ITunes Library Shell Games

Hi, I have an iTunes library situation. It seems I have multiple i Tunes libraries in different locations. I recently had a Lacie server that crapped the bed so I want to keep the library local and have everything in one place. It seems the different libraries have different files in them, can I consolidate them into one, and then point iTunes there? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

As part of a mammoth rebuilding due to iTunes failures I have discovered several thousand songs "duplicated" in the same folder-- no idea why-- and am having to go through and "move out but not discard" all but one copy of the songs. The problem is that iTunes seems to think two songs with the same title are the same song, in spite of a different artist, year, time to play, et cetera.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the way iTunes was just throwing folders around, willy-nilly, and some other iTunes issues that keep cropping up.

Similar Messages

  • I just bought a new ipod and I'm trying to download my itunes library and games but itunes is not recognizing my new ipod. I have followed all the instructions from apple asistant except deleting and reinstalling itunes.  What can I do.

    I bought a  new Ipod (5th generation).  I am trying to sync it to my itunes.  I tunes does not recognize my new ipod. It is registered.  I was only able to download purchases I made from my old ipod.  I cannot download my itunes library or any of the games I have purchased. I tried using the troubleshooting guide to no avail.  The only thing I did not do was to uninstall and reinstall itunes.  I did update it to the latest version. How can I get  itunes to recognize my new ipod?

    - You do have iTunes version 11 on the computer, right. Saying the latest is not sufficient.
    - Have you tried everthing here:
    iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows
    - You should
    Removing and Reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows XP
    Your library/media will not be affected.
    - Does the iPod charge?

  • Can I move an iTunes library from Comp1 to Comp2 through Home Sharing?  What happens with the first sync?  What happens to 3rd party app data (specifically, game scores/levels)?

    I need to move an iTunes library from Computer 1 to Computer 2.  Can I do this through Home Sharing, by dragging and dropping library items from one to the other?  The library consists of iTunes purchases, home shared items and music/movies from our personal collection.  Both computers have had all the accounts authorized, so I don't anticipate an issue there.  I'd like to do this so that my son's ipod is impacted as little as possible -- specifically, his game scores/levels and other 3rd party data remain intact after the 1st sync and the organization of his icons remain intact.
    Is there a way to do this smoothly and easily, protecting his ipod data/organization?

    Sorry, I obviously wasn't clear. If you replicate the library from Computer 1 to Computer 2 by copying it, then all will be well. I routinely sync my iPhone and iPad both at home and at work using a single library that I migrate between the two locations via an external drive which is kept up do date using SyncToy.
    Backup the iPod touch on Computer 1.
    Copy the entire iTunes folder from Computer 1 to Computer 2, replacing any existing iTunes folder on Computer 2.
    Check that content is accessible in the migrated library. (Won't be a problem for a standard iTunes library where all the content is inside the iTunes Media folder which in turn is inside your iTunes folder).
    Connect iPod touch to Computer 2.
    Sync.
    In the unlikely event that something goes wrong (it won't) then you can connect the device back to Computer 1 to restore it.
    Note device backups are not stored within the iTunes library and stay on the machine on which they were created. It is theorectically possible to migrate them but there isn't really any point. Once you have synced the iPod with the copy of the library on Computer 2 then Computer 2 will make its own backup of the device.
    tt2

  • I want to sync my iPod Touch 4th Generation with the iTunes on my new laptop. However, when I try, it says, "Do you want to erase this iPod and sync with this iTunes library?" Does this mean even my games, photos and iMessages will be erased?

    "An iPod can be synced with only one iTunes library at a time. Erasing and syncing replaces the contents of this iPod with the contents of this iTunes library."
    I used to use my desktop computer for all my iPod and iTunes needs, but it's Windows XP so I no longer use it. I now have a Windows 8.1 laptop which I want to use for my iPod. Photos can be backed up but I have a lot of game progress and iMessages that I don't want to lose.

    You will lose your app data unless you backup to the new computer and then restore from backup will all the app in the iTunes library of the new computer.
    iKnowiPod wrote:
    Try this:
    1. Sync to your Windows XP desktop so you do not lose anything.
    2. Turn on Sharing.
    3. Import your iTunes data from the Windows XP to your Windows 8.1 through Sharing.
    4. Connect iPod to Windows 8.1 laptop, erase and re-sync.
    5. You lose nothing.
    6. Shazzam.

