I downloaded iTunes to a new computer and authorized that computer but my music is grayed out and will not play, how do I get access to my music?

Question

I installed iTunes to a new computer and authorized that computer but my music is grayed out.  How do I get access to my music?

Answer 1

Is there a way to change that?
You can easily set up the iPod to automatically sync to your current iTunes library (or just do a Restore), but that will replace the iPod's existing content with content from your current iTunes library (erasing the iPod).  If your old computer was "retired" gracefully and you were able to transfer its complete iTunes user data to your new computer, there is no problem because all of the songs on the iPod now are already in your current iTunes library.  However, if there are songs on the iPod that are not in your current iTunes library, those songs will be lost.  That may be a problem...
If you want to preserve what is on the iPod, you can try setting the iPod to Manually manage music and videos.  I believe you can do that from an iTunes library that is not the iPod's currently associated library.  Select the iPod in iTunes, so that you see its Summary settings screen.  Check the box for Manually manage music and videos.  (If iTunes puts up any warning about erasing or replacing the iPod's existing content, Revert the change and cancel out.)  Click Apply.  The iPod is no longer set to automatically sync.  But you can add new content manually to what is already on the iPod.  And the songs should not be grayed out. 
However, you cannot use iTunes to transfer songs on the iPod to your current iTunes library (except for songs purchased from the iTunes Store).  If there are songs on the iPod that are not in your computer's iTunes library, you should eventually "offload" those song files because your iPod can easily break, become corrupted, or get lost.  iTunes syncs content in one direction only (from computer to iPod), but there are third-party methods and utilities that can transfer from iPod to computer.  If you do an Internet search on something like iPod "transfer," you should get some links, including a CNET article on the topic.
Once all of your songs are "consolidated" in your current iTunes library, you can set up the iPod for automatic syncing to that library.