download the whole new playlist from that computer? Then I'll have a LOT of duplicated files...and I don't even have that much free space left on my 10gig, anyway.

If I DON'T wish to sync with the new computer, what happens? Can I use it in Firewire mode, and do things manually? That would be ideal, really.

Anyway, I get there tomorrow, and I've got some things I'd like to give them.

greg

velocipede · Dec 18, 2002, 12:11 PM

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Okay, but what wil syncing with the new Mac's iTunes do? Will it only add the .mp3s that I don't already have, or will it try to download the whole new playlist from that computer? Then I'll have a LOT of duplicated files...and I don't even have that much free space left on my 10gig, anyway.

If I DON'T wish to sync with the new computer, what happens? Can I use it in Firewire mode, and do things manually? That would be ideal, really.

Anyway, I get there tomorrow, and I've got some things I'd like to give them.

greg

If you don't want the other Mac to prompt you to update the songs on your iPod, simply choose "Manually update songs" in your iPod preferences in iTunes. Check http://www.apple.com/ipod/itunes.html for the exact how-to.

jfinete · Dec 19, 2002, 02:30 AM

I guess I need to re-explain what I said.

In addition to being a music player, the iPod is also a portable hard drive. You can copy and remove files to the hard drive using the Finder. These files will not be removed by iTunes.

When you first connect an iPod to a Mac, it'll ask you if you want that iPod synced to that Mac. If you say yes, then iTunes controls the music library on the iPod. In its default setting, Itunes will delete whatever music is on the iPod, and copy the entire iTunes music library.

Itunes also has the option of copying over only the music in your selected playlists, or a full manual mode, where you control what files are copied.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 19, 2002, 01:57 PM

Yeah, I got it. I knew what you were talking about, I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't erase my songs or files without telling me first.

I got it...if you cancel the syncing with the new version of iTunes, you can just use it as a Firewire drive and manually edit my files I wanted to transfer.

Thanks for the info guys.

greg