Multiple Users, one computer, share music?

Hello! We have several users on one computer, and 1 external hard drive connected. The internal drive isn't very big, the computer is pretty old. There are a lot of audio files on the external that all the users would like to have in their respective iTunes library (and on their iPods). Can this be done? and how? Is this even a Home Sharing problem? If not, I'm sorry.
Thank you!
Joanna

On a Mac, you should be able to stream music from one user account to another via Home Sharing. (That way, you can just maintain one set of content files in one user account on the Mac.)
Try Chris's instructions from the following post:
iTunes Home Sharing now works between users on same computer

Similar Messages

  • Multiple Users One Computer sharing photo's

    Hi,
    I have two user's on my computer, both with different log on's etc. How can another user look at my photo's that are currently in iPhoto with out having to move folders around.
    Can this also be done with iTunes so that we can share music without having to make duplicates?
    Thanks.

    Hi Fancy,
    The first group of links will tell you how another user can view your iPhoto Library.
    SHARING IPHOTO LIBRARIES
    Sharing libraries between users on the same local network
    You can also share a library on the same machine between users the same way.
    Sharing libraries between users on the same machine...
    -both users must have sharing enabled in their iPhoto Preferences
    -both users must be logged in and have iPhoto running
    -Remember that you can only view the other library. You can't edit the photos or play the saved slideshows or view the made books or burn them to CD or DVD. The books and slideshows will show up as an album. You can play that album as an "on the fly" slideshow. You can drag images from the sharing library to your library in the source column to import them to your library. You can then edit, add to albums, books, slideshow, etc.
    Sharing links from Apple....
    Sharing your photos between computers
    About shared photos
    Turning off photo sharing
    Looking for shared photos
    SHARING ONE IPHOTO LIBRARY BETWEEN USERS ON SAME MACHINE
    You can try one of these three methods:
    1- Use iPhoto Library Manager-the paid version
    The documentation page will give instructions on how it is done.
    2- Sharing one iPhoto library between several users on one machine
    3- Share an iPhoto Library in tiger Using ACL's
    4- I have also read about ShareAlike
    There is no other info on the site about how it works.
    I strongly urge anyone wanting to try any of the methods for sharing one iPhoto Library folder among more than one user to backup all iPhoto Library folders before attemptin anything.

  • Multiple users-one computer

    We have 2 people with iPhones trying to sync iTunes on the same computer. How do we set up separate accounts so only my calendar, contacts, songs, etc. will sync to my phone and the same for the other family member

    Hey t.bates,
    To create another account in Windows just goto Start> Control Panel> User Accounts> Create a new account.
    This article will show you how to share the music between the user accounts:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93195
    Jason

  • Multiple Users One Computer Sync

    Running Windows XP Professional is it possible to configure OracleSync to use a different user id and password for different handheld devices? I want to allow multiple people to use the same computer to sync.

    Bonjour,
    Unfortunately it is not possible to synchronize multiple PDA to the same desktop.
    Thank you for your understanding in this matter,
    Manon Delisle

  • IWeb won't publish my daughter's sites (multiple users; one computer)

    Our daughters have their own computer, so I created two user accounts (one for each). They also each have their own MobileMe account (under a family plan).
    Each has created a site in iWeb. However, I can't get iWeb to upload either site. Each time I click publish, it says "sign in to Mobile Me" and the system preferences window pops up. It seems to log in to the account, automatically. iWeb has a window open saying "Logging in" When I click to return to iWeb, that "logging in" window disappears and nothing else happens. Nothing is uploaded.
    Even if I try again, it says "log in" again. I don't understand why they aren't logged in automatically, all the time, under their username and why iWeb won't upload anything.

