Best iTunes strategy for a family with multiple Windows accounts

On our previous Windows 7 PC, I set up separate Windows accounts for each of our family members. Since iTunes can't be run concurrently on more than one Windows account, I also set up another Windows account named "iTunes," the sole purpose of which is to have iTunes running in a way that everyone can access it without having to log into each others' accounts. When you want to use iTunes, you log into the "iTunes" Windows account; when you want to do something else on the computer, you log into your personal Windows account.
Two questions: (1) Is there a better way to do this? and (2) Am I right that iTunes still can't be run concurrently on more than one Windows account?
Thanks.

This is a user to user support forum. Your fellow users can offer solutions or workarounds based on their experience with the application. If you think it should work differently drop a line to iTunes Feedback.
For reasons unknown Apple haven't chosen to allow iTunes to be suspended in one profile and active in another. My recollection is that this applies even if each profile has a different library, although it is some time since I've committed a personal test.
I'm not sure why my suggestion make less sense that your current approach?. As I understand it currently everybody is either signed into their own account when they can do something other than work with iTunes, or they sign into the special iTunes account where they can't access any of their other stuff. You don't have to disable fast user switching. Follow exactly the same steps, but make sure everyone closes iTunes before turning the computer over to another user. Disabling fast user switching helps to enforce that action.
tt2

Similar Messages

  • ITunes setup on a NAS with multiple windows users - how?

    iTunes setup on a NAS with multiple windows users?
    I am very confused on what is the best way to handle this setup for my friends family.  Any help would be appreciated.  Sorry in advance as I know this is a long winded post - I have a feeling this will help others faced with the same issues or questions.
    CURRENT SETUP
    I have three new Windows 7 machines networked (two desktops and one laptop) that have four users on each - as busy family with children who need the computers for homework, projects, games, etc...  The goal of this setup is that any user can log onto any computer and have there documents available to them no matter computer was free to use.  I set this up using the library function in Windows 7 and seems to work pretty well.
    I have put a Buffalo Linkstation NAS on the system as well.  This was going to serve two purposes 1)  run some backup software to protect the computers and 2) consolidate the iTunes content in one place for all users.  There is also an iPad in the home that I should would be better served by accessing the content on the NAS without requiring any of the computers being on.  Dave is thinking about getting some other playback devices like Apple TV so thought a NAS would be a good way to go.
    CURRENT ITUNES SETUP - I have created a new iTunes library on the NAS by holding the SHIFT button down while starting iTunes and pointed to that folder on a Share on the NAS.  There was no music on the system at the time as we are planning to copy this over from an OLD machine that is now not being used.  I have also authorized all the computers and turned on the home sharing feature (although I am not sure what good that does).
    This “shift” button trick seesm to also point the default directory there without point to it in the advanced setup tab of iTunes.
    I then synced one of the iPods with purchased content on it and synced that to the library after asking me to do so before an update.  All the content showed up in the library and was playable - awesome.
    I then logged into each user on each machine (yikes) and installed iTunes  and used the “shift” trick to connect each users iTunes to the database on the NAS.  Everything seems to work - but I have not tested it thoroughly.
    SUMMARY
    3 new Windwos 7 networked machines
    4 identical users on each machine
    1 TB Buffalo linkstation
    iTunes setup with the folder on a SHARE
    all user’s itunes connected to the iTunes folder on the NAS
    all computers authorized with home sharing turned on.
    one iTunes user account signed in on each machine
    multiple iPods and one iPad in the system
    QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
    Is there a better way to do this on a NAS?
    Would home sharing be better in some way?
    I understand the NAS should show up under the shared section in iTunes - I assume that would mean that would mean each user has an iTunes library on their documents?
    I have read that there may be corruption issues if users on the different machines try to access iTunes at the same time.
    Will there be any issues syncing that various iPods with?
    Ugh - sorry for the long post and all the questions.  I am just trying to find the best way to do this.  I wish Apple would put out a best practices document for setups like this.  Thanks in advance.