  • Hi, I`d like to connect my Ipad wirelessly to a stereo to listen to my music from the iTunes library on streaming, but also to movies online, games, Goear-) and so on.  I guess I can do that using an Airport express connected to the stereo and via airplay

    Hi, I`d like to connect my Ipad wirelessly to a stereo to listen to my music from the iTunes library on streaming, but also to movies online, games, Goear…) and so on.  I guess I can do that using an Airport express connected to the stereo and via airplay to my Ipad. My question is, can I listen to all the audio that come out from the ipad (movies online, games, Goear…) or only to the music from iTunes library? I`d appreciate any help. Alex.

    My question is, can I listen to all the audio that come out from the ipad (movies online, games, Goear…) or only to the music from iTunes library?
    On the iPad you can stream videos, photos, or music from the Video, Photos, Music, and YouTube apps to an Apple TV OR just stream music to an AirPort Express Base Station.

  • Invalid "iPod Games Library" creates damaged iTunes library

    About once every other week when I fire up iTunes, I get this message:
    The file "iPod Games Library" does not appear to be a valid iTunes library file. iTunes has created a new iTunes library and renamed this file to "iTunes Library (Damaged)".
    All my media files are still on my hard drive, but I have to start from scratch with my library and all of my playlists. And with 160GB of files and dozens of playlists to rebuild, it's no small task.
    Is there a way to resurrect my old library once it has been declared "damaged." Or is there some other means of recovering all of those playlists I spend so many hours putting together?
    MacBook Pro 15"   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    I have encountered the same issue and can't find a stable solution (other than storing 2 - 3 copies of the library file before shutting down).
    I have added a new hard drive, imported 27K songs multiple times, exported libraries and still no luck.
    I would certainly appreciate any other suggestions to help resolve this.
    Thanks

  • Why won't a purchased game on iPod Touch get synced over to iTune library?

    Just purchased as a direct download to the iPod Touch the X-Plane 9 game for $9.99. I was under the assumption that the next time the Touch is synced to my main computer via iTunes that the app would be copied over as a safety backup? Is this not the case? Or might I be doing something wrong? And if it did get copied over to my iTunes library on my main computer, where might I find it?
    Thanks, John

    Dear John,
    I have a couple questions for you.
    Do you still have the game on your iPod? I would assume that it is also not listed in iTunes. If this is the case, go to the app store on your computer and re-download that app. You will not be charged for the download if you already purchased it. If you still have questions - call 1800MYAPPLE.

  • I have 1 itunes library with an iphone and ipod linked to it.  My daughter bought a ipod touch.  Can we download music from my library into her library.  We want to keep them separate due to I do not want all her games in my phone

    I have 1 itunes library with a phone and ipod linked to it.  My daughter just got a touch.  She would like to have some of my music downloaded into her touch.  How can I do that without having her linked to my library?

    Sync all the devices to the same computer.
    If you do not want her apps, then simply do not select them to sync to your device.
    Each device will only sync what you select to sync.
    lllass gave you a great link for several options.

  • ITunes library is locked or on a locked disk windows 7

    Hi all,
    I recently downloaded some software called Jamcast which allows you to view iTunes / Spotify files on your Xbox360.
    Since then my iTunes has been having problems.
    I have a large number of mp3s on here 110Gb so it's causing me a bit of annoyance.
    I'm getting the error iTunes library is locked or on a locked disk...
    If I hold down shift I can get into iTunes and do the scan for media which brings back all my music but it loses the smart playlists and then when I come out of iTunes and go back into it brings back the same error message again.
    My computer only has two accounts Mark administrator and Guest so I doubt it is a permissions error.
    Also I seem to have far too many folders in my iTunes folder in my Windows 7 library.
    I have
    iTunes
    subfolders
    iTunes Media
    Previous iTunes Libraries
    Mobile Applications
    iTunes Music
    iTunes Plug-ins
    iPod Games
    Album Artworks
    iTunes1
    subfolders
    iTunes Media
    Album Artwork
    and
    Playlists
    Recorded Radio
    License Backup
    iPod
    and my iTunes library fles I have
    iTunes Library.itl
    iTunes Music Library.xml
    itunesPrefs (2).xml
    iTunesPrefs.xml
    sentinel (2)
    iTunes Library.xml
    iTunes LibraryBackup.itl
    iTunes Library Extras (2).itdb
    iTunes Library Genius (2).itdb
    iTunes Library (3).itl
    iTunes Library (2).xml
    iTunes LIbrary (2) Extras.itdb
    iTunes Library (2) Genius.itdb
    iTunes Library (2).itl
    iTunes Library Extras.itdb
    itunes Library Genius.itdb
    sentinel
    A lot of the itl and itdb files seem to have a sort of locked icon on them.
    Please could you let me know what the xml files and itl files do in iTunes thanks.