    Jim:
    Try the following. Even though it's for a different problem, mail in this case, it has helped others with your problem;
    Source: http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/mobileme/index.html#d30jul2008
    Page Title: MobileMe
    Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:06:25 AM
    Jim Oase
    After waiting a day for the rolling restore to happen, I called AppleCare because Apple had sent an email saying my service was back, and it wasn't. I still could send and not receive using Mail.
    *Here is what fixed it*. Go to MobileMe (terrible name) in System Preferences, log out. Then enter a garbage name and password and try to log in. This apparently clears the MobileMe preferences. Then enter your real UserName and PassWord. For me this was lights on.
    I am left wondering how long ago I could have had email had I known this preference reset scheme.
    OT

  • HT202213 Can multiple Apple ID's share one computer and music?

    My husband and I want to share music but have 2 separate apple ID's. Is there any way for us to share music?

    The easiest way is for each user to have their own iTunes library in their own Windows user account on that computer.
    To create a new user account:  Start > Control Panel > Add or remove user accounts.  (That is the Windows 7 version; it may look slightly different in another version of Windows.

  • Multiple user accounts, multiple Ipods, One computer, One Itunes library

    Here's my problem, I have my main music library on my Mac Mini (Intel 1.5 solo) its too big to fit on the hard drive with everything else, so I added a Mini pal drive. This has my music, photos and all the other junk I cant fit on the mini's hard drive. I want to create multiple accounts so my kids can each have their own, but we all have Ipods that we want connected to our own accounts. I want to keep all the music in one library, and share it accross all the accounts. I dont want to have to log on when my kids want a song from my library. Itunes dosent seam to like the library being on the seperate drive. Mabe I am just dooing something wrong.
    Ps: I'm running Itunes 7.3 on all my machines

    Apple really doesn't quite do multi-user well yet, at least as far as the iPod goes (IMHO.)
    We've taken your approach. 3 users with iTunes for each pointing to a single library on an external storage device. That way there's no problem with having to go to other libraries to import (and not question about 'copying files'... big waste of space.)
    Our problem is having multiple iPods plugged into the same machine. I'm about to buy one of the new models for wife and daughter, but I'm not sure how we all can be plugged in (as I'm sure will happen.)
    Right now, when I plug in just my own Nano, it appears in iTunes for each of the other users. In fact I sometimes can't even eject because iTunes for another user thinks the iPod its attached to it.
    To expand this thread, anyone have pointers on use of multiple iPods on the same machine with multiple users? The existing links to Apple support articles are not relevant.

  • Two users, one computer, can we share?

    Hello and thanks for any help. We got a new computer for Christmas that has two user "accounts" on it. My husband loaded iTunes into "his" side with no problem. I have iTunes, but can't get any of the music to show up on it, even though the computer shows that the files are being shared between the two users. I can add music to it with no issue, but can't access what was already in the library. It seems silly to load all the music in twice, but I will if I have no other option. Any ideas? Thanks.

    1 Quit iTunes.
    2 Drag your entire iTunes folder from /My Documents/My Music/ to a Shared directory.
    3 Log out.
    1 Log in on your other account(s).
    2 Start iTunes and immediately press an hold the Shift key.
    3 iTunes will ask to Create new library or Choose existing library. Select Choose existing library.
    4 Select the iTunes library file in the iTunes folder in /Users/Shared.
    5 Now go to File -> Add Folder to library and select the iTunes music folder located in /My Documents/My Music/iTunes.
    6 - iTunes will add all the music in from this account to the main iTunes music folder/library.
    7 Delete the iTunes folder in /My Documents/My Music/.
    8 Restart iTunes normally (don't hold Shift). Everything should be there.
    9 Quit iTunes and log out of the account.
    10 Do the above steps for all users. Don't do the first 1-3 steps. Start at the second series.
    Log into your account, start iTunes normally and all music should be there.
    Whenever any of you do anything in iTunes, it will be seen by all since you are using one and the same iTunes library file.
    Create a "main" playlist for each user with their own music. Create a smart playlist and set it to Playlist is not the playlist you created above. Select this and it will show you everything NOT in your playlist. Do the same for the others. This will help when adding only the music you want your own playlist.
    Note that iTunes can only be opened by one user at a time.

