Ask iLounge 8-14-09

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Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-, iPhone-, iPad-, iTunes-, or Apple TV-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length.

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The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac)

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And now, for this week's Ask iLounge column:

Hello everyone, I need some assistance. I have searched but cannot find conclusive evidence of a resolution to my issue. I hope someone here can help. I have both a first and second-generation iPod touch. I used to sync both with our PC in Windows XP. Well, that PC died. Lucky for us the hard drive was intact. So now I was hoping I could transfer my iTunes applications and music to my new Macbook (OS X 10.5). Well I have heard that it is easy and I heard that I will lose everything if I do so. What I am most concerned with is I do NOT want to lose my data in my apps. I have lots of things built up that do not back up outside of the iPod touch, like my complete workout and routine along with a log of all my workouts plus my shopping list with all of the aisles worked in it. I want to keep my game saves too. How can I transfer without losing it all? Is it even possible? Or should I just make a backup of my info and have my PC fixed and wait till it is back up and running?

- Anonymous

Firstly, it is important to note that iTunes associates your iPhone and iPod devices not based on the physical computer, but rather based on the library database, so if you transfer your entire iTunes folder to a new computer, any existing iPods will continue to sync with the new computer in the same way as for the older one—the device associations are stored in the database itself. The catch in your specific situation, however, is that migrating an iTunes library database smoothly between different operating systems (ie, Windows/Mac) is complicated, as the path structures are completely different, so although iTunes can read the library database, it will not be able to locate any of the specific media files, as it will be using pathnames based on the other operating system (for instance, Mac OS X doesn’t know what a C: drive is). In this case, you will probably find it far simpler to start a new iTunes library database and reimport your music and media files from your Windows computer or from your iPod touch, depending on which is easier.

Also note that the data and settings on your iPod touch are in fact normally backed up by iTunes. This backup includes all of the settings on your iPod touch, data from the built-in applications and data from any third-party applications that you have installed. In fact, the only information that is not stored in this backup is the media content that is synced from iTunes itself, since this would be much too large to backup on a regular basis, and iTunes logically assumes that you could re-sync this information from your iTunes library.

Note that this information is not stored directly under the iTunes folder, but in a separate location on your hard drive under your home profile folder in the Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup folder. You can see the backups that iTunes has stored for any iPhone and iPod touch devices by going into your iTunes Preferences and selecting the “Devices” tab:

While you could simply migrate this folder from your Windows drive over to your Macbook, the reality is that it’s far easier to re-backup your iPod touch to the iTunes library on your Macbook than dealing with transferring the backup information. Although iTunes will only automatically backup an iPod touch that is associated with the current library, any computer running iTunes can manually backup your iPod touch, regardless of whether you have previously synced your iPod touch with that computer or not. To backup your iPod touch manually to another computer running iTunes, simply connect the iPod touch to that computer and then right-click on the iPod touch in the Devices list on the left-hand side of the iTunes window and choose the “Backup” option from the context menu:

If you have been syncing your music and video content to your iPod touch automatically from your primary iTunes library, then when you first connect your iPod touch to a new iTunes library you will be prompted with a note informing you that your iPod touch is already associated with another iTunes library database and asking you what you want to do:

The “Cancel” option will essentially perform no sync operations at all, but will leave your iPod touch connected and visible in your iTunes application so that you can perform other tasks on it, such as making a backup (as described earlier) or setting it into manual mode, which may be useful if you’re only looking to add/remove a few music and video tracks while you’re waiting for your PC to be repaired.

The “Transfer Purchases” option will copy any information that was purchased from the iTunes Store from your iPod touch back to the current iTunes library. This includes any purchased music or video files as well as all of your applications. Note that the “Transfer Purchases” option will only appear if there are in fact purchased items on your iPod touch that are not already in your iTunes library and the new computer has been authorized for the iTunes Store account that was used to purchase these items. You can authorize your computer manually simply by choosing Store, Authorize Computer from the iTunes menu and entering your iTunes Store username and password.

