Syncing iPad without erasing

My old computer died recently, and I now have to sync my iPad to a new computer. I've backed up my iPad to both the my new computer without syncing it and transferred all purchases. I've transferred all the data that is currently on the ipad into iTunes. I also backed it up to the cloud just in case. What I'm uncertain about is precisely what information gets backed up. My main concern has to do with my books in iBooks and the Kindle app. I have thousands of books in iBooks and I've spent hours organizing them into folders. I would rather beat my knees with a hammer than do it all over again. If I erase and sync to my computer and then restore from backup, will all my settings and folders be restored to what they were before the erase? The only thing I really care about is NOT LOSING THE FOLDERS. I have thousands of books and if I lose those folders I will be very unhappy.

Read this article that talks about maintaining app structure and folders when you restore from a backup.
http://www.macworld.com/article/1159917/ios_restore_folders.html
This article will tell you what is backed up in iTunes and there is a link at the end that you can click on to read about what is backed up with iCloud.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946
Put the hammer away and start reading.

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Load a development app into an iPad without erasing the ipad

Hi
I have a personal license.
I noticed that when i want to load an application into a new ipad, i have to connect it to MY ITUNES,
and that will erase all the existing applications on that ipad.
This is really troublesome if i want to load an application onto a customer's ipad, for example.
Anyone know what should I do instead?
Thanks,

hi colin thanks for your help.
i m a pc user...
After some trial and errors i finally managed to distribute my apps onto multiple ipads without erasing them using adhoc certificate.
This is really cool!
I have summarized my steps in this post here:
http://terrencetee.tumblr.com/post/2906455817/flash-cs5-iphone-packager-how-to-deploy-adho c
Hope it helps someone in future.

HT5085 I have purchases (music )that is on ipad and plays but is not in ibary on pc as I changed hard drives - how can i get them back to libary to play on pc and sync ipad without losing them ?

I have purchased music that is on ipad and plays but is not in libary on pc as i cleared hard drive to portable backup ?how can i get back ? and sync ipad without losing it al ?

SADLY not as i downloaded an upgrad to my original PAGES/
i have in the meantim had to open www.icloud. then from there import the file that i am working on and then check on ipad if it uploaded/ yes it did.
but what a waste of time as it doesn not save any changes done automatically back in the cloud....
i am now downloading the new LION and hope that it will fix the problem
i cant find any other way. I was lead to believe that you wrote, it saved automatically, on to the cloud, you then opened anohter device in anotother country even, and the new file was there, waiting, in its latest version.......
and the same magic was supposed to happen in reverse.
It doesn't/
if i have to open a browser, go to www.icloud....why on earth did they not just leave us an icon to drop it in in that case?
I hope the new lion will help resolve the isssue/
any other ideas> keep em coming...thank you so much.

How to apply music from itunes to my iPad without erase existing app

How to apply music from itunes on my pc to my iPad without erase existing app

Thanks a lot Ralph9430!
I did manage to solve problem of music transfer iPad mini-PC, however I didn't succeed in approaching iTunes Store and there is nothing in the manual about it.
When I open application I have iTunes U interface and cannot move anywhere but close app. I did try to re -enter pass and ID in iTunes Store app settings but nothing changed.
Does anyone have any idea what to do in order to have approach to ITunes Store.
Tnx!

Can I sync only a book from a newly downloaded itunes to my ipad without erasing all the other music etc since it's synced to another computer?

