[bbales]

We're about to hit the 5-computer limit with itunes music, with at least one of those machines my fault (I forgot to deauthorize my G4 when I bought my new iMac last August. I COULD fire it up again, but now I need a monitor!) There are also two instances of 2 hard drive failures -- my laptop and my daughter's Dell -- those obviously were not deauthorized.

I looked up and found info that says when you hit the limit, you can -- once a year -- simply deauthorize ALL computers and start over. Has anyone ever actually done this? I have visions of all that music simply being unusable...

[64stang06]

You deauthorize all computers within iTunes, then you just re-authorize each computer that contains the music you want to play.

[philm]

Originally Posted by bbales 

We're about to hit the 5-computer limit with itunes music, with at least one of those machines my fault (I forgot to deauthorize my G4 when I bought my new iMac last August. I COULD fire it up again, but now I need a monitor!) There are also two instances of 2 hard drive failures -- my laptop and my daughter's Dell -- those obviously were not deauthorized.

I looked up and found info that says when you hit the limit, you can -- once a year -- simply deauthorize ALL computers and start over. Has anyone ever actually done this? I have visions of all that music simply being unusable...

I've done the 'Deauthorise All' thing once. Like you, one of my authorised accounts was on a computer to which there was no longer easy access. It worked fine. No problems.

[bbales]

Thanks! I wasn't even aware, until I did the search, that there WAS the "deauthorize all" option. But it does make sense -- because drives do fail, and people DO get new computers without deauhorizing the other one.

[indigoimac]

Originally Posted by bbales 

Thanks! I wasn't even aware, until I did the search, that there WAS the "deauthorize all" option. But it does make sense -- because drives do fail, and people DO get new computers without deauhorizing the other one.

Yup, you used to have to email them, I did that... twice, lol

[Kenneth]

Does Apple use the MAC address or what?

Weeks ago, I de-authorize 3 Macs, but forgot to do it on my PowerMac G5. Clearly, I still have one authorized Mac under my iTunes account then I missed. I then did a clean install of Leopard and drag the iTunes folder back in place. Fired up iTunes, it asked me to authorize to play, but it did not raise the play limit.

[Art Vandelay]

Yes, I believe it relies on the MAC address to identify the computer.

[Cadaver]

I think Apple restricts you to using the Deauthorize All to once per year (without emailing a request).

[Mastrap]

I've done it twice, for the usual reasons. Sold a Mac and forgot to take it off the list, drive failure etc. Works without any trouble.