  • Multiple iPods - One computer - How do I separate libraries?

    I have an Ipod and my Two sons have thier own Ipods. When I hook up I get all of their songs on my ipod.
    How do I set up Separate Ipod accounts and have my Ipod go to mine only and not theirs?

    When the iPods belong to different people, there are basically three ways of using multiple iPods on a computer and these involve:
    a) Sharing a single iTunes library
    b) Creating Multiple Libraries in a single user account
    c) Creating multiple user accounts.
    Note: When you are sharing an iTunes library, you don't have to set each iPod to update in the same manner, you can mix and match from the options below as each iPod has it's own update settings
    Sharing a Library and/or User Account
    If you want to share the one library, you can set either or all of the iPods so that they only get updated with only certain playlists (you can update from more than one if you wish): Loading songs onto iPod automatically - Windows
    Choosing the update option "Sync Music - Selected playlists" allows you to create a playlist specifically for the iPod and drag the tracks you want into it. If you tire of the list and want to change it, you just add or remove the songs you don't want. The ones you take out out remain in the library to be used some other time if you choose. You can read more about playlists at these links:
    iTunes: Creating playlists of your favorite songs
    How to create a Smart Playlist with iTunes
    Or you can choose to update any or all of the iPods manually and just drag whatever content you want to them: Managing content manually on iPod
    Loading the iPod shuffle differs slightly but it can still be used with the others, for details have a look at this page: Loading songs onto iPod shuffle - Windows
    Multiple Libraries
    It's also possible to have multiple libraries in a single account. To create or access a second (or more) library, hold down the Option key (or Shift key in Windows) when launching iTunes 7. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to the other Library.
    Note: You can only have one Library open at a time and iTunes will default to the last library opened if you don't use the keyboard command to choose one. This can prove tricky when using multiple iPods, if you don't use the keyboard command you can risk syncing to the wrong library: Using multiple iTunes libraries -Windows
    Separate User Accounts
    Another option is to create a separate User account for each person on your PC or Mac. Different accounts by definition would give you completely separate libraries. Each account has it's own iTunes folder, Library and iTunes Music folder and you load it with CDs etc just as you did with your original one. The iPod can be set to update however the owner chooses, sync all, manual or sync specific playlists
    I don't use Windows so I can't give you a step by step on that one, however I can point you to another web page which should help you out. You can read about Windows user accounts here: Using Windows XP User Accounts

  • Multiple users one pc

    we have set up 2 users on our pc. we each want to maintain our own library, but want to share music between the 2 ipod libraries. got that done, no problem so far.
    however, when 1 user makes changes to the info on an existing song in their library that is already being shared, the other user gets an exclamation point that the song is no longer found in his library, and must go find the song again in the itunes music file.
    is it possible without going to each individual song for the changes made in one library to automatically update in the other library or must you go find each song to get rid of the error message on an individual basis?
    please help! lots of songs to fix.
    thanks.
    pc Windows XP

    Have a look at this article: "How to use multiple iPods with one computer" http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300432
    You may want to set your smaller iPod to manual update that way you can drag whatever songs or playlists you choose to it: "Managing Your Songs Manually" http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/tutorial/ipgettingstartedt3.html
    For info:
    The iPod offers three ways to transfer music from your computer. You can select one of the following update modes from the iPod Preferences menu in iTunes (Edit=>Preferences=>'iPod' tab):
    1) Automatically update all songs and playlists. This is the default mode, in which your entire music library, including playlists, is automatically synced to your iPod. If the music library on your computer exceeds the iPod storage capacity, you are prompted to select a different update method.
    2) Automatically update selected playlists only. With this option, iTunes automatically copies the playlists you have selected to the iPod when you connect it to the computer.
    3) Manually manage songs and playlists. You can also choose to transfer music to the iPod manually. This allows you to drag and drop individual songs and playlists from iTunes to the iPod.

