iPod Help (Read 1067 times)

Ignore this is if it's too off-topic, but I could use some techie advice, and the odds are you people will be way more helpful than Steve Jobs' minions. Just got a new computer. Both old computers died. Don't use a hammer to fix your computer. That apparently only works in movies. Anyway, so I download iTunes, and then upload from my Nano all the "purchased" songs, right? Worked fine. For a change, I didn't accidentally erase the whole iPod. But I also have several hundred songs on the iPod that were NOT purchased - all from my CDs (and I'm sticking with that story). So I realize that I can't upload those songs to the computer (or can I?). If I can't, no big deal. But obviously I DO want to buy new songs, and download them to the iPod. Without erasing anything that's on it. How do I do it? At the moment, I can't. I can't even manipulate the play lists - basically, it shows the songs actually on the iPod in the gray font; I can't add anything to the iPod, or even move around songs that are on it. It wants me to "sync" the iPod with the iTunes library, but I think if I do that, it'll erase every song on the iPod that wasn't purchased. Right? Wrong? I'm pretty sure. And if I do that, I'll have to spend a whole fricking day pulling songs off my CDs again (and elsewhere ... shhhh). Help! Any clues? Does any of this make sense? Is there a link that's in non-techie English to help me figure it out? Thanks in advance.

So I realize that I can't upload those songs to the computer (or can I?).

It's not intended, but with additional programs (some freeware, some shareware) it’s possible. If you use a Mac you could try Senuti (http://www.fadingred.org/senuti/), I’ve seen good reviews but haven’t tried it myself. Go to www.versiontracker.com, there are many programs for Mac and Windows.

It wants me to "sync" the iPod with the iTunes library, but I think if I do that, it'll erase every song on the iPod that wasn't purchased. Right? Wrong?

You don’t want to do that, it’ll erase every song on the iPod that's not on your computer.

one way is to check the "enable disk use" box on the ipod information screen in iTunes (when the ipod is connected) Then, the iPod is like an external disk drive. Assuming you're using a PC, go into My Computer, select the iPod as the drive, set the folder so that hidden files are displayed, and voila, all your music is there and can be moved over to your harddrive, then moved back into iTunes.

I think this is your best bet. Once you copy the songs off the iPod and onto the hard drive, you can import them into your iTunes library. Definitely don't sync until you have done this or you'll have to umm, re-import all of those songs from the CD's you purchased.

Another question for you all: First, thanks for the help. I've got the iPod "enabled as disk" and I can now at least move songs around. But I cannot figure out how to "set the folders to so the hidden files are displayed." So I can look on my iPod - but no music. I know it's there somewhere. By the way, I'm on Windows Vista. Any ideas?

Yes. Get a modern operating system. Mac OSX comes to mind.

So is Steve Jobs officially a cult leader or what? Mac people scare me. Any helpful advice from those not yet subsumed by the Apple Borg?

You don't have to be afraid of us, seriously, we’re mostly harmless. No, sorry, I've already been assimilated – about 25 years ago.

Heh...that's about when I became an Apple/Mac Borg, too...3rd grade. Took a Visual Basic class in college on PCs and it did nothing but drive me nuts...damned buggy computers crashing every class period. Poor prof. spent more time rebooting machines than actually teaching. k

Another question for you all: First, thanks for the help. I've got the iPod "enabled as disk" and I can now at least move songs around. But I cannot figure out how to "set the folders to so the hidden files are displayed." So I can look on my iPod - but no music. I know it's there somewhere. By the way, I'm on Windows Vista. Any ideas?

Well I now how to do it in XP but that might not apply in Vista so your best bet is to go Start button/Help and Support and type "hidden files" in the Search field at the top. Assuming Vista has Help and Support in that place Let me know if not and I'll give you the destructions for XP. Modified to add - didn't see Bonkin's post before posting this. His is another valid way to set hidden files to on too. Good idea to set back to hidden when finished so that you don't accidentally delete any required System files

Landy, I did not understand. What can you not do? Copy music from one device to another? That is not Apple. Rather, that is a restriction placed by the music industry, and Apple has been working hard to soften those restrictions. The Windows hack gets around the restrictions, but is in effect breaking copyright law (not that I am saying that is wrong).