I'm traveling and in an area that does not have wifi. However I do have LAN access. So I put a new copy of itunes on my laptop and downloaded a book I want to put on my ipad. How do I get the book from this new itunes to my ipad? Can I sync just the book without erasing everything else since I'm synced to my main computer which I do not have any access to?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi again. Chris is talking about an Adhoc network. Make sure your PC wifi is enabled, then clck start and browse to control Panel. Open your Network Connections folder (name may be different depending on windows version).
You need to create a new wireless network called an Adhoc network. Note on most windows setups, it will not accept a WPA2 type password (bug I think). Try one first and if it fails, try with the WEP password. Take note of the prompt on type of input for the password and remember certain multi digit and numerals used consecutively will be rejected by the ipad.
When the wizard finishes. Close Network folder and click on your network icon in the system tray on your task bar. Click Connect to a network - then select your new Adhoc network and click connect. It will then start to advertise itself.
Go to your ipad Settings\Wifi and tap on Other. Enter your Network name in the top, then tap on tab belwo and set the password strength - WPA2 WEP etc. Go back a page and enter your password then Click Join. If the password is accepted it will join. If not go back to Network Settings and delete the previous Adhoc network (Dont try and reuse it) Create another one with a different name and try a different password srength.
If it does not work with a WEP - it could be a required Service is not running on your PC
Go to your Start button, and in the search area that appears type in Services - then hit enter. he Search explorer window should open with Services shortcutin Administrative Tools folder showing. Double Click it.
The following Services should be as follows
Workstation - Automatic, running
WLAN Autoconfig - Automatic, running
Telephony - Manual, started
TCPIP Netbios Helper - Automatic, started
SSDP Discovery (required to advertise your network presence) Manual, started
Server - Automatic Delayed Start, started
Security Centre - Automatic Delayed Start, started
Secure Sockets Tunnelling Protocol Service - Manual, started
Remote Access Connection Manager - Manual, started
ditto Auto connection Manager - Manual - stopped (runs when required)
Network List Service - Automatic, started
Network Connections - Manual, started
Function Discovery Resource Publication (required for some local sharing by some windows programs even when not connected to a work network - Automatic, started
Function Discovery Provider Host - Manual, Started
Extensible Authentication Protocol - Manual. started
DNS Client - Automatic, started
Base Filtering Engine - Automatic, started
Background Intelligent Transfer Service - Automatic delayed start, started
Application Experience - Automatic, started
Whilst at it, check Apple Application Management, Bonjour, and ipod services are all automatic and started when checking your services settings.
A full listing of default services can be found At Black Viper - use the NormalDefault settings for your system.
N.B. You may need to be in Admin user account if you need to alter the property sheets of any of these services - particularly the Apple three.
Also note that some sytems do require the UPnP Device Host to be Automatic, started; to accept third party vendor equipment connections. I have a vaio and when I have set mine to manual, I have had some problems in the past.
If you have Antivirus and/or windows firewall or a third party firewall enabled, when the connection goes live you will be asked to define its type. Choose Local or Trusted.
Lastly, when you disconnect from your Adhoc network, it can sometimes stop the associated service (found only in the registry) - you may need to log off and back on again to reconnect.
hope this helps, best regards, Ct
P.S

Can you wipe a mac and still sync iPad without wiping

I plan on making a copy of the iTunes folder in the music folder, wiping the mac's hard drive, reinstall Mountain Lion, and copy the iTunes Library folder back. WIll i still be able to sync my iPad without wiping it? Has anyone tried this before?

I want an iPhone 3GS wrote:
even if i copy the itunes folder? . and i want to improve performance
If you are going to restore the OS and all data from your Time Machine backup then the iOS device will not see the Mac as a new machine. But if you do an erase and install of the OS then restore just the data, the iOS device will see the computer as a new one.
I agree with Allan that the "nuclear option" is not always the best option, but since you have Time Machine backups you should be fine. Just do one last backup before you do anything. Be sure and set up the user credentials for the new OS the same as you have now to make restoring your data easier.

Syncing/updating without erasing.

I have 512 songs on my ipod. My current computer has only 148 of those songs on it. The original computer that i had 512 songs on no longer works. Therefore i cannot sync or update my ipod on my computer without erasing all 512 songs? what do i do?

- Transfer iTunes purchases to the computer by:
iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iOS device or iPod to a computer
- Transfer other music by using a third-party program like one of those discussed here:
Copy music
- The connect the iPod to the computer and make a backup by righ clicking on the iPod under Devices in iTunes and select Back Up
- Restore the iPod from that backup. The restore will also update the iPod to the latest iOS
Note that the iPod backup that iTunes makes does not include synced media like apps and music.

Sync music without erasing old music

1-How do I sync new music to my i-pod without erasing the music that I have already put on there? I want to get rid of some music in my i-tunes library and not have to worry about it getting deleted the next time I sync music.
2-How do I create backup disks of my music?
Thanks!

1. You probably want to use either manually managing songs or only sync checked songs. To do this, go to the music section of the iPod and change "Automatically sync songs to iPod" (which I'm guessing is what it's currently set to) to manual, or select "only sync checked songs". If you choose manual update, you will have to drag the desired songs to the iPod. If you select sync checked songs, just go through your library and uncheck songs you don't want on your iPod. Syncing new songs won't erase the old ones.
2. If you want physical backup discs, such as CDs or DVDs, in iTunes go to File>Burn Backup Discs. If you want to backup to an external hard drive just copy the files to the drive.
Tom

How to sync apps on other iPad without erasing the existing app data?

Hi,
I need to sync two different iPad, first gen iPad & iPad 2, on one iTunes.
The iPad 2 has been used for few months, and the apps/games data are said to be wiped out if I sync the iPad 2 with the same iTunes for the first gen iPad.
The iPad 2 has never been synced to iTunes before, and I'm planning to transfer all of the purchases made with it to the iTunes for the first gen iPad.
Is there any way to keep the apps/games data before syncing it with iTunes and restore it back?
Thanks!

