Trying to transfer ipod library onto new computer without losing songs

I just purchased a new computer and can't seem figure out how to transfer my ipods music into it. I don't want to lose all of my library but when I plug it into my new computer it says you can't have two libraries synced. Any ideas?

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" 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: Transfer iTunes Store purchases using iPod
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 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
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.

Similar Messages

  • Sync my ipod to a new computer without losing songs currently on ipod

    I had my itunes and ipod set up on a computer. Then I got a new computer and I had to reinstall itunes on that computer. But, I cant sync my iPod to my new computer because it will erase all the songs that are on it from my old computer, and replace them with the songs in my new library. I have been adding songs manually and that worked for a little but now my iPod is full and I can't take any songs off because my iPod isn't synced to my new itunes. Is there any way I can sync my ipod to my new itunes without losing all my old songs?

    Put the songs currently on your iPod back into iTunes.
    If you are using iTunes version 7 or later, then you can transfer purchased iTunes store music from the iPod to an authorized computer by using the "file/transfer purchases from iPod" menu. Note that the maximum of 5 authorized computers applies here.
    For all other non purchased music (your own CDs etc) try this method which works on some Windows PCs.
    Enable your iPod for disk use.
    See: iPod Disk Use.
    Open iTunes and select edit/preferences/advanced/general. Put a check mark in the box marked "copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library" and also "keep iTunes music folder organized", then click 'ok'.
    Connect the iPod whilst holding down the shift/ctrl keys to prevent any auto sync, and if you see the dialogue window asking if you want to sync to this itunes library, click 'no'.
    Then go to file/add folder, open 'my computer', select your iPod and click 'ok'.
    The music files should transfer to your iTunes.
    If this doesn't work (and it may not because officially it's not supposed to), check out the instructions/suggestions here.
    Music from iPod to computer (using option 2). This a manual method using "hidden folders" and although it works, it can be messy.
    Much easier ways are to use one of the many 3rd party programs that copy music from the iPod to the computer.
    One of the most recommended is Yamipod. This is a free program that transfers music and playlists etc from iPod back to the computer. However, it does not transfer playcounts/ratings etc.
    Another free program is Pod Player.
    Then you can sync your iPod with iTunes as before.

  • How do I get entire library onto new computer without old ipod (stolen) or old computer (died)? When I plugged in my new ipod 5th gen, it only synced purchases.

    How do I get entire library onto new computer without old ipod (stolen) or old computer (died)?  I just bought an ipod 5th gen and when I plugged it in, it only synced purchases.

    You restore the media to your new computer using the backup you made of your old computer before it died. You did backup your computer, right?

  • How can I synch my ipod to a new computer without losing all my content, purchased and my old copied albums? My PC and backup died in the same week and now I am told I could lose all my content if I synch?

    how can I synch my ipod to a new computer without losing all my content, purchased and my old copied albums?
    My PC and backup died in the same week and now I am told I could lose all my content if I synch?
    I have new purchases on my new laptop but too paranoid to synch the ipod incase I lose the thousands of tunes I copied over from my old collections.

    See these 2 Links...
    Syncing to a New Computer...
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3141
    Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991

  • Sync my old iPod with a new computer without losing music

    I have an ipod that was sync'd with an old (pc) computer that died. I want to sync it with my new computer without losing my music that is already on the ipod.

    Try these 2 User Tips...
    Syncing to a New Computer...
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3141
    Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991

  • What kind of software is safe to transfer ipod library to new computer?

    What kind of software is safe to use to transfer ipod library to a new computer?

    iTunes.
    Connect the iPod to the new computer, launch iTunes.
    From the iTunes menu bar (top of your screen) click Store > Authorize This Computer
    Now go back to the menu bar again, click File > Transfer Purchases From...

  • How do I switch my ipod to a new computer without losing all of my songs?

    My computer just crashed and I bought a new one downloaded iTunes then plugged in my iPod to sync all of my content to my new comp. and it won't let me do it without erasing all of my content which I neglected to back up. How do I get my iPod's content onto my new computer without it being backed up?

    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 and iPhone
    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 or iPhone to a computer
    The transfer of content from 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 (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
    iPodRip Mac & Windows
    YamiPod Mac and Windows
    Music Rescue Mac & Windows
    iPod Music Liberator Mac & Windows
    Floola Mac & 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)
    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
    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.

  • Can i add new music to my ipod from a new computer without losing old music

    My laptop was stolen and I want to put music on my ipod from my new computer, however I do not want to lose all my music I already have on my ipod because some of it was not purchased from the itunes store. How can I put the new music I have purchased on my Ipod withot removing the old music?

    - Transer iTunes purchases by:
    iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to a computer
    - Transfer other music by using a third-party program like one of those discussed here:
    Copy music from Ipod to new computer...: Apple Support Communities
    - Connect the iPod to the computer and make a backup by right clicking on the iPOd under Devices in iTunes and select backup
    - Restore the iPOd from that backup.
    Now the computer will be your syncing computer.

  • Does anyone know how transfer entire library onto new computer

    can anyone tell me how to transfer the entire music library from my ipod onto a new computer inluding the playlists? Windows Vista home pro

    Easiest way is to copy the iTunes folder (NOT the iTunes Music folder, the one above that) from your old computer to the new computer.
    Yamipod (3rd party software, free) will copy your music from yoru iPod to your computer but not playlists.
    I believe TransCopy will transfer music and playlists but it is not free.

