This is topic Tech help: computer "inheritance" and ITunes in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
 
As I've mentioned previously, I have recently assembled a rather nice new computer for myself. The final step in it becoming my primary computer is this: the larger hard drive from my old computer goes into my new computer (leaving the smaller one for the OS). My old computer becomes my wife's "new" computer, and a similar transition takes place; her larger hard drive from her old computer goes into her "new" computer (though I'll first wipe my old computer's system hard drive and re-install the OS, in the hopes that it will provide that nice fresh non-crufty computer feeling.)

The one big problem is this: my wife has a rather large music collection on her computer (on the big hard drive that will be transferred to the "new" computer) and has gone through an ungodly amount of work fighting with ITunes and getting most of her music sorted and rated and so on, and it would be very much preferable not to lose all that work on her "new" computer.

ITunes is not my area of expertise. I've bought a few tracks from them, but largely I've avoided them, hearing that it was rather an invasive, unwieldy, and excessive piece of software for my (rather more limited) musical needs. Does anyone have any good suggestions for transferring ITunes to a new computer and keeping its myriad ratings, settings, and information intact? I know, for example, that if we try to re-install ITunes and it tries to resort my wife's music, she's going to have my head, followed by Steve Jobs'. [Smile]
 
Posted by navigator (Member # 11895) on :
 
Try downloading itunes on the new computer, connecting her ipod to it, and "sync"ing. Assuming everything on itunes is on her ipod, this will transfer everything. Good luck!
 
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
 
No IPod, I'm afraid; ITunes is just the program she's fallen into, largely (I think) because it provided a relatively easy and free way for her to port her large CD collection into digital format.
 
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
 
I believe that all that information is stored in the iTunes music folder, so if you copy that to the new hard drive you should be okay. I use a Mac rather than a PC, though, so I'm not sure if it would be the same way on a PC. In the iTunes music folder there are files called "iTunes library" and "iTunes Library Extras.itdb" which I believe contain that information.
 
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by navigator:
Try downloading itunes on the new computer, connecting her ipod to it, and "sync"ing. Assuming everything on itunes is on her ipod, this will transfer everything. Good luck!

You can't sync from an ipod onto itunes. Period.

You can however, simply transfer all the files and music folders to the new hard drive, whatever, and then open your most recent "itunes library" file. This file contains all the information that your wife has assembled such as ranking and playlists, etc. Remember that simply moving all the music files is one step, but activating the program with your saved Itunes library is something else.

There are walkthroughs available online about how to upload files from an ipod back onto a computer, and there are some assistant programs that will do this for you, but it sounds like the library file is what you need to remember as well.
 


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