Diesel, thanks for your reply.
The iPad 2 was synced to a different iTunes for the activation process, now I'm syncing it to my iTunes in my laptop.
I've solved the problem myself, sort of, when I updated the iPad 2 with iOS 5. The iTunes backed it up first, after the iOS 5 is installed, the iTunes said it has restored the iPad 2. Although when I looked at the iPad 2, all of the apps were gone. I synced the apps in iTunes with iPad 2, and it turns out all of the game's/apps's data was also restored back. Amazing.
Thumbs up to Apple, especially the iOS team.
But I wonder, what if I didn't update it into iOS 5, instead I sync the apps just like that, will the game's/app's data be restored too..

HT5163 Is there any way to permanently delete and restore email messages from my IPad without erasing everything?

I am not familiar with IPad usage but wondered if there is a way to remove all my emails without removing everything else, ie: photos, songs..? Does a restore erase everything? Thanks!

I cannot delete an email address that was also an Apple ID for awhile. It keeps coming up as an "email return to" address on compose in gmail.
As a result, I removed all mention of it in my keychain and cancelled it in Google. I called Apple support and for awhile was able to use time
machine to restore it, then lost all my addresses again. My iPad mini has addresses on it but I'm concerned that if it syncs with my Macbook Air
the iPad addresses will disappear also. How can I prevent an unwanted sync?

How do I sync music without erasing all data?

Hi everyone,
This is actually two questions in one. So appreciate all your time, I also apologise if this should be posted in iPhone and not iTunes.
Most important question is this:
How do I sync the music in my iTunes onto my iPhone without first erasing everything? I remember back in the day there used to be a 'manually manage' option, but this doesn't seem to exist anymore. I tried following the instructions found here in order to put what's on my phone onto my iTunes first:
Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device
However I hit a snag when it comes to the step of 'Back up your device' - I can't seem to find how to back it up in order to restore it, literally the only option iTunes gives me when I plug it in is to 'Set up as a new device' - which I don't want to do because I assume it will wipe my entire phone. I can't right click on the device (or even normal click, really, nothing happens).
My second question is, is there a way to restore the layout of itunes so it just lists my songs? Displaying them via album or artist is incredibly impractical as it doesn't auto-size each row, so I'm stuck with maybe five or six songs per screen instead of the usual 50odd that I can view without having to scroll.
Thanks in advance everyone!
iPhone 5S, iOS 8.1 // 13" Macbook Pro, OSX (Beta) 10.10 // iTunes 12.0.1

Never mind everyone,
Finally worked both out by accident.

HT1212 how could i restore my ipad without erasing any of the data?

i have forgotten my passcode, unfortunately, and the ipad has been disabled permanently. i have many pics in it, which are great memories. pls lemme know of ways to save my pics, music and all important content.I NEED ALL THE CONTENT PRESENT IN IT. back up does not save the data i wish to see again. pls help me out with this.

You can't.
If You Are Locked Out Or Have Forgotten Your Passcode
iTunes 10 for Mac- Update and restore software on iPod, iPhone, or iPad
iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Wrong passcode results in red disabled screen
iOS- Understanding passcodes
A Complete Guide to Recover Your iDevice if You Forget Your Passcode
If you cannot remember the passcode, you will need to restore your device using the computer with which you last synced it. This allows you to reset your passcode and resync the data from the device (or restore from a backup). If you restore on a different computer that was never synced with the device, you will be able to unlock the device for use and remove the passcode, but your data will not be present. Refer to Updating and restoring iPhone, iPad and iPod touch software.
Try restoring the iOS device if backing up and erasing all content and settings doesn't resolve the issue. Using iTunes to restore iOS devices is part of standard isolation troubleshooting. Restoring your device will delete all data and content, including songs, videos, contacts, photos, and calendar information, and will restore all settings to their factory condition.
Before restoring your iOS device, Apple recommends that you either sync with iTunes to transfer any purchases you have made, or back up new data (data acquired after your last sync). If you have movie rentals on the device, see iTunes Store movie rental usage rights in the United States before restoring.
Follow these steps to restore your device:
     1. Verify that you are using the latest version of iTunes before attempting to update.
     2. Connect your device to your computer.
     3. Select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when it appears in iTunes under Devices.
     4. Select the Summary tab.
     5. Select the Restore option.
     6. When prompted to back up your settings before restoring, select the Back Up
         option (see in the image below). If you have just backed up the device, it is not
         necessary to create another.
     7. Select the Restore option when iTunes prompts you (as long as you've backed up,
         you should not have to worry about restoring your iOS device).
     8. When the restore process has completed, the device restarts and displays the Apple
         logo while starting up:
           After a restore, the iOS device displays the "Connect to iTunes" screen. For updating
          to iOS 5 or later, follow the steps in the iOS Setup Assistant. For earlier versions of
          iOS, keep your device connected until the "Connect to iTunes" screen goes away or
          you see "iPhone is activated."
     9. The final step is to restore your device from a previous backup.
If you can not restore your device then you will need to go to recovery mode.
Placing your device into recovery mode:
Follow these steps to place your iOS device into recovery mode. If your iOS device is already in recovery mode, you can proceed immediately to step 6.
     1. Disconnect the USB cable from the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, but leave the other end
         of the cable connected to your computer's USB port.
     2. Turn off the device: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the
         red slider appears, then slide the slider. Wait for the device to turn off.
          If you cannot turn off the device using the slider, press and hold the Sleep/Wake
          and Home buttons at the same time. When the device turns off, release the Sleep/Wake
          and Home buttons.
     3. While pressing and holding the Home button, reconnect the USB cable to the device.
         The device should turn on. Note: If you see the screen pictured below, let the device
         charge for at least ten minutes to ensure that the battery has some charge, and then
         start with step 2 again.
     4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen.
         When this screen appears you can release the Home button.
     5. If necessary, open iTunes. You should see the following "recovery mode" alert:
     6. Use iTunes to restore the device.
If you don't see the "Connect to iTunes" screen, try these steps again. If you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen but the device does not appear in iTunes, see this article and its related links.
Additional Information:
Note: When using recovery mode, you can only restore the device. All user content on the device will be erased, but if you had previously synced with iTunes on this computer, you can restore from a previous backup. See this article for more information.