    This is a user to user support forum. Your fellow users can offer solutions or workarounds based on their experience with the application. If you think it should work differently drop a line to iTunes Feedback.
    For reasons unknown Apple haven't chosen to allow iTunes to be suspended in one profile and active in another. My recollection is that this applies even if each profile has a different library, although it is some time since I've committed a personal test.
    I'm not sure why my suggestion make less sense that your current approach?. As I understand it currently everybody is either signed into their own account when they can do something other than work with iTunes, or they sign into the special iTunes account where they can't access any of their other stuff. You don't have to disable fast user switching. Follow exactly the same steps, but make sure everyone closes iTunes before turning the computer over to another user. Disabling fast user switching helps to enforce that action.
    tt2

  • TS4020 family with multiple apple accounts, can we create a secondary "family" account?

    family with multiple apple accounts, can we create a secondary "family" account?

    You can perfectly well create a new separwate iCloud account: for this you will need to create a new Apple ID for which you will need a non-Apple email address you haven't used elsewhere for iCloud.
    That done, everyone can sign into it in System Preferences (or Settings)>Mail, Contacts & Calendars and enable the various data types in the checklist there. This is a 'secondary account': its email, Contacts and Calendars will appear alongside those in the existing 'primary account' but you don't get 'push' email (it's checked periodically) and it cannot use PhotoStream.
    Note that if you've been using the same device to create other accounts, there is a limit of three iCloud accounts which can be created by any one device, so if that's been reached you would have to use another device: once done the first device can sign into it perfectly well.

  • Migrate itunes from pc to mac with multiple user accounts

    I've read the numerous articles on transferring one's itunes library from a windows machine to a mac and I *think* I've got the details sorted (have itunes copy everything and then organize my library, then copy whole folder to external drive). I only have one itunes account but it my full library and itunes account is used across different windows user accounts.
    My mac is setup with multiple user accounts and I'd like to have a single library and single itunes account (same apps, etc.,). I'm not quite sure how to migrate the library from windows and then set it up on the mac such that all mac user accounts are sharing the same library and itunes account. Any guidance?
    Forgot to mention, have 2 iphones and 1 ipad as well, all attached to the same apple id.

    See these support documents:
    How to share iTunes between multiple accounts on a single computer:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
    How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1495

  • How can a family with multiple existing accounts use Home Sharing?

    I'd like to use the new Home Sharing feature, but it appears to be restricted to families in which all of the family members share a single user account.
    We already have separate accounts for each family member. Is there some way for us to use Home Sharing without abandoning most of our existing accounts, along with all of the purchases made by those accounts? I don't think anyone in this situation would be willing to do that.

    Eh. I am not too sure since I have not messed with it much but I do have a great deal of experience with multiple accounts. Each computer can be authorized for multiple accounts. As can iPods. iPods can sync songs/videos/apps from multiple accounts as long as the computer is authorized with them. What I have set up here, is I buy my stuff I want, my parents buy what they want and so do my brothers. When my bro gets something I want I just move it to my computer. That way all our accounts are separate, but if there is something I want I can get it. Also, since the music no longer has DRM, it won't matter. It will play on any computer. What you should see is if you can just do the shared library with multiple accounts. Then if you don't have videos or such, you can get apps or music. Hope this helps!

  • Problem sharing iTunes with multiple Windows accounts

    My kids and I share a single computer via multiple user accounts. We also share a common iTunes account across all Windows accounts. When new songs or playlists are added, they appear in the other accounts.
    Recently, I had to create a new Windows account for my daughter. In iTunes, I went to Edit -> Preferences and changed the iTunes Media folder location to the shared folder. The problem is that none of the playlists came through, and when new songs are added, they do not show up in her account either.
    What could be causing this problem on just this account, and what is the possible fix?
    Thanks,
    Jeff

    If you create multiple user accounts on one computer but want the same music to be available in iTunes for all users, see iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer.
    The important stuff is near the bottom
    +To listen to another account's music files+
    +Open iTunes.+
    +From the iTunes menu, choose Preferences.+
    +Click Advanced.+
    +Deselect the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library file" option.+
    +Click OK.+
    +From the File menu, choose Add File to Library.+
    +Note: Windows users can also choose Add Folder to Library to add a folder of songs.+
    +Navigate in the Add File To Library window to the location where the other user's music is saved (the iTunes Music folder in the case above).+
    +Click Open.+
    +Repeat these steps for each account that is listening to shared music.+
    +When another user of the computer has imported new music from CD, *repeat steps 6 through 8* to add the music to your library.+

  • Using iTunes with multiple Windows accounts

    A friend of mine has 2 Windows accounts on his Win XP machine. He uses iTunes on each account, but has his music in a shared location. If he has music playing in iTunes on one account and then uses Fast User Switching to log into the second account, the current song continues to play but the next song and every song thereafter will be very jerky. Like trying to stream music with a slow internet connection.
    Any thoughts.

    hiya!
    hmmmm. it might well be the Windows Fast User Switching causing his problem (although he isn't getting the usual problem i see associated with Fast User Switching):
    iTunes for Windows: about Fast User Switching with Windows XP
    love, b

  • Can I have one cloud for my family with multiple devices and apple ids?