The “Erase and Sync” option will erase all of the media content, such as music and videos, from your iPod and replace it with the content in the current iTunes library. Note that this only affects content such as music and videos—it does not affect information such as stored photos or applications you have installed on your device. Existing applications and their data are not removed from your device unless you specifically choose the option to RE-sync your applications on the “Applications” tab. If you do choose to do this, iTunes will still warn you that you are about to replace all of the applications on your devices with those in the current iTunes library.

Note, however, that if you have the same applications in the iTunes library as are present on your device, their data is not removed from your device, nor are the applications re-transferred. iTunes is smart enough to realize that the applications are already on the device, and simply skips over installing them.

Further, performing an “Erase and Sync” also automatically performs a backup of your iPod touch to the current computer, including any application data stored on your device.

If you choose the “Erase and Sync” option and iTunes detects that there are purchased items on your iPod touch that are not present in your iTunes library, it will pop-up another dialog providing you an opportunity to transfer those purchases back into your iTunes library. Again, “purchases” includes any applications installed on your iPod touch, since these would all have been purchased from the iTunes Store.

The bottom line is that it is quite difficult to accidentally remove all of your application data and settings from an existing iPod unless you’re really not paying attention to the multiple warning dialogs that come up throughout the process.

Choosing the “Transfer Purchases” option is definitely the recommended approach here, since this will copy your applications from your iPod touch back to your new iTunes library, along with any music that you happen to have purchased from the iTunes Store.

Note that music from other sources, such as that imported from your own CD collection, will not be transferred in this case, and you will either have to manually copy these files from your Windows hard drive or copy them from your iPod using other third-party software. Our articles on Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer provide more information on how to accomplish these tasks.

I realize that iTunes will not do what I am attempting. However, is there a third party app that will search for new songs on my hard drive to put into iTunes. I have all of my family’s music on an external networked drive. As members of the family add songs I need a way to find what has been recently added so other family members can add them to their copy of iTunes respectively. The only other solution I can think of is to sort everything in the music library by date, but that seems like a tedious way to get the job done.

- Matthew

The best solution for this on Windows is a tool called iTunes Folder Watch, which can monitor a folder or group of folders and automatically add any new files found in these folders to your iTunes library. This tool costs 7.50 Euros (approximately $10 USD) for full functionality, although the trial version should give you a decent feel for how it works.

In the scenario you describe, you could simply run iTunes Folder Watch on each of the family computers and it would automatically add any new songs to each of your family members’ iTunes libraries as the tracks appear in the watched folder structure.

Note that if your family members are sharing media files from a common iTunes folder, you will want to ensure that you have the option to “Keep iTunes Music folder organized” disabled under your iTunes Advanced Preferences in each copy of iTunes:

This will prevent iTunes from automatically moving or renaming the files on your shared music folder location which could cause problems with other computers losing track of your media files.

I want to uninstall iTunes 8 and use iTunes 7. will my back up disks form iTunes 8 work? Thank you.

- James

Whether or not you will be able to do this depends largely on the type of backup you have made from iTunes. iTunes 8 made some significant changes to the iTunes database structure, making the new database format completely incompatible with iTunes 7. This means that if your backup was simply an archival of the iTunes folder to a CD/DVD or to an external hard drive, you will not be able to open this in iTunes 7.

Note that iTunes would also have made a backup of your previous iTunes library database, which is stored in a folder named Previous iTunes Library. This database, however would only be up to date as of the date you updated to iTunes 8, so it may not be particularly useful for downgrading unless you have update. very recently.

The good news, however, is that backups of your iTunes library using iTunes’ own “Back up to Disc” feature can be read by iTunes 7.6 or later and used to restore your iTunes library from these backup CD or DVD discs. If your iTunes 8 library is still intact, you can make a backup using this method prior to downgrading to iTunes 7. Once you’ve downgraded to iTunes 7, simply insert the first backup CD or DVD into your computer and iTunes will automatically offer to restore the backup set for you.

I have a third-generation iPod nano. I was trying to add photos to it using floola and it deleted everything on it and reset it to factory settings. I need to re-enable it for disk use so that I can use other programs to add photos and music on my iPod. I tried doing a forced disk use and it doesn’t do anything and I don’t have access to iTunes. How do I enable disk use?

