How to rip CDs into iTunes from several machines, simultaneously

I have about 300 CDs that I'm re-ripping into my library for two reasons (1) I had a hard drive failure that corrupted / lost some of the files and (2) I'm shifting from MP3 to Apple Lossless format.
Setup: MacMini is linked to entertainment center for iTunes playback but I ahve 2 other Macbooks on network. iTunes library is on an external hardrive connected to mini via firewire --accessible to macbooks via network.
Issue 1: Can I load the iTunes library from the external hard drive on each of the three machines, then have each of the three re-rip CDs simultaneously to overwrite the old files? After the CDs have been re-ripped, I'd just tell iTunes on the MacMini rebuild the library so that it knew the actual file types for the CDs imported by the macbooks.
Issue 2: I want to overwrite existing songs (1) to avoid duplicate files and (2) I've misplaced / stored a couple hundred other CD's, so I can't just erase the old library, rip from three machines, then import into the mini b/c that would be a large loss of CDs.
My plan would as follows, but I'm not certain if it will work or if it's the best way:
1. Erase the iTunes library (not the files) on all three machines for a clean start.
2. On Each machine, Preferences -> Advanced -> General: Set the iTunes music folder to the external drive where the current music files are located. Also set each computer to "Keep Music Folder Organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music Folder..."
3. on Each machine, select File -> Add to Libary: to add all of the current music files.
4. Start simultaneously shoving my CDs into the three machines and re-importing using lossless / telling it to overwrite existing files when prompted.
5. When done re-importing the CDs, erase the macbook libraries (I don't listen to music on them), tell the mac mini to erase it's library, then re-add all the newly ripped files and the preexisting/not-overwritten files to the library to rebuild it, so that the mini becomes aware of the files that were added / rewritten by the other two machines.
While none of the three machines would be ripping the same CD or trying to overwrite the same music files at the same time, my concern is that all three machines would run into problems if trying to update / write to the same iTunes non-music file, for example the iTunes Libarary Database file of the iTunes Library.xml file on the external drive.
Comments? Suggestions? Experiences?
Thanks,
mjc

I have about 300 CDs that I'm re-ripping into my library for two reasons (1) I had a hard drive failure that corrupted / lost some of the files and (2) I'm shifting from MP3 to Apple Lossless format.
Setup: MacMini is linked to entertainment center for iTunes playback but I ahve 2 other Macbooks on network. iTunes library is on an external hardrive connected to mini via firewire --accessible to macbooks via network.
Issue 1: Can I load the iTunes library from the external hard drive on each of the three machines, then have each of the three re-rip CDs simultaneously to overwrite the old files? After the CDs have been re-ripped, I'd just tell iTunes on the MacMini rebuild the library so that it knew the actual file types for the CDs imported by the macbooks.
Well, yeah, this wold work, in 1/3 the time. If you have changed ANYTHING about a song title, album title or artist, iTunes will not see it as a duplicate.
Issue 2: I want to overwrite existing songs (1) to avoid duplicate files and (2) I've misplaced / stored a couple hundred other CD's, so I can't just erase the old library, rip from three machines, then import into the mini b/c that would be a large loss of CDs.
So, some of the MP3's won't be AAC's in the end?
My plan would as follows, but I'm not certain if it will work or if it's the best way:
1. Erase the iTunes library (not the files) on all three machines for a clean start.
Right Click/Duplicate first, just in case. OR (better method) hold the Option key while opening iTunes and choose create new library.
2. On Each machine, Preferences -> Advanced -> General: Set the iTunes music folder to the external drive where the current music files are located. Also set each computer to "Keep Music Folder Organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music Folder..."
3. on Each machine, select File -> Add to Libary: to add all of the current music files.
4. Start simultaneously shoving my CDs into the three machines and re-importing using lossless / telling it to overwrite existing files when prompted.
If you have changed ANYTHING about a song title, album title or artist, iTunes will not see it as a duplicate.
5. When done re-importing the CDs, erase the macbook libraries (I don't listen to music on them), tell the mac mini to erase it's library, then re-add all the newly ripped files and the preexisting/not-overwritten files to the library to rebuild it, so that the mini becomes aware of the files that were added / rewritten by the other two machines.
On the three machines, hold the Option Key while opening iTunes and choose the original library, then delete the new library file you created for this adventure. Then do the same to create a new library on the MacMini. If you have created playlists, first export each playlist as a .xml file and import it when finished.
While none of the three machines would be ripping the same CD or trying to overwrite the same music files at the same time, my concern is that all three machines would run into problems if trying to update / write to the same iTunes non-music file, for example the iTunes Libarary Database file of the iTunes Library.xml file on the external drive.
They will each be creating their own unique library database, missing what the other two machines are adding to the iTunes Music Folder. They will not be re-writing the .xml file on the external hard drive. Each computer will have it's own .xml file on it's hard drive.
Tracy