    I need to know the best way to link multiple devices with different apple ids to the same iCloud to share iTunes and content.

    My iphone 5s = apple id 1
    Husband iphone 4s = apple id 2
    My ipad = apple id 3
    Son #1 ipad mini = apple id 4
    Son #2 ipad mini = apple id 5
    For iCloud.. Not quite, you want the same ID for iCloud on your phone and iPad so you have the same info on each. (so perhaps ID 1 on both.
    But if you want to share your music (assuming lets say its your ID 1 that has the iTunes account), you should all use ID 1 for iTunes.

  • Best Migration Method for Exchange 2007 with multiple accepted domains

    We are trying to determine which method would be best for us as we migrate to O365.  Scenario as follows:
    1) Multiple accepted domains (each in their own OU in AD); example: domainA.com, domainB.com
    2) Exchange is 2007; clients will be upgrading the Outlook 2013
    3) Would like to be able to sync mailboxes starting anytime but be able to cut over a domain at a time.
    Tested so far with staged migration but it appears that with this, there is a change in the TargetAddress sending all mail to the O365.  Even changing MXs didn't redirect the message as it reaches the Exchange box and immediately goes to O365.
    We haven't tried the cutover as we're only able to test with the production box and if that somehow cutover the entire box, we'd be .. well, it wouldn't be good.  
    Anyone had any experience so that our #3 point would be doable, that would be great.  
    Thx
    George

    Hi George,
    According to your description, I understand that the issue is related to Exchange migration from Exchange 2007 to Exchange Online for Office 365. This forum focuses on some general discussion about Office 365 ProPlus which
    is the version of Office that comes with many Office 365 plans. Therefore, I suggest we can post the issue in Microsoft Exchange Online (Office 365) forum for more professional suggestions:
    http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?forum=onlineservicesexchange
    Hope you can find the solution soon.
    Regards,
    Winnie Liang
    TechNet Community Support

  • What is the best way to manage photo's with multiple login accounts?

    There are three people in my household and each has their own login into the computer. I also have and external drive.  Space is becoming short on the computer, so I want to move all my photos and music to the external drive.  I have moved all the music files and folders to the external drive and then each user has just updated their individual iTunes folders, pointing to the external drive.
    However, what is the best way to manage photo's? Do I do this same process or is there another way? I don't want any music or photo files on the computer's hard drive at all if it can be avoided.

    I am presuming that we cannot share downloaded apps and music between accounts because of the copyright issue,
    Though I'm no copyright lawyer, as long as it's within a household, you can share content among users. Such sharing is, absent specific language preventing it not present in the iTunes Store terms of use, generally considered to be "personal use". So you can share apps and music amongst your users on your computer and with their devices. You just can't give any of that content to friends or relatives who don't live with you.
    What I am not clear on, it making sure that this appears in each itunes account - is it easy to find the file storage folders that match the itunes accounts and what would these be?
    The iTunes library and files are by default in a user's Home/Music folder. But you don't have to find the folder; in fact putting a file into the folder yourself won't add the file to iTunes. Just drag the file into the iTunes window. iTunes will copy it to the correct location.
    Regards.

  • Report for payment runs with multiple bank accounts

    Hi everyone,
    I'm looking for a report that displays the results of a payment run(or payment runs) & throws in some payables and cash information as well.  The report should include the following information:
    Supplier | Source document ID | Invoice ID | External Reference ID | Payment Run ID | Payment ID | 'Supplier Bank Account' that the payment was paid to | Payment Status (or potentially invoice status) | Payment Method
    I've tried combining several data sources but can't seem to find the correct sources to join in order to get all these fields...Any help would be appreciated.
    thanks,
    -Ben

    When you enter bank details in master, update field "Partner bank type" LFBK-BVTYP with free form value, may be currency is good choice.
    During invoice entry, this field is available for update, update which bank to be used for payment of this invoice. You may build logic to populate this field, like substitution to populate currency in this field during invoice posting.
    During payment, system checks value in field Partner bank type in invoice and selects corresponding bank.
    Hope this helps.