- Anonymous

Actually, there’s nothing special you need to do to an iPod to “enable disk use”—showing up as a removable hard disk is the natural state for the traditional iPod models, since this is how iTunes itself communicates with them. All that the “Enable Disk Use” option within the iTunes application actually does is to simply prevent iTunes from automatically ejecting the iPod after it is done syncing with it.

Forcing the iPod into hardware Disk Mode is simply a diagnostic procedure that can be used in situations where the iPod is not booting up normally to the iPod menus. The hardware disk mode bypasses the normal iPod firmware and provides a lower-level disk mode that can be useful for diagnosing problems on the iPod.

If you do not have iTunes installed on your computer, any click-wheel iPod model you connect should automatically show up as a removable drive. If this is not happening, then this would indicate either a problem with the iPod itself or with the USB communication between your computer and the iPod. Standard troubleshooting procedures would apply here: Try using a different USB cable, connecting to a different USB port, or even trying to connect your iPod to a different computer, such as a computer at work/school or a friend’s computer.

If the iPod shows up as a removable drive on a different computer, then you will need to look at other issues on your computer that might be interfering with you iPod, such as any software or device drivers you may have recently installed that could be causing a conflict.

If the iPod consistently fails to show up as a removable device no matter where you connect it, then this would likely indicate some failure with the iPod itself rather than the USB connection with your computer. Forcing the iPod into hardware disk mode may work, but if the iPod fails to appear on any computer even in this mode, then it is likely that the iPod itself is defective.

I have just started adding album names and release year dates to my songs in iTunes by highlighting the song then adding info via the info tab. Everything looks fine in iTunes and I can see all the song/album/year info, however, when I sync my iPod classic and play the songs, the iPod doesn’t display the release year. It shows the Song Title, Artist & Album but not the Year. Is there a way or setting to make the year also display with the song/artist/album info on the iPod? I have tried going through the settings in iTunes and the iPod but can’t seem to make it happen. I’m sure it used to display the year date when I first got it, but now that I want it to, it won’t. If could you please advise if there is a setting I have missed that can make this happen, it would be greatly appreciated.

- Stuart

Unfortunately, none of the current iPod models provide the ability to display any of the more advanced metadata fields such as Year within the iPod interface itself. Specifically, the iPod is limited to displaying fields such as artist, album and track name as well as the album artwork and lyric information that may be stored within your music files.

You can work around this limitation, however, by adding the year information into another field where it may be useful. For instance, many users choose to add the year as a suffix to the album name or to each track. Another useful place to store this information would be within the lyrics field for each track. Although this won’t show up in your track listings on your iPod, you can see it while listening to an individual track simply by pressing the center button a few times to bring up the lyric display. This can be a useful field for storing other track notes as well, since the general comments field from iTunes is not available on the iPod either.

I am trying to play my iPod through our TV using cables purchased from Apple. When we try to play music or movies, we get a list of “F” folders on the TV and the iPod itself says “Do not disconnect.” How can I view the actual movies or music on the TV? We didn’t seem to have this trouble on an older TV that we used. The folders do not show up as “F” folders on the computer or the iPod, only when it is hooked up to the TV. The help desk for the TV was less than helpful and didn’t have an answer. We have a Samsung 540 40” LCD TV. Is this a problem with the TV? Is there a different TV brand that is more compatible with iPods?

- Mike

The problem in this case appears to be that your TV model is either not specifically iPod compatible or perhaps is not set to an iPod-compatible mode.

When iTunes stores files on your iPod, it copies them to a hidden file and folder structure and then writes the information about the files to a database that the iPod reads to display your music in a more organized fashion. This allows you to quickly browse through your music in a multitude of different ways, such as by artist, album, genre, etc, rather than being limited by navigating to it through a linear file and folder structure. Any device that is specifically made to work with an iPod should know how to read this iPod database to properly display an index of your music.

Unfortunately, however, many devices that provide a USB port for music players are simply designed to work with a file system based device such as a USB flash drive or similar device that you would have copied the music files to manually using a tool such as Windows Explorer. What is happening here is that when you connect your iPod to your TV, it is simply displaying the iPod file system as if it were a hard drive, rather than seeing the index of music that is actually on your iPod.