  • Multiple users on computer

    This question is somewhat answered on other forum posts, but it begs to be asked again. If enough people ask, maybe the bean counters will start to understand how regular customers buy and use books. Then those same features will be available on eBooks.
    Just installed ADE on one computer, under one user account. (System: Windows XP PRO sp3). Did this as both my wife and myself are getting eBook readers for Christmas. (Augen "TheBook" units)
    First issue / question why not have multiple user ID's supported on single device through the ADE interface directly?
    Can I actually have multiple activated ID's on XP via separate user log-ins? (Again, ADE should be one program instance with multi-users IDs to the one instance, not separate Windows accounts. It should also have a share/loan function and frankly an ownership transfer function.)
    The eReader device itself does not appear to support multiple user logins. So, I guess that means the reader is lock to a single Adobe ID?
    When will the above changes occur if ever?
    (I am also posing this question to Augen's tech support.)
    My soapbox comments to feed up to the publishing world's bean counters that are forcing DRM and fixing prices.
    Real world buying habits. Single book bought by myself or wife may be read by both of us. (Gee! Isn't that a surprise! We don't buy 2 copies.) And maybe occasionally loaned to a friend, passed on to a friend, donated to charity or sold at a garage sale. More likely sitting on a shelf after one or 2 reads.
    Real world current MSRP/list price on a new eBook: As much as or maybe slightly less than the same printed Hardbound book. More than same printed paperback book.(Viewed recent Mary Higgins Clark book as example: 75% of Amazon hardcover price and 163% of not yet released paperback price.)
    Real world cost of delivering eBook vs printed book: About one-tenth the cost of a printed book. And that is with all the extra manpower wasted on DRM programing and servers.It would be a twentieth without the DRM costs.
    Printing, warehousing and transporting books is not cheap. I am in the printing business. I know this.
    An eBook cuts out all the labor and material of printing, all the costs of physical warehouse and transport, and wasted un-sold product or remaindered product. Unsold returns from retailer back to distributor or manufacturer very by catagory and title. But range from 10-50%. That all is gone with an eBook.
    So, every level from publishing to retail is more profitable with the ebook model.
    Real world use of an Ebook with DRM ePub. Restricted to single user on apparently 6 computers and 6 portable devices. Effect is that at best I can buy a book and others in my household may read it on one of the registered devices as well. I have paid as much or more than a trade paperback. Publisher has received a higher profit by far and so has seller. Author has not received a higher percentage or royalty most likely.
    I can not sell it as used, I can not donate it to charity or library. This, even though I have paid full retail and that is effectively ten plus times as much over traditional printed book production and distribution costs. Distributor actually may have higher costs as they must maintain records access for an extended time, which with court cases will in the future probably mean 20 plus years. But, that cost should be well offset by no warehousing or brick & mortar store costs.
    Of coarse I can still read the full printed library of Mark Twain books that my grandmother purchased for my father and uncle in the 1920's today. And those books will last another 100 years with moderate care. So I am paying ten times more than cost, and book may last 20 years (with luck and no business failure)  INSTEAD OF 200.
    Long story short, I am willing to purchase an ePub even with reasonable DRM protections and at a price at or lower than trade paperback, even at 75% of hard bound one new releases on occasion. But, at the much higher profit potential of a single purchased book to publisher and retailer, one should be able to use and share it the same as a printed book.
    As it is, I can not even directly buy an eBook on most sites as a gift. Don't publishers know that books a often bought as gifts?
    Publishers: If your eBook sales are not at the level you would expect, maybe, just maybe the points above may have something to do with why consumers are not buying into eBooks as you would hope.
    I guess that ends my rant for now.

    This might not be the right way but since I was having similar issues today, this something that worked.
    I placed the domain.site file on my time capsule and the Imac which I created the pages with remembered the site.
    On my mac mini I can access the site it if I open the domain.site file directly using the finder and it will then open iweb on my mac mini. If I open iweb directly, it seems to remember previous iweb sites that I created but not the current one.
    Hope this helps.
    If anyone else has another way please let us know.

