A repost of the help I'm asking for in iPod communities

[violachic]

Just in case any of you have some insight on it.



Okay, so I have a question.

Yes, I have:

- Read the manual
- Tried the apple website FAQs/Support
- Read community FAQs and memories
- Searched on ipodlounge

and I am still flummoxed. Although I am starting to wonder if there is no particular cure for the Catch-22 I am stuck with.

The stats:
- U2 special edition iPod (20 gig)
- laptop computer that runs Wiindows XP
- iTunes 7.0.

The backstory: I loaded up my iPod to almost 2/3 full, and kind of let it sit for awhile; I haven't updated the library in about six months. In the meantime, I had a crisis with space on my hard drive, and had no choice but to delete a bunch of music from my iTunes folder. A week ago, I purchased and installed a new, larger hard drive for the laptop, and sucessfully moved all the files from the old one onto the new one. Then I started to put more music into iTunes.

The issue: I need to set my iPod to update manually, for two reasons: 1) I'd like to work on moving the music I had deleted from iTunes off the iPod and back onto my computer, and 2) there is some new music in iTunes that I would like to make sure I get onto the iPod, without deleting what is already on the iPod.

The problem: From everything I have read so far, it seems the only way to get your iPod set to update manually is to hook it up to the computer and iTunes, and change the settings there. However, you can't get to the settings to change until the automatic update is over, which will erase all the music that is currently on the iPod but not in iTunes. And I might add, its a lot of music. It is all off of CDs I do already own, but it is a LOT of music- for instance, the entire boxset of Beethoven symphonies- that I'd really rather not have to reinstall. Even if I could remember exactly which music I used to have, and then deleted, which, except for the Beethoven symphonies and a couple other things, I can't.

A possible solution?: As I'm typing this, I have come up with what is a possible solution, but I'd like to know if any experts here think it is a viable one (I am not incredibly technically savvy). I am thinking about copying what is currently in my iTunes folder to another place on the hard drive, and then deleting the iTunes program. Then, I can reinstall iTunes, which would then give me an option right off the bat (following the instructions in this "help" article from apple.com) to choose to automatically or manually update my iPod. Then I can finish following the instructions from that article to take the music off the iPod and put it on the computer, and use the saved library of music files to manually update iTunes, and finally, finish updating the iPod.

Does this sound like it would work to you? Is there any easier way of doing this? Is there anything I should watch out for if I do try this that could screw me over, say, by erasing music on either the iPod or the computer before I've achieved my end?

Secondary question: I am now getting a message to download new software for my iPod, like 3.1.1, I think. Is it worth it to download and install that software, or is it okay to stick with what I've got? Will installing the new iPod software affect either my iPod or my iTunes, such as risking erasing music stored on either or both, at all?


Thank you so much for your time!

Comments

[innocent-irony.livejournal.com]

Have you tried ephpod. Its an itunes clone; it may be able to help you.

[ashestothestars.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest not going with the firmware update right away - try something like YamiPod (http://www.yamipod.com/main/modules/home/) to transfer your music off it, and then transfer that to iTunes. If that one doesn't work, let me know and I can see about finding another manager. I had the same problem recently.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

But then would what I want to do work fine? If I put what is currently in iTunes on my external hard drive- which is what my old hard drive turned into when I got the new one :-)- delete iTunes, then start it up again, setting it to update manually? Does what I want to do even make any sense? :-)

[ashestothestars.livejournal.com]

It does to me. You basically want to back up iTunes to another directory, uninstall, and then reinstall, setting it to update manually so you don't overwrite what's on your iPod currently. What this could do is allow you to create a backup directory of what is on your iPod as well. Which backups=good. Sayeth the person who has her entire music directory backed up onto DVD. :) Which came in handy when the hubby futzed up the directory. I've been trying to fix that for almost a week now. *sighs* I think I'm almost there now.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

So awesome, thanks :-) Can I just copy the files to another folder, or do I need to do something more complicated?

[ashestothestars.livejournal.com]

I backed mine up to another folder on our server, but the same thing applies here (it's just another hard drive). When I reinstalled I made sure to de-authorize my computer and then re-authorize once I'd moved my purchased files over, and the rest of it too... now I just have to go find where I put my Vanity Project CD....

[violachic.livejournal.com]

Very cool :-) I'll get started on it tonight! Hopefully in a few days my iPod will be in the shape as I want it to be :-)

[ashestothestars.livejournal.com]

Just an FYI, you might want to go with the CD of iTunes if you have it. A fresh install of iTunes 7 has been causing problems with 4th Gen iPods (I have a white 20GB 4G and a black 30GB 5G)... and there are downloads of 6.0.5 if you don't have the CD.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

I don't. I think 6.0 came with my iPod, but I downloaded 7.0 a few weeks ago because it nagged me to. I haven't had any problems yet. I'm actually not sure what generation the U2 iPod is.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

oh yeah! How do I deauthorize/reauthorize?

[ashestothestars.livejournal.com]

I was on my Mac, so I had to get to my Windows XP computer.. it's under Store >> Deauthorize Computer.

[pickleboot.livejournal.com]

ok- keir read this-

you can't take music off your ipod into itunes. not wihtout the help of an illegal software downloader. for the mac it's sunity.

as for the manual thingy- itunes 7 acts differently to 6(which is what keir is running)- he thinks you should be able to stop it in time, but isn't sure. this would be easier if you lived closer, dang it.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

I did track down a program to take the music from iPod to computer, but I haven't done anything with it. I also want to make sure that's not going to screw anything up first.

So far I haven't been able to figure out a way to stop the automatic updates in time, but its entirely possible I haven't noticed something. I'm terrified I'm going to let the update go too far and it will erase the iPod!

Clearly, you and your family need to move to Chicago.