You should investigate further to see if your particular model of TV has an iPod compatible setting or if there might be a firmware update available that provides this capability. If not, then you may find using your iPod directly with your TV to be somewhat impractical, since the folder structure on the iPod is somewhat random and not representative of any useful organization.

In this case, you could either purchase a different TV that is specifically iPod-compatible, connect your iPod to your TV through the audio input ports rather than through the USB port and control it manually, or look into an iPod Dock that provides video output and on-TV menus. You can find reviews of some of the available docks with on-TV menu support in our reviews section.

Ask iLounge Archives:

2-3-12: Deleting pictures from Photo Stream, Transferring Apps to a new iTunes library, Apple Universal Dock and iPhone 4S, Getting Track Names after CD Import, Video Playlists on the iPad

11-25-11: Removing music after activating iTunes Match, Smart Playlists and iTunes Match, Backing up data from an iPhone, Syncing MP3s to an iPod nano, Migrating Playlists to a new Computer

11-11-11: Configure Apple IDs on family iOS devices, Recovering lost audiobooks, Unable to disable passcode lock on iOS devices, Buying an iPod for audio-only use, Preventing deleted tracks from coming back from an iOS device

11-4-11: iPhone 4S storage capacity doesn't match, Transferring HD video from iPhone 4S to a computer, Recovering photos from iPod touch, Notification Center and iMessage in iOS 5

10-21-11: Using iCloud's Find My iPhone on older devices, Batch deleting photos in Camera Roll, Using iTunes Gift Cards internationally, Audiobooks and iCloud, Merging contacts from two devices into iCloud

See the rest of the Archives...

10-7-11: iPhone 4S battery life, New features in iPhone 4S, Buying iPhone 4S Unlocked, iPod nano and Nike+ Kit, Purchasing iPhone 4S for use abroad

9-30-11: Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Moving Playlists to iPod, Downgrading iOS on iPod touch 2G, Playing Playlists in iTunes, Problems with iTunes opening automatically when connecting an iPhone

9-23-11: iOS 5 release and OTA installation, Transferring Purchases to iTunes, iPad and iPhone charger compatibility, iPod touch and regional App Stores, Find My iPhone and Remote Lock/Wipe, Previous iTunes Libraries Folder

9-2-11: Transferring iTunes library from Mac to Windows, Reading ebooks on iPod classic, Recovering lost password on iPod touch, Transferring music from a Windows iPod touch to a Mac, Backing up in iTunes 10.4

8-26-11: Updating playlists when consolidating iTunes files, Migrating from iPod touch to iPad, Buying and listening to music on multiple devices, Updating firmware on 4G iPod, Backing up iPhone without a computer

8-5-11: iCloud and Find My iPhone, Mac app for converting DVDs to iTunes, Clearing Sort Fields in iTunes, Importing MP3 audiobooks into iTunes, Creating iTunes library on external hard drive

7-29-11: Adjusting iPod touch ringer volume, iPod touch and wired networks, Consolidating information from two iPhones, Changing Apple IDs on an iPad, Track information not appearing when importing into iTunes

7-8-11: Using Start and End times with Apple TV, Sending Photos to Apple TV via AirPlay, Track Info greyed out in iTunes, iPhone upgrade eligibility, Downloading Album Artwork

7-1-11: Sharing multiple iTunes libraries on one computer, Burning MP3 CDs, Organizing audiobooks on iPod classic, Identify tracks not in any playlists, Copying content from a Mac-formatted iPod to Windows

6-24-11: FaceTime Edition: Costs for using FaceTime, FaceTime iPod model compatibility, Using FaceTime internationally, Using Multiple FaceTime devices in the same family, Missing FaceTime icon on iPod touch, Receiving FaceTime calls when out of coverage

6-17-11: Importing videos into iMovie for iPad, Switching to a new iPod touch, Transferring iTunes library database, User ID requirements for old iPod classic, Burning a CD from an iPod touch

5-20-11: Connecting an iPod to a stereo, Problems moving an iTunes library, Gifting apps, Problems joining CD tracks, Streaming AirPlay from a line-in source

4-15-11: Problems sending e-mail over Wi-Fi, Syncing iPhone content from different computers, Resetting a used iPod touch, Javascript on the iPad, Renaming an iOS device

