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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Synching multiple computers

Synching multiple computers
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danangdoc
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Aug 21, 2008, 10:39 AM
 
While my primary iTunes synch etc. is on my Mac Mini at home, I'd like my iPod Touch to synch with my Outlook on my work PC. Is this possible? Do I have to download iTunes on my work PC?
     
QSilver
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Aug 22, 2008, 11:30 AM
 
I do this on a regular basis with my 1G iPhone. At home is a MacBook Pro running Leopard and at work is a Dell laptop with WindowsXP and Outlook. Yes, you need iTunes in order to sync to Outlook.

In iTunes on Both computers, "Auto sync" is turned off and "Sync only checked items" is turned on. When the iPhone is connected to the the MacBook Pro, I have it set to sync the usual iTunes media (music, podcasts, etc.) Calendars and Contacts are not set to sync. On the Dell, only Calendars and Contacts are set to sync.

I have more or less had this set-up for more than 9 months. Works each time.
QS
     
danangdoc  (op)
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Aug 22, 2008, 11:48 AM
 
Thanks for the input. I had read somewhere that you could only have iTunes on one desktop. Gotta stop smoking those mushrooms! This will help me out greatly!
     
QSilver
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Aug 25, 2008, 10:56 AM
 
Let me know if you have more questions...happy to help.

QS
     
vmarks
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Aug 25, 2008, 11:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by danangdoc View Post
Thanks for the input. I had read somewhere that you could only have iTunes on one desktop. Gotta stop smoking those mushrooms! This will help me out greatly!
This stems from an oversimplification of how managing music on the iPod works.

You can only have one iTunes at a time controlling a type of syncing at a time. You have one iTunes controlling media, and one other iTunes controlling your contacts and emails.
     
QSilver
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Aug 27, 2008, 10:13 AM
 
Originally Posted by vmarks View Post
This stems from an oversimplification of how managing music on the iPod works.

You can only have one iTunes at a time controlling a type of syncing at a time. You have one iTunes controlling media, and one other iTunes controlling your contacts and emails.
That's true. Someitmes (for example, on a business trip), I'll use the Win laptop to download new podcasts. For that sync session only, I'll have the laptop sync podcasts to the iPhone. iTunes puts up a message that all podcasts on the iPhone will be over-written upon sync. That's fine, because that's what I want it to do.

The key to this process is to have only one computer control each type of content that's synced to the iPhone.

Based on what I've seen (and tried, just once!), the real trouble starts when you try to use the iPhone as an intermediary to keep contacts / calendars in sync between two computers.

QS
     
danangdoc  (op)
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Aug 27, 2008, 11:01 AM
 
Palm had the same issue, but you could profile your synch as to what apps you wanted to synch on that particular session, and could (1) synch the two, (2) let the device over-write the PC file, or (3) let the file on the PC over-write the device. Maybe Apple can evolve to that. I still use my Palm E2 for some apps, but the hard-case was a perfect fit for my iPod Touch!
     
   
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