Transferring itunes library from ipod

[endo]

My little brother has managed to break my desktop PC, so I've lost everything on my hard drive, including all my music.

After strangling him to death, I realised I still have my entire library on my ipod, so is it possible to transfer all my music to a new PC (my laptop in this case), direct from the ipod? Getting anything off my old hard disc is not an option- it's proper b0rked.

My ipod is just a 5th generation 30 GB model, and in case it matters, most of my music is CDs I've ripped, and there's a few (maybe 60 tracks or so) that I've bought off itunes.

Thanks for any help.

[Number45]

If memory serves, DON'T try and sync your iPod with a new PC using iTunes. It will sync from the PC to the iPod, not the other way around!

You should however be able to use a third party app (Like Winamp and its iPod support plugin, can't remember the name), as they don't really care if you own the music or not.

I'm not sure how that solution will work with downloaded/DRM'd tracks though, but I believe you can download them again from the store?

[bingowings]

aye, you can use a third-party app to transfer the music from your iPod and back into iTunes. the DRM'd music should be ok, as long as you authorise the computer first through iTunes before you import/copy it across.

[112]

Sorry ti hijack your thread, but i have a similar ish problem. But i have all my music backed up to my external hard drive. Thing is i literally copied the itunes folder from my pc HD to my external HD. So now that i am bringing it back into my newly reinstalled pc ive lost my play lists and i need to rearrange my star ratings etc for potentially 60 gigs worth of music.

Does Itunes have an option to back up your music onto an external HD? Cos the only options ive seen only mention CD/DVDs.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

112

[sharky_ob]

Sorry ti hijack your thread, but i have a similar ish problem. But i have all my music backed up to my external hard drive. Thing is i literally copied the itunes folder from my pc HD to my external HD. So now that i am bringing it back into my newly reinstalled pc ive lost my play lists and i need to rearrange my star ratings etc for potentially 60 gigs worth of music.

Does Itunes have an option to back up your music onto an external HD? Cos the only options ive seen only mention CD/DVDs.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

112

You can definately export a text version of your itunes, which I believe holds all of the relevent details like ratings etc. This would allow you to bring in your library from an external hard drive with the settings intact. Not sure od the exact process for this though.

Have you considered using the external drive as your library main library, or do you not want it connected to the computer constantly?

Edit - I'll have a look at this when I get home and give you more details.

[EvilBoris]

The files that contain the ratings are
iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml


Apparently one good way to do it is to type 1* 2* 3* 4* 5* into the comments field of the songs so you can filter them out at any point very easily.

[112]

How do you guys back up your music? Do you use the option provided in Itunes or jus shove a copy of everything on another HD?

Surely someone here has needed to re-import all their songs back to their PC before........

@ EvilBoris, thanks for the tip, but i cant see myself going into all my songs and adding an asterix and number to them really......... Im too lazy lol........

@ Sharky_Ob, I kinda prefer to have all my music on the PC - its less hassle and having to feed power to the external drive for hours on end makes things really hot and i might run the risk of killing my back up drive lol........

Thanks for your help dudes!

112

[EvilBoris]

You don't have to do it individually, if you have a whole bunch that you know thecratings for, you can highlight them all and change the comment for all of them at once