4-8-11: Setting up an iTunes Store account for a child, Organizing Music Videos in iTunes, Album art missing on iPod touch purchases, Finding a serial number for a missing iPod, Purchases not syncing to iPod nano

4-1-11: Syncing existing apps to new iPad 2, iPod classic microphone compatibility, Recovering lost iTunes Store purchases, Recovering non-purchased content from iPod, Displaying unique artwork for compilation albums

3-25-11: Apple TV not showing Descriptions, Using a U.S. iPad 2 in other countries, Transferring iPod music to iPad 2, Audiobooks on iPod touch, Using an iPad on Windows

2-25-11: Redeeming iTunes Gifts on iOS, Finding MP3 tracks in iTunes, iPad Camera Connector on iOS 4.2, Backing up iTunes Playlists, iPad Video Formats and Battery Life

2-6-11: Removing playlists from iPod, 2G/3G iPod touch cases, iPod charging cables, Locating Apps folder, Transferring audiobooks to iPod

1-28-11: Car Bluetooth receivers, Editing Contacts on iPod touch, iPod touch shuffles songs, iPad and Bluetooth headsets, iPod touch and external keyboards

1-14-11: Transferring iPod classic from Mac to PC, Cover Flow on 30GB iPod, Transferring iTunes library between two external hard drives, iPod shuffle dock adapters, Connecting iPhone to a new iTunes library

11-19-10: Gifting Apps, Backing up Apps, Cleaning up old folders after moving iTunes library, FaceTime data usage, Storing iTunes videos on a different hard drive

11-12-10: Music videos play audio only, Advanced Smart Playlists, Transferring iTunes to another user account, iPhone 4 Case Program, Restoring a locked iPod touch

10-29-10: Viewing content on iPod from iTunes, Playing iTunes at a party, Viewing available space on iPhone, Recovering content from an iPod nano, Moving an iTunes Library to Windows 7

10-22-10: iTunes Store appears differently on another computer, Using iPod touch with an AV output cable, Transferring apps from iPad to iPod touch, Restoring iTunes from backup, Placing FaceTime calls with one e-mail address

10-15-10: Reorganizing content into a new iTunes library, Moving iPad+iPhone to a new computer, Hiding built-in apps on iPod touch, Missing built-in apps on iPod touch, Using iPod shuffle with older operating systems

10-8-10: Using Apple TV with different iTunes accounts, Setting up Apple TV on a different computer, Streaming content to Apple TV from other sources, Merging iTunes Store accounts, Importing music as audiobooks

10-1-10: iOS Calendar integration, Moving iTunes completely to an external hard drive, Automatically tagging imported movies, Recurring billing on iPad 3G, Transferring data to new iPad

9-24-10: On-The-Go Playlists with iOS 4, Using multiple iPods on one PC, Moving Apps and Artwork folders to external hard drive, Transferring Apps from iPod touch to iPhone, Syncing Genius Mixes to iPhone 4

9-17-10: Using iPhone 4 without cellular service, iPhone screen remains active during calls, Re-downloading Apps, Reset passcode on iPod touch, Copying audiobooks to iPod

9-10-10: Disk Use on iPod nano 6G, Using an iPhone and iPod touch on the same iTunes library, About iPod touch 4G Apps and Battery Life, Moving iTunes Library to a new Windows 7 PC, Upgrading to a new iPod touch

8-27-10: Using iPad 3G GPS without a data plan, Setting up iPod without installation CD, Movie Rental options don't appear in iTunes, iTunes prompts to remove apps from iPod, Recovering content from iPod touch

8-20-10: Accessing Internet Radio from iOS Remote app, Converting an iPod touch from Windows to Mac, Home Screen Wallpaper not available in iOS 4, Transferring non-purchasd content to a new computer, Managing multiple iTunes Libraries with different preferences

8-13-10: Restoring iPod touch onto iPhone, iPhone 3G only plays monaural audio, Corrupt iPod Photo Cache, Sharing Apps between family iPods, Not all songs transfer to iPod, Unknown playlists in iTunes