    Copy the following (bold text) into a new document in Notepad (Don't use Word or Wordpad - they add formatting and it won't work)
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
    @="Take Ownership"
    "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
    @="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
    "IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
    @="Take Ownership"
    "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
    @="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
    "IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
    Save it under "All file types" as "ownit.reg". Save it to your desktop.
    Double Click it and click OK when prompted. You will now be able to take ownership of ANY file on your sytem with just a right click.

  • Multiple users sharing one itunes library

    i have multiple users on my mac, but i'd like us all to be able to access the same itunes library. when i go to itunes prefs on one of the other users accounts and redirect their music library to my folder, it says it is doing it, but itunes still goes to their own music folder instead of mine. i can share my library with the sharing pref, but while they can now listen to my music, they still can't use it in imovie. is there any easy way around this problem??
    thanks for your help.

    I wrote a simple shell script that executes each time a user logs in (well, actually, each time I log in, coz' it's not really applicable to other users). It syncs my work and home addressbooks and iCal calendars to one another.
    I named it "sync". Then I read somewhere that if you wanted to make it double-clickable (to launch it from the Finder), I appended a ".command" filename extension (so it's now named "sync.command"). I also did a chmod 755 to that file so that it had execute privileges. Depending on whether you give each user their own copy of this thing, or keep a single copy in, say, the /Users/Shared directory, you may have to play around with chmod. Whatever, just so long as the user that has just logged in has execute permissions to the file, and to the entire path to the file, you should be good.
    Then, in SysPrefs > Accounts > Login Items, I added that "sync.command" file to the list. So, really the only difference is I'm not wrapping mine inside an Automator script like you are.
    I had tried adding it to ~/Library/LaunchAgents and make a launchd plist for it, that would kick it off at login. But I didn't get that to work. Don't know why. But just adding the double-clickable executable unix script to the Login Items list did the trick. Whether the plist has to hang out there with it, I don't know. I still have it there, though, in case I ever get motivated to figure out what's wrong with my launchd plist file. So, if just adding it to the Login Items list doesn't do it for you, you could try making a (functional?) launchd plist for it and plopping them both in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, too. That's how I am now, and, like I said, it launches at user login as that user's process (not as a root process like the above referenced article said how login hooks worked -- although, you may want it to run as root since you want this to work with multiple users...in which case, you might want to listen to Cole and not me...).

  • Please help - how do I import music from my ipod into a new itunes library?

    Hello
    I would very much appreciate it if someone could tell me how to get the music from my old ipod mini into the new itunes library on my new laptop.
    The mini was previously sync'd with my old PC which died so my files are only present on the ipod. Upon loading itunes, the software is only letting my sync the ipod providing I wipe it (obviously not desirable...)
    Thanks for any support, Andy

    Connect your iPod to your computer. When you get the message that it is linked to a different library and asking if you want to link to this one and replace all your songs etc, press "Cancel". Pressing "Erase and Sync" as you already know will irretrievably remove all the songs from your iPod. Your iPod should appear in the iTunes source list from where you can change the update setting to manual and use your iPod without the risk of accidentally erasing it. Also when using most of the utilities listed below your iPod needs to be enabled for disc use, changing to manual update will do this by default. Check the "manually manage music and videos" box in Summary then press the Apply button: Managing content manually on iPod
    Once you are safely connected there are a few things you can do to restore your iTunes from the iPod. If you have any iTunes Music Store purchases the transfer of purchased content from the iPod to authorised computers was introduced with iTunes 7. You'll find details in this article: Copying iTunes Store purchases from your iPod to a computer
    The transfer of content from other sources such as songs imported from CD is designed by default to be one way from iTunes to iPod. However there are a number of third party utilities that you can use to retrieve the music files and playlists from your iPod. You'll find that they have varying degrees of functionality and some will transfer movies, videos, photos, podcasts and games as well. Have a look at the web pages and documentation, this is just a small selection of what's available, they are generally quite straightforward. You can read reviews of some of them here: Wired News - Rescue Your Stranded Tunes
    TuneJack Windows Only
    iPod2PC Windows Only
    iGadget Windows Only
    iDump Windows Only
    SharePod Windows Only
    iRepo Mac and Windows
    iPodRip Mac & Windows
    YamiPod Mac and Windows
    Music Rescue Mac & Windows
    iPodCopy Mac and Windows
    There is also a manual method of accessing the iPod's hard drive and copying songs back to iTunes on Windows or a Mac. The procedure is a bit involved and won't recover playlists but if you're interested it's available at this link: Two-way Street: Moving Music Off the iPod
    Whichever of these retrieval methods you choose, keep your iPod in manual mode until you have reloaded your iTunes and you are happy with your playlists etc then it will be safe to return it auto-sync. I would also advise that you get yourself an external hard drive and back your stuff up, relying on an iPod as your sole backup is not a good idea and external drives are comparatively inexpensive these days, you can get loads of storage for a reasonable outlay.

