iTunes help please: ARRGHH! Why has it wiped my iPod?

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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:37 pm

Anyone here good with iTunes?

I've already got an account and I normally update my iPod Nano from my main PC.

Up until now, I never bothered installing iTunes on my laptop, but now I want to be able to update the iPod from the laptop. (I rarely use the main PC nowadays) I've just downloaded iTunes onto the laptop, but whenever I sign in, my library appears to be blank.

Do I have to "Sync" my Nano with the laptop? I'm scared to death that I'll lose all my tunes. Confused

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:45 pm

I'm doing this from a Mac point of view but it should be the same on a PC. On your main PC, go into preferences and then into sharing, tick 'share my library on my local network'. You should then be able to see this library through your laptops iTunes and copy to your iPod with out a problem.
Before this however, go to the 'library' menu and select 'Back up to Disc' just to be on the safe side.

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:45 pm

I use iTunes on my mac.
I don't know if you speak about a music store account (which I haven't) or just the itunes library.
For the library, copying all the .mp3 files onto the laptop and drag-and-dropping them again into itunes should do the trick.
It works for me when I do backups of my disk and install itunes again.
(But you may lose your covers, statistics and playlists - I did not try with copying the iTunes Library folder but it might also work...)

I must say iTunes may be a great app to manage all your music onto ONE computer but as soon as you want to share things between disks or comps, it becomes a pain in the a*s.

Note: If you sync your ipod with an empty library, you'll probably have an empty ipod!

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:53 pm

I use MS, for the record.

Rod, what you say makes sense. I'll power up the dinosaur tomorrow and give that a try... the laptop works wirelessly from the hub connected to the main PC so it's a network of sorts.

Bertrand: You're right, iTunes can indeed be a pain in the arris when it comes to using more than one computer. I thought the whole idea of using an iTunes library was that your record of purchased music was accessible online under a login and PW. Good old Apple. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:58 pm

^^Yup, that network should be fine. iTunes is actually great for sharing if you enable the sharing across network ability (you shouldn't loose any artwork etc) but for some reason Apple doesn't mention this except in passing which is damned stupid as you could theoretically have your whole house with a computer in each room (if you have 12 macs like me now Embarassed

) running from one central iTunes library. It also works for Front Row across networks and will work with any films you've got through the iTunes store (and any you've ripped yourself).

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:10 pm

^^ I've just looked at those instructions you posted, they work on the laptop. I'm powering up the stone age machine now (so it should be useable in 15 minutes Rolling Eyes

).... I'll post if it works. I can't see a problem so far.
As for the sharing, I've got 3 computers between 2 people so I know the feeling! Amazing that Apple never mention this... it's not exactly uncommon these days.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 2

if you have it set to automatically sync the library with your iPod, it will wipe all your tunes. If you set it to "Manual", you can then drop files from your 2nd computer (laptop, PC, whatever) into your iPod, but you'll also likely have to set that as one of your 5 authorized computers.

For others who may try with the phone: The iPhone is different. I manage the play list and library on my iPod (video) with no problems from 3 different computers. I can't do it with the same success on my iPhone. If you visit an apple store, the only workaround is a 3rd party app that grabs raw AAC music files and copies them over to the iPhone.

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:07 am

I set the PC AND the laptop up to share. So far so good. The library is now viewable on both computers.

I bought 2 new albums on the laptop.
Then I synced the iPod.

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
The fucking iPod is now wiped, and has only taken on the newly bought albums.

I've tried setting it all to manually do music transfers, and I've also tried the auto settings, but the laptop will not transfer new purchases into the library. I've restarted iTunes on both computers.

WHY WILL THE iPOD NOT TAKE ON THE FULL LIBRARY? Surprised

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 2

DRM - Digital Rights Management

Just like every blank CD sold pays a royalty to the RIAA, iTunes assumes you're trying to steal. You can drop from each local library onto your iPod, but only ONE can have your sync'd library. This should be the one you keep all your bought and ripped (legally of course Wink

) music in the "Library". The non-primary won't show the music, however when connected you can play directly from the iPod on the second computer, and manually drop songs into the iPod. The caveat is that music manually dropped from the 2nd computer onto the iPod can not then copy it from the iPod to the 1st for the reason above (DRM). For these intents and purposes, 1st computer is the one you initially had and sync'd. I would suggest only purchasing music on the 1st, as the problem you listed above happens.

There's two workarounds I'm aware of: Rip the purchased music to a CD and then rip back to mp3 on the 2nd computer (or whatever computer doesn't have it). Otherwise, use a 3rd party app that you can find with google that will just grab everything and copy en masse.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Yeah, Mugatu -- DRM is the bane of the common man!

There are a good number of free and/or cheap third party applications which you can use to reclaim what is rightfully yours. If you need suggestions, PM me. Some people I errr ... know have used those before. Wink

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:06 pm

Thanks... I've now managed to reclaim my music and videos using the "copy to disk" modality. It just looks like I can never purchase new music from the laptop, which is a pain as the main PC has just about had it. Sad

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:56 am

@ Mugatu
If I where you I would wander down to your local indi record store and by these really neat round things called Cd's you get all the artwork as well Wink

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:58 am

Two words: MICROSOFT Zune. iTunes has forever been glitchy with PCs.

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