  • Multiple Users, One Library

    I have made myself a new user on our emac, with access to ITunes. I am taking our computer to another site and don't want anyone messing with it while I am not around. My logical thinking told me that when we have one ITunes on our harddrive that it would share it's information with all users on the machine. When I logged in and opened up ITunes the library had nothing in its list. Can I share the library with my husband (which is our normal login)? Or do I have to start all over again?

    iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer tells you two methods.
    If you want one central library, use the second method.
    Hope this helps.
    M
    17' iMac 800 MHz, 768 MB RAM, 200 GB HD, DL burner   Mac OS X (10.4.7)   iTunes 7.0

  • Two users, one computer, sharing library

    My wife and I share one computer. I have the lion's share of music in my library and she wants to be able to download some of my songs  onto her iPhone. What is best method?

    Terence Delvin,
    What's your motivation? You reference my previous statement about it being a big problem.
    Yet that post has, interestingly, been deleted. But you still know about it. I can only assume that you work for Apple and you deleted it.
    To then suggest that it is my personal problem is rather counter-productive. It is no longer my personal problem b/c I no longer and will never use iTunes 7.0.
    My motivation? I am trying to warn other people so that they don't have to go through the same hassle. I'm hoping that Apple will own up to the problem and fix it.
    If you intend to continue to deny the problem, then don't bother posting anymore. If you have some inside information on why it happens, after you read the referenced blog (which was erased along with my previous post but which I will re-list), then by all means - post that here, and there as well.
    http://www.twistermc.com/blog/2006/09/12/itunes-7-erased-my-ipod
    There are far too many experience users there who had it erase their ipod without warning for you to write it off as OE (operator error).
    Regarding your semantics question -
    If a plane SOMETIMES crashes, that's a HUGE problem for the people affected. (I'm using this as metaphor and mean no comparision between the two events)
    If iTunes SOMETIMES erases the ipod, that's a HUGE problem for the people who have it happen to them.

  • Multiple iPods, One Computer - Question

    I currently have a Classic 160GB and I'm looking into getting a Nano or iTouch soon. I have the ability to use more than one computer or more than one account to sync them both that way, but I was wondering about a different method not mentioned in this [article|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300432].
    If my Classic 160GB is set to sync automatically when it is hooked up, syncing all checked items, as it does now; And then I set a new iTouch to let me manage it manually, can't I use the same library file and not worry about iTunes making multiple copies of things when it 'manages my music folders'?
    It seems to me this would be an ideal solution if possible, because managing 8-32GB of space which will most likely be mostly videos, is not a hard thing. If I can have one iPod "manually managed" and one "automatically managed" by the same iTunes on the same computer, please let me know!
    And if so, Apple should add that as a fourth method in that article.

    iTunes will recognize each iPod as unique. You can manage each one differently, as you wish.
    I would suggest you consider "Sync selected playlists" for your Touch. I find that you get all the benefits of syncing (playcounts, ratings and last played get synced) with most of the control for manually managing your music. It can be as simple as setting up a smart playlist that limits the amount of music to a size the Touch can handle to more complex, multiple playlists set ups. I have a playlist that selects 1000 songs, a few special playlists and then playlists of recently purchased albums (no, Chris, I don't make a playlist for every album). I also have a playlist for video. I find this is much less work than manually managing. But, to each their own.
    Best of luck and enjoy your Touch.

  • Message: When opening itunes it says Multiple users on computer log out

    I recently bought an ipod and while transferring my cd's I noticed the tab that usually says my ipod has disappeared.I'm getting an error message that's telling me to log out since there are multiple users on the computer. I only have one account and do not know what to do without losing all my songs. Please help.

    Welcome to discussions! Pac 80 is correct, this sounds like fast user switching is enabled in XP. Fast user & iTunes do not get along, so take a look at the following link.
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93395

Maybe you are looking for