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Okay, I need some of your expert advice.
Some years ago, when we got our first iPod Classic (which wasn't classic back then, haha), I spent an ENTIRE weekend swapping out and ripping CD's, one every 10 minutes or so. FOR HOURS!!
Well, do to then-space limitations, we ended up parsing some of those songs and deleting them.
I would like to undergo a repeat project, over the course of a few weeks of course, of re-ripping ALL of my CDs to ensure that ALL of our music is in iTunes.
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What if they are different versions such as a live version, or an extended version?
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If not, once I've re-ripped my 2 or 300 CDs, is there a simple way to delete the dupicates out of iTunes?
Check [Dougscripts|http://dougscripts.com/itunes/scripts/scriptcount.php?sortBy=Name& op=y] for tools on doing this. Some are free but I think there is a specific shareware application (Dupin) for doing this.
What if they are different versions of the same song - exactly but from different sources (different CDs, like Artist X, then Artist X Greatest Hits, or Artist X as part of a soundtrack compilation).
The simple rule is if a track has the exact same artist and exact same title, iTunes will call it a duplicate in "show duplicates" If you delete one of them then the album from which you deleted the track will be incomplete. A track cannot be shared between albums.
What if they are different versions such as a live version, or an extended version?
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Chris
<Email Edited by Host>

chrisfromgoodworth clatford wrote:
How can I import music into iTunes from another media.
I have a library downloaded from a Sony Ericsson W715 into "Media Go" and I want to transfer to iTunes and then into my iPhone 4.
Is this possible ?
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Hi There, This is my first time here...
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Hello Tangela,
Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your purchase of the Anthony Hamilton CD and will be happy to assist you with the music transfer.
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Please let us know if we can assist you further.
Thank you,
Rob
SunnComm Tech Support
CLIENT: [email protected]
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To answer your Question in short, yes apple is the hold up. A more detailed answer follows.
THe steps they tell you to do are basic steps for removing protection or "DRM" usually. Most record companys today go all out to protect there copyright songs by putting DRM "Digital Rights Management" or protection on them. Almost all the world (Last I looked it was roughly 95%) of the world uses a PC with Microsoft on it. Since Microsoft installs windows media player on all windows, the record companys have found it most easy to have there songs copied with the program in the "Protected WMA" file format.
Apple and Microsoft are from 2 different worlds and have went against eachother pretty much the whole 20 something years modern computers have been around. Since Microsoft made and owns the WMA format, any company that makes products that will play this format have to pay what they call a "Royalty fee".. Apple isn't about to pay micorsoft for anything like that, as they themselfs are pushing there own royalty fee based format of AAC. Apple does offer in iTUnes to convert UNprotected WMAs.
The steps they gave you to do (as they didn't mention to you cuz they don't want you to know) is steps for actually "Taking off" or "Removing" the protection off the song. the industry has yet to figure out how to keep protection on digital songs when its being burned to a CD. So when its burned to the CD and the protection is off, now iTUnes has full access to the music

How to rip CDs into iTunes from several machines, simultaneously

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