Syncing iPad without losing purchased content already on the iPad

Rookie question probably, but I've been downloading content in different forms on my iPad for months and I finally want to sync the device with the iTunes on my MacBook Air. When I try to do this, I get a message warning me that any content on my iPad will be deleted as a result of the sync. That's when I hit "cancel". I've had iPhones for years, been syncing them and purchasing content either on the iPhone or the laptop, and this has never been an issue. I don't remember doing anything special with respect to iTunes settings in the case of my iPhone, so what do I do for the iPad? I've backed it up to the iCloud, but I can't say I understand whether iCloud backups are connected to iTunes syncing.

You need to transfer the purchase that you have been making on the iPad into iTunes before you sync. Turn off auto sync first.
iTunes>Preferences>Devices, check the box at the bottom that will prevent the iPad from auto syncing. Click OK. Quit iTunes.
Connect the iPad to the computer and launch iTunes. Right click on the iPad name on the left side under the devices heading - then select - Transfer Purchases. That will put all of the stuff that you have been downloading for months into iTunes. Right click on the iPad name again - select Backup. (More about his at the end.)
Now go into each tab in iTunes, Info, Apps, Music, Photos, Movies - whatever you want to sync. Select all of the content that you want on the iPad. Make sure that all of the headings are checked - Sync Apps, Sync Music, etc. After you have finished making your selections, click on Apply in the lower right corner of iTunes.
You can turn auto sync on again when you are done if that is how you want to sync.
iCloud backups are separate from iTunes backups. You can use both or either. You can make the choice to backup in iTunes in the Info Pane of iTunes when the iPad is connected to the MBA and with iTunes running and the iPad selected. I wanted you to have a backup in iTunes if you are going to sync with iTunes.

Transfer PDF's and books to iPad without erasing other files

I've seen a couple of posts about this issue but I haven't been able to resolve this problem. If I try to sync PDF's or books from my iMac iTunes to my iPad I get this warning -Are you sure you want to sync books? All existing songs, movies and TV shows on the iPad “Marc Barnett’s iPad” will be removed. iTunes File Transfer doesn't seem to find these files that I have on iTunes. Any other ideas? Thanks.

Have you tried emailing the PDF as an attachment?

How can i sync my ipod to my new computer without erasing itunes 11

Hi,
I formatted my computer, I then installed iTunes 11. I then found out that I can't manually sync music to it as I did in the beggining.
Question is how can I sync it without erasing my songs.
Thanks,
Computer600

I found this post from a long time ago:
iTunes will only give you the option to copy your iTunes Store purchases directly from an iPod to the computer, you'll find details in this article: Copying iTunes Store purchases from your iPod or iPhone to a computer
For everything else (music from CDs, other downloads etc) 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. You can read reviews and comparisons of some of them here:
iTunes & iPod software
Wired News - Rescue Your Stranded Tunes
Comparison of iPod managers
A selection of iPod to iTunes utilities:
TuneJack Windows Only (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
SharePod Windows Only (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
iPod2PC Windows Only
iDump Windows Only
YamiPod Mac and Windows
iPod Music Liberator Mac & Windows
Floola Mac & Windows
iPodRip Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
iPod Music Liberator Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
Music Rescue Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
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)
TouchCopy Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
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
The following does not apply to the iPod Touch:
How to use your iPod to move your music to a new computer

Syncing iPad without erasing

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