7-30-10: Transferring playlists from iPod touch to iPhone, Tracking Changes in Word Docs on iPad, Alarm Clock apps for iPhone, Problems connecting to iTunes Store, Transferring video from iPod nano 5G

7-23-10: Upgrading to a new iPhone, Using GPS car kit with Bluetooth stereo, Viewing podcast info on iPod classic, Deleting Apps from iTunes, Cleaning up content on iPod marked Other, Finding a lost iPod touch

7-9-10: Transferring iBookstore purchases between devices, Transferring files manually onto iPod touch, Sending e-mail attachments from iPhone, Transferring apps from iPhone to iPad, Selecting music to sync to iPhone

7-2-10: Accessing iTunes U on iPad, Transferring video from 5G nano to iPad, Compilations and Artist listing on iPod classic, Backing up and erasing iPhone 3G, Downloading podcasts outside of iTunes, iPhone 4 Retina Display apps on iPad

6-11-10: iPod touch prompts for old iTunes password, SMS message storage on iPhone, 3G iPod and iM600 speakers, Adding music from iPod nano to iPhone, Converting tracks in iTunes and iPod, Syncing selected music to iPad

6-4-10: iPad 3G and International use, Extra authorized computers in iTunes, Adding music to multiple iTunes libraries, Adding purchased music to iPod from another computer, Problems playing back CDs burned in iTunes, Large amount of Other content on iPod

5-14-10: Storing iPhone apps in a different folder, Removing games on iPod classic, Transferring videos from iPod nano, Continual iPod charging, Bluetooth A2DP support on iPad, Resetting iPod touch password lockout

4-30-10: Updated ID3 tags in iTunes, Problems downloading free updates from iTunes Store, Transferring Keynote files to iPad, Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Restoring iPod and content, Syncing iPod to a new computer

4-23-10: Converting lossless tracks for iPod, Repairing corrupted iPod filesystem, Syncing existing apps to a new iPad, Streaming iTunes Radio in the car, iPads and iTunes Store authorization limits

4-16-10: Pairing iPod touch with Bluetooth headsets, Adding lyrics in iTunes for Mac, Restoring playlists on a new computer, Upgrading iPod touch to 3.0, iPod touch shows iTunes logo, Adding playlists to iPhone

4-9-10: Copying text from iBooks, Using iPad without Wi-Fi access, Syncing one iPad to multiple libraries, Setting up an iPad as a gift, Conserving space on iPod, Gifting an iPod touch, Syncing and backup up iPhone Notes

3-19-10: Restoring iPhone from Backup, Sharing Apps on multiple iPhones, Syncing Recently Added playlist, Older iPods and firmware updates, iPad and Remote Desktop control apps, iPhone Sync Cable compatibility

3-12-10: Syncing iPod with new iTunes library, Excluding selected playlists from sync, Sharing iTunes content on multiple iPhones, iPad and iTunes sync options, Shuffle playlists on iPod classic, Creating iPhone ringtones

3-5-10: Running iTunes app on external hard drive, iPod shuffle shows no content, Switching Apple ID in iTunes, External microphones for 5G nano, Removing columns in iTunes, iPod Dock and Remote control solutions

2-26-10: iPad Edition II: Sharing files between apps, iPad font support, Connecting to projectors, Using external storage, Downloading third-party music, iBooks and dictionary support

2-19-10: Checkmarks in iTunes, Storing files on iPhone, Identifying songs not in playlists, Black Dock adapters, Transferring purchased apps from iPod touch, Reformatting iPod for Mac

2-12-10: Using iPod with purchased content in different countries, Playing WMV e-mail attachments on iPhone, Deauthorizing iTunes, iPhone background audio recording, Displaying photos via TV out, Transferring saved photos from iPod touch

2-5-10: Recovering iPod serial number from iTunes, Using apps on new iPod touch, Transferring apps to another iPod touch, iPod touch and apps requiring OS 3.x, iTunes Media Folder path and network drives, Backing up audiobooks to CD

1-29-10: The iPad Edition: Updating Apps for iPad, iPad Accessory compatibility, iPad and iPhone tethering support, AT&T Wi-Fi access, Annotation support in iBooks