  • Sharing iTunes on a single computer with multiple users

    Greetings,
    I have been troubleshooting a problem sharing iTunes on a single computer with multiple users that cropped up a few weeks ago and have not had very good luck.
    Several months ago I successfully set up my wife’s G4 Laptop (PowerPC processor) so that we could share iTunes on that computer. I had just gotten her an “My Book” external hard drive (Western Digital). The iTunes Library will go on this new unit because the internal drive was running out of room. I successfully set the privileges, moved the entire library onto a “Share” directory and everything worked fine.
    In this way, when I got a new CD I could add it to iTunes (under my login, administrator privileges) and she could access it (under her login) to listen to while working on the computer or using her iPod. This arrangement went well for quite awhile.
    About a month and a half ago, when I tried to launch iTunes from my login I received this message:
    “The iTunes Library file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have write permission for this file.”
    I think the permissions must have changed when there was an update because my wife is pretty careful about what she does on her computer. Updates were the only thing I could think of that had changed since I had set her computer up. I also noticed that some of the iTunes defaults were different from the last time I had used it to add a CD.
    So, I did some reading and went back through the motions of trying to set it up again. I re-formatted the My Book hard drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) added the files back to the external, reset permissions on the external hard drive. (Owners: System, Access: read and write - Group: wheel, Access: read and write – Others: read and write).
    When I now launch iTunes under my login I get this message:
    “The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items.”
    What gives? I am the original owner and have always had top-level privileges.
    Can someone point me to any articles or clues as to how I need to set-up iTunes on a single computer to be shared by more than one user? Also, I am considering upgrading to the newer system in a few weeks, so if a solution for OS X 10.5 is available, that would work too.
    Tim

    Was your wife logged into the libray at the time you tried to log in? I have had a similar problem and it was because another user was logged into the library when I attempted to. I got the permission denied banner.

  • New Mac User: iTunes Auth with multiple user accounts

    With a Mac with multiple user accounts, does EACH user account need to have iTunes authorized, or is iTunes authorized for an entire mac machine?

    So then I assume that iTunes will know then if each of the computer's user accounts has a different iTunes account?
    When you authorize an iTunes account on your computer, the authorization info is stored in \Users\Shared\. When you run iTunes, it looks there to see if it can play purchases. The purchase account info is embedded into each purchased file.

  • ITunes music for different family members

    Hello
    I have just purchased my first Mac, a standard 27" iMac (seems strange to call this wonderful - so far - Mac 'standard'!), I have transferred my iTunes music from my Sony Viao Laptop. This music, with one exception, is from my own CD's, with only one album purchased through iTunes so far.
    There are also quite a few Apps for the iPhone, and the synced address book and calander.
    Now what I want to do, if it it possible, is to have my iTunes music files on an external HD, and that the three iTune accounts that I want to have, one for each member of the family with their own account on the iMac, can see all the music files, and can each create their own Playlists and sync their iPhone/iPod.
    Is this possible? Seems silly to have to have three complete copies of the music file.
    Probably this has been gone over umpteen times already.
    Thanks
    Adam

    The ideal would be to have different Apple IDs for each member. This will allow them to set up their accounts as they like and be able to use iCloud without worrying about the possibility that other members can see their personal data. However, if you want to purchase an app for all the members, you will have to purchase it for each account

  • Im having problems with my Kids facetime accounts that seem to be because they are both using my itunes and there are conflicts with multiple email addresses? Is it possible to now set the kids up with their own accounts without losing their apps etc

    Hi All,
    I have my kids using iTunes via thier ipods etc through my own account and this hase been the case for some time?
    This has started to cause issues lately with imessaging and facetime, as there seems to be a limit on email addresses that can be associated with one account?
    I wonder if I would be best off setting the kids up with their own accounts, but want to be able to do this without them losing their existing apps, music etc?
    Is this possible, if so is there a simple process cos I can seem to find anything relating to this?
    many thanks, Jim

    Not going to happen the way you want it to.
    When you add a gift card balance to the Apple ID, it's available for the Apple ID.
    Probably best to create unique Apple ID's for each... this will also make things easier in the future as purchases are eternally tied to the Apple ID they were purchased with.

Maybe you are looking for