Need iTunes/iPod help! (CD, server, transfer, reinstall)

[ShinyHappyLucy]

I hope this is the right forum for this.

My music was taking up way too much room on my computer, so I moved it to a backup server. This morning I downloaded three songs from iTunes and a free song from a band's website. I REALLY want this free song on my iPod. It's not available on iTunes, otherwise I would just buy it. Anyway, this morning when I went to open iTunes it said QuickTime wasn't installed so to uninstall iTunes and reinstall it. I uninstalled iTunes then went to the website and downloaded the newer version. When I went to sync my iPod to get these four songs, I window popped telling me my iPod is already synced with another library and it can only be synced to one library at a time. It gave me two options: (1)"Erase and sync" replaces the contents of this iPod with the contents of this iTunes library (grand total of 4 songs) and (2) "Transfer Purchases"copies iTunes store purchases this computer is authorized to play from this iPod to this iTunes library.

So what I want to know is what am I supposed to do? I don't want all of my songs deleted only to have to be synced again, and I want to somehow be able to get this free song on my iPod. Is there any way to get my old library back? I can only assume it has something to do with me downloading the newer version but really have no idea. Thanks!

Lucy

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Choose option 1 and empty the Pod

Seriously, don't choose any option. Cancel them all. On iTunes, click "File" and choose "Add file to library". Choose your new song and then synch the Pod. This is how I synch them up, I never let iTunes synch itself.

[ShinyHappyLucy]

Thanks! I'll let you know if it works.

[ShinyHappyLucy]

Am I doing something wrong? I clicked "file" then "add to library." The free song that came from a different website doesn't show up anywhere so I can actually choose it. Right now it's in my iTunes so I can play it off my computer, but I guess since I didn't purchase it from them it isn't showing up when I go to add it to my library. Is there some other way? Thanks for your help.

Lucy

[Naptowner]

The free song you downloaded is on your computer somewhere, and if you are playing it in iTunes it's already in your library. With all respect to Antlered, I don't think I'd follow the advice, since you have to choose one of the two options, and if you sync, you will indeed erase everything from the ipod. Option two is to transfer files from the ipod to the computer, and that's not what you want.

All the old music you moved to the other computer should still be in your library, but since iTunes doesn't know where it is, it should give you an error message whenever you try to sync one of those songs and prompt you to search for the file. Your problem is that, in addition to deleting all your old music from that computer, you somehow deleted or changed something so that your iTunes thinks your ipod should be syncing with another computer, and apparently none of the old music is still in your library. What I would do is this: with itunes open and running, click "file," then click "add folder to library," then navigate to the backup server where your music is stored, and add the folder the music is in to the library. This will take a while, as iTunes imports all the music. Then when that's complete, you can sync the ipod and all your music will be there. This will also take a while - it's something you want to do before you go to bed, since it could take hours to replace the music.

You may also be able to find an alternative program that can just add the four songs without messing with what's already on the ipod, but at some point you're going to want to be able to sync with your computer.

[ShinyHappyLucy]

Thank you. I'm going to try this as soon as I have the hours to spare. I don't mind having to re-add the music if that's what it takes. I just want to be sure I'm not going to screw something up so I can never get them back on.

Lucy

[RayinAK]

I never allow iTunes and the iPod sync. I choose to load music "Manually." That way I have full control on the music I want to add or to delete. When you connect the iPod to your computer for the first time, iTunes (the software in your computer) will prompt you to Sync or to do things Manually. I always choose the latter.

If you have to redo all your music, when you connect the iPod to the computer you will be presented by the same options (Sync or Manually). You install music manually as follows:

1. FROM CD's
Launch iTune's, insert the music CD in the CD drive, and import the songs into iTunes. All the songs will show in the Music folder of iTunes. Just create a Playlist (a folder) in iTunes, name the Playlist as you like, and then go back to the Music folder, select the songs you want to place in the playlist, and drag the songs to the Playlist you have created. Now drag the new Playlist to the iPod.

2. DOWNLOADED online (to your computer)
Same thing as above, except that this time you don't have to import it to iTune's. Just create the Playlist you want, and drag songs to it.

Remember: you have full control on your music if you do it manually. Sync updates the music in your iPod. It means that a new library can delete or prevent you from seeing the old library. For example, lets say that I want a brand new Mac computer's applications or programs to look exactly like the old Mac I am using. In this case, all I have to do is to Sync the two computers. The new computer will then copy everything from the old computer and save it on itself. When I restart the new Mac, the OS and applications will look identical to the old computer.

[ShinyHappyLucy]

Thanks, Ray. I haven't had time to do it yet, but tonight I think DH is going to help me. I'll let you all know how it goes!

Lucy