1-22-10: Recovering iPhone apps, Joining Audiobook tracks, Cleaning up after iTunes Consolidation, Moving iTunes to an external hard drive, Recovering iTunes onto an external hard drive, Burning CDs from an external hard drive

12-18-09: Audiobook Burn Limits, iPod touch audio quality, Adding a second family iPod to iTunes, Accessing iPod Diagnostics Mode, Track numbers appear in track names, Syncing playlists to iPod

12-11-09: Resetting iTunes authorizations, iPod capacity for audiobooks, iPod docks and line-out, Audio output from iPod shuffle, Resuming playlists on iPod touch, Syncing newer iPods with older versions of iTunes

12-4-09: Syncing iPod with no Internet access, Syncing a replacement iPod, Removing synced photos from iPhone, iPhone and iPod external batteries, Transferring photos from iPod nano to computer, Saving iTunes before an OS reinstall

11-27-09: Identifying purchased tracks in iTunes, iPhone 3GS Airplane Mode requirement, Advanced Smart Playlists in iTunes 9, Restoring iTunes from external hard drive, iTunes Store country restrictions, iPod nano 5G speaker compatibility

11-20-09: Sharing iTunes libraries between two user accounts, Enlarging text on iPhone 3GS, Transferring an iPod to a new user, iPhone shuffles when walking, New 8GB iPod touch models, Transferring purchases from a remote iTunes library

11-13-09: Syncing different contact info with two iPhones on the same computer, iPod shows no content, Syncing music and videos in playlists, Exclamation marks next to tracks in iTunes, Playing podcasts on 3G iPod shuffle.

11-6-09: Storing iPod software updates, Playing an iPod continuously, Transferring play counts to a new iTunes library, iPhone backups, Klipsch S4i earphones

10-30-09: Authorization problems with iPod touch, Changing Grid View background in iTunes, iTunes library and Music Folder are different sizes, Older iPods and firmware updates, Reconciling two different iTunes libraries, Syncing multiple devices to one iTunes library

10-23-09: Using a laptop with an iTunes library on an external hard drive, Transferring YouTube videos to iPod, iPod touch accessibility settings, Disabling Shake to Shuffle on iPod nano, Purchased songs fail to download from iTunes Store, Charging and powering off iPhone

10-16-09: Moving iTunes to a new computer, Transferring contacts from Blackberry to an iPhone, Disabling iPhone Backups, Using AV cables for audio only, Problems syncing photos to iPod touch, Memorex iFlip and iPhone compatibility

10-9-09: iPhone OS and external keyboards, Adjusting ratings in a remote iTunes library, Excluding tracks from Genius Mixes, Moving iTunes library out of My Documents, Playlist folders on iPod touch, Refreshing random Smart Playlists

9-25-09: iTunes 9 and Shopping Cart, Restoring iTunes to an external hard drive, Using an HTTP Proxy over 3G, Problems transferring movies from iTunes to IPhone, iPod touch shuffle mode, Using an iPhone without a SIM card

9-18-09: Recovering unlisted media content from iPod, Repeat and continuous video playback on iPod touch, iPhone 3G vs 3GS, Customizing iTunes sorting, Rebuilding an iTunes library, Removing artwork from iPod in iTunes 9

9-11-09: Genius Mixes and iPod classic, Drag-and-drop content to iPod, Sharing home libraries in iTunes 9, Using an iPod without iTunes, Waking to a playlist on iPod touch, Kensington LiquidAUX, Disabling Geotagging Warnings

8-28-09: Consolidating Multiple iTunes Libraries, iPod touch Bluetooth headset compatibility, iPod holds less than advertised number of songs, Transferring media between iTunes Store accounts

8-21-09: Recover Contact/Calendar info from iPod touch, Connect iPod without automatic sync, Managing On-The-Go playlists, iPhone and Stereo Bluetooth Support, Sharing an iTunes library between multiple users on the same computer, Disabling Shake-to-Shuffle on iPod nano

8-14-09: Syncing iPod touch apps and data with a new iTunes library, Automatically adding media files to multiple iTunes libraries from a network share, Downgrading to iTunes 7, iPod nano and disk mode, Displaying release dates on iPod, Playing iPod through TV USB