  • My itunes library and ipod playlist disappeared?

    i'm not sure what happened, but i intentionally deleted a bunch of mp3 files from my library (about 75% of my music folder) after uploading them to my 30 gig new generation Ipod. I believe that after this action, my Itunes library disappeared - including my Ipod playlist (the playlist i defaulted my Ipod to sync with). Now, whenever i open up Itunes, there's no music in my library or anything. I still have my 10 gigs of music on my Ipod that i had uploaded prior to this, however, i want to add more songs onto my Ipod. The problem and question here is, i'm afraid that when i sync my Ipod with a new playlist, will all of the songs on my Ipod be erased?
    i had the idea of downloading IpodRip to retrieve the songs from my Ipod to my computer, then just starting from scratch and adding all the songs at one time, however, IpodRip would only open with errors and not retrieve my songs.
    i hope someone understands this situation - i have a difficult time explaining it in type without sounding confusing. i'm not very feature-savvy with Itunes or my Ipod.

    You can use a keyboard command to prevent your iPod auto-syncing with iTunes. While connecting the iPod to the computer on Windows with iTunes 7 installed hold down the Control and Alt keys (or Shift + Ctrl keys in older versions). This will stop the iPod from auto-syncing with iTunes and the iPod will appear in the source list. Wait until you are sure the iPod has mounted, and that it will not auto sync and then you can let the keys go. This may take between 20 to 30 seconds depending on your computer: iTunes 7 Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows
    Your iPod should appear in the iTunes source list from where you can change the update setting to manual and use your iPod without the risk of accidentally erasing it. Also when using most of the utilities listed below your iPod needs to be enabled for disc use, changing to manual update will do this by default. Check the "manually manage music and videos" box in Summary then press the Apply button: Managing content manually on iPod
    Once you are safely connected there are a few things you can do to restore your iTunes from the iPod. If you have any iTMS purchases the transfer of purchased content from the iPod to authorised computers was introduced with iTunes 7. A paragraph on it has been added to this article: Transfer iTunes Store purchases using iPod
    The transfer of non iTMS content such as songs imported from CD is designed by default to be one way from iTunes to iPod. However there is a manual method of accessing the iPod's hard drive and copying songs back to iTunes on Windows. The procedure is a bit involved also it was written long before iTunes 7 so it requires a little adaptation as the iPod preferences are no longer in the location described. Also it won't transfer playlists or videos as far as I know. However if you're interested it's posted in this thread: MacMuse - iPod to iTunes
    If you prefer something more automated then there are a number of third party utilities that you can use to retrieve the music files and playlists from your iPod. You'll find that they have varying degrees of functionality and some will transfer movies, videos, photos, podcasts and games as well. Have a look at the web pages and documentation, this is just a small selection of what's available, they are generally quite straightforward. You can also read reviews of some of them here: Wired News - Rescue Your Stranded Tunes
    TuneJack Windows Only
    iPod2PC Windows Only
    iGadget Windows Only
    iDump Windows Only
    YamiPod Mac and Windows Versions
    Music Rescue Mac & Windows
    iPodCopy Mac and Windows Versions
    Whichever of these retrieval methods you choose, keep your iPod in manual mode until you have reloaded your iTunes and you are happy with your playlists etc then it will be safe to return it auto-sync. I would also advise that you get yourself an external hard drive and back your stuff up in case you have problems again. Relying on an iPod as your sole backup is not a good idea and external drives are comparatively inexpensive these days you can get loads of storage for a reasonable outlay.