  • How do i connect my ipod to a new computer without losing the songs on my..

    I bought a new computer and I've installed itunes on it. I want to transfer all the songs on my ipod to itunes on my new computer. How can i do this without losing the songs on my ipod? Can anyone help me?

    scottydubs,
    Check out the instructions/suggestions here.
    Music from iPod to computer.
    There's also another method I've seen posted. I've successfully tested this across several different Windows PCs.
    Open iTunes and select edit/preferences/advanced/general. Put a check mark in the box marked "copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library" and also "keep iTunes music folder organized", then click 'ok'.
    Connect the iPod whilst holding down the shift/ctrl keys to prevent any auto sync, and if you see the dialogue window asking if you want to sync to this itunes library, click 'no'.
    Then go to file/add folder, open 'my computer', select your iPod and click 'ok'.
    The music files should transfer to your iTunes.
    However it appears that no playlists or any other info such as ratings/last played etc will transfer.
    If this is important to you, you may want to use other options.
    There's Yamipod. This is a free program that transfers music and playlists etc from iPod back to the computer.

  • How to sync ipod games to new computer without losing old games on ipod?!?!

    I bought a game for my 5th gen ipod and it worked fine, yadda yadda yadda. Well, tha computer I bought it with died and now I have a new one. I've bought another game, but am afraid if i sync it to my ipod, it will delete my old games. Any way around this? Thanks

    Be very careful when connecting an iPod full of music to an empty iTunes library.There is very real risk of permanently losing all the music.
    To prevent auto sync, before you connect the iPod go to the iTunes preferences and select "devices", then select "disable automatic syncing for iPhones and iPods".
    An alternative method is to connect the iPod whilst holding down the 'control+shift' keys and do not let them go until your iPod appears in iTunes.
    If you see a message that your iPod is associated with a different library and asks if you want to link to a new one, make sure you press "Cancel".
    If you should click on "Erase and Sync" will erase all the content currently on your iPod and it will be replaced with the content of the iTunes library you just connected to.
    When you've pressed cancel your iPod should appear in the iTunes source list under "devices" and allow you to change the update setting to manage the iPod content manually, and that will let you use your iPod for the time being without the risk of accidentally erasing the contents.
    Then do any of the following to transfer your music from iPod back to the computer/iTunes.
    For iTunes version 7 or later, then you can transfer purchased iTunes store music from the iPod to an authorized computer by using the "file/transfer purchases from iPod" menu. Note that the maximum of 5 authorized computers applies here.
    Find out how to do that here.
    How to copy iTunes purchases from an iPod or iPhone to a computer.
    Once you've done that, you can sync your iPod to iTunes as normal.

  • I am trying to download videos from a new computer without losing media from my old computer.

    I am trying to download videos to my i-pod using a new computer. How do I get them without losing media that I purchased on my old computer? I have used the i-tunes on this computer only for burning music to CDs.

    See Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
    tt2

  • Download/Export/Sync iPod mini to new computer without losing mini - help!

    My computer crashed and burned and nothing on the hard drive was recoverable. I'd like to sync my existing mini with this new PC, which is running Windows XP Professional.
    How do I do that without losing what is on my mini? I've downloaded the latest iTunes, but I don't know what to do to download the music on my iPod onto my new PC.
    Help, please!

    I don't know what to do to download the music on my iPod onto my new PC.
    For iTunes version 7 or later, then you can transfer purchased iTunes store music from the iPod to an authorized computer by using the "file/transfer purchases from iPod" menu. Note that the maximum of 5 authorized computers applies here.
    Find out how to do that here.
    How to copy iTunes purchases from an iPod or iPhone to a computer.
    For all other non purchased content (your own CDs etc), check out the instructions/suggestions here.
    Music from iPod to computer (using option 2). This a manual method using "hidden folders" and although it works, it is a little more involved than other methods.
    Much easier ways are to use one of the many 3rd party programs that copy music from the iPod to the computer.
    One of the most recommended is Yamipod. This is a free program that transfers music from iPod back to the computer. However, it does not transfer playcounts/ratings etc.
    Other free programs are Pod Player, SharePod and Floola.
    If you want to recover just the structure of playlists from the iPod (and not the actual song files themselves), there's iRepo for Windows. which I understand has this feature along with all the standard features for these programs.
    iPodRip also has the feature enabling you to reconstruct playlists.
    There is also CopyTrans. This does preserve ratings/playcounts etc if those are important to you but this program is not free. It also supports video transfer.

  • I want to sync my iPod to a new computer without losing app data. Is this possible?

    My ipod says all data will be erased when I sync it to the new computer even though all of the music and apps have been transfered from the old computer. I want to keep the app data, but how do I do this? Is it even possible?

    iPod forum

  • I have an ipod touch and I recently brought a new laptop and now I need to move all the music, apps, etc, from my ipod to my new computer.  How can I sync my ipod with the new computer without losing my content?

    Can i upload from my ipod?

    See:
    iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows
    or
    iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Device not recognized in iTunes for Mac OS X
    If you have a 2G iPod those can only go to iOS 4.2.1. A 3G and 4G to the current 5.1.1. A 1G to 3.1.3
    Identifying iPod models
    To update:
    iOS: How to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

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