  • HOW TO MOVE YOUR ITUNES LIBRARY TO AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

    Read these directions before actually doing anything, just so you can do this right. I've messed things up before, it can get ugly...
    That being said, here's what you've gotta do if you're running on a Mac:
    Have all your music on the external hard drive. It should be organized in folders the way iTunes set it up
    The folders should be organized something like this:iTunes Media (Top folder, everything is inside of this folder)
    Audiobooks
    Automatically Add To iTunes
    Books
    Downloads
    iPod Games
    iTunes U
    Mobile Applications
    Music
    Podcasts
    Ringtones
    TV Shows
    Voice Memos
    Those folders are what I have in my 'iTunes Media' folder on my external hard drive. You don't necessarily need to have all of these folders. (I happen to just have a lot of things in my iTunes.)
    Finding your iTunes Library Files
    The way iTunes works is there are two parts to make what you see in iTunes work right. There's your media (songs, video, iPod games and Apps, etc) and there are your library files. They tell iTunes what your playlists are, where your 'iTunes Media' folder is located, and a lot of other important things. Here is how to find the iTunes Library files (there will probably be more than one!)
    Look in (yourusername)/Music/iTunes
    There will be a few things in here:
    Album Artwork (It's a folder)
    iTunes Library Extras.itdb
    iTunes Library Genius.itdb
    Itunes Library.itl
    iTunes Media (a folder)
    iTunes Music Library Backup.xml (this file might or might not be here. If there is no file with this name, it's okay.)
    iTunes Music Library.xml
    Some "temp" files (maybe, maybe not -- they are not important for this)
    Anything in the list that is BOLDED needs to be placed in (yourusername)/Music/iTunesIf you copied these files to your external hard drive, you will need to copy them back onto your internal hard drive. These library files do not need to be in the same place as your iTunes Media folder.
    Telling iTunes Where Your Music Is
    Now that your iTunes Media folder is on your external drive, and your Library Files are in place in "(yourusername)/Music/iTunes", we need to open iTunes.
    On the top bar of the screen, go to iTunes>Preferences.
    In preferences, go to the farthest right tab, titled "Advanced" with a picture of a gear.
    The top section says "iTunes Media Folder location" and underneath that you see a filepath ending in the 'iTunes Media" folder.
    This path is probably wrong, not leading you through the external hard drive.
    If it is incorrect:
    Click "change" on the right and then locate the folder in the prompt that shows up. Once the "iTunes Media" folder on your external hard drive is highlighted blue, click "Open" in the bottom right corner of the window.
    Give iTunes a moment or two (depending on the size of your library) to re-locate all of your songs. Voila!
    If it is correct:Do nothing!
    While you're in the advanced section, let's check to make sure you have a few important 'housekeeping' things checked off:
    "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" (CHECK THIS BOX!)
    "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" (CHECK THIS BOX!)
    At this point, iTunes should be all ready to go. Before I get into any troubleshooting, note a few things:
    If you ever unplug/disconnect the external hard drive from the computer, you must first make sure that iTunes is NOT running.
    Also, if the hard drive is unplugged and you open up iTunes, all of your songs will have little symbols next to them. Until you plug/reconnect the hard drive, the songs will stay like this and will be missing.
    TROUBLESHOOTING:
    Not having permission to access the external hard drive:
    In Finder (or on your desktop), right-click the external hard drive (if you don't have right-click, control-click will also work).
    Click on "Get Info"
    A thin, tall window will appear on the screen.
    Part One:In the "General" section, make sure that "Locked" is unchecked. If it IS checked, uncheck it.
    Part Two:
    We are now focusing on the very bottom of the window, where it says "Sharing & Permissions"/
    In the bottom right corner of the window there is a small padlock icon. Click it. When asked for an administrator password, type it in, and click "Ok".
    You will now notice that the bottom section of the 'get info' window is not greyed out anymore. Make sure your user name (it says in parentheses "(Me)" so there is no going wrong here) has "Read & Write" privileges.If not, click on whichever privilege you currently have, and a drop-down menu will appear. Click on "Read & Write".
    If you have any other issues, I will add them to the troubleshooting list to help you out. Hope this was helpful!

    My iTunes library is set up the way I said in the top post and works totally fine.
    Yes, and that is the default structure to which I was referring.  iTunes will organize it that way automatically unless people do start changing settings (in which case they should know what they are doing and how iTunes works with library files and media structure.)
    Both ways work, the advantages of mine would be that should iTunes try looking fo a library, it will always be in the default location.
    It makes people think they have to change media location in preferences.  They do not unless they want to relocate media only and leave other things on their internal drive (in which case there is no point in copying library files to the external, and you certainly wouldn't want to then delete them from your internal).
    Downside is that then should someone move their iTunes library to anther computer they need to remember to get those library files on the external hard drive.
    Just copy the whole iTunes folder and it will get the library files to the other drive in one step, along with all the other files.
    Your post has good stuff but it makes a move appear intimidating and look like people have to do a lot of organizing to move the collection.  It also throws in  extra steps (namely altering preference settings) that could cause confusion or even make a mess of things.  If people leave iTunes to default preference settings (which most people do) the move summarizes into a short line:  Copy a folder and hold an extra button the next time you start iTunes.
    Note that the instructions in the link I provided earlier do also include many steps, but those are to ensure that everybody does have it all organized correctly before simply copying the iTunes folder.  In the end it is just a simple action.

  • Is it possible for two apple IDs to share an iTunes library?

    Me and my brother each have our own apple IDs. Is there anyway we can share an iTunes library for all the media available including apps and not be able to see each others emails and keep our own progress in games? The devices we use are iPhone 5 and iPad mini.

    o I installed from our 10 server license pack.
    Note that it's actually a 10 client license, not a 10 server license. As Templeton said, for each system on which you want to install the ARD administration application, you need to purchase a separate copy of ARD.
    How do I get different serial numbers on each machine from the same license pack?
    You don't. If you want to have the administrator application installed on two systems, you will need to purchase a second 10-client copy of ARD.
    Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

  • How can I transfer songs from Ipod to Itunes library?

    I recently lost my entire Itunes library but still had songs on my Ipod. Now when I try to rebuild my library by transferring songs FROM my Ipod TO the Itunes library, I am unable to. There are a million help subjects of how to transfer your songs from the library to the ipod but none about how to transfer them back and I can't figure it out. Please help!

    Connect your iPod to your computer. If it is set to update automatically you'll get a message that it is linked to a different library and asking if you want to link to this one and replace all your songs etc, press "Cancel". Pressing "Erase and Sync" will irretrievably remove all the songs from your iPod. When your iPod appears in the iTunes source list change the update setting to manual, that will let you use our iPod without the risk of accidentally erasing it. Check the "manually manage music and videos" box in Summary then press the Apply button. Also when using most of the utilities listed below your iPod needs to be enabled for disc use, changing to manual update will do this by default: Managing content manually on iPod
    Once you are safely connected there are a few things you can do to restore your iTunes from the iPod. The transfer of content sources such as songs imported from CD is designed by default to be one way from iTunes to iPod. However there are a number of third party utilities that you can use to retrieve the music files and playlists from your iPod. You'll find that they have varying degrees of functionality and some will transfer movies, videos, photos, podcasts and games as well. Have a look at the web pages and documentation, this is just a small selection of what's available, they are generally quite straightforward. You can read reviews and comparisons of some of them here:
    Wired News - Rescue Your Stranded Tunes
    Comparison of iPod managers
    TuneJack Windows Only (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
    iPod2PC Windows Only
    iDump Windows Only
    SharePod Windows Only
    iPodRip Mac & Windows
    YamiPod Mac and Windows
    Music Rescue Mac & Windows
    iPodCopy Mac and Windows
    iGadget Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
    iRepo Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
    iPod Access Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
    If you have any iTunes Music Store purchases the transfer of purchased content from the iPod to authorised computers was introduced with iTunes 7. You'll find details in this article: Copying iTunes Store purchases from your iPod or iPhone to a computer
    There's also a manual method of copying songs from your iPod to a Mac or PC. The procedure is a bit involved and won't recover playlists but if you're interested it's available on page 2 at this link: Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer - The Definitive Guide
    Whichever of these retrieval methods you choose, keep your iPod in manual mode until you have reloaded your iTunes and you are happy with your playlists etc then it will be safe to return it auto-sync. I would also advise that you get yourself an external hard drive and back your stuff up, relying on an iPod as your sole backup is not a good idea and external drives are comparatively inexpensive these days, you can get loads of storage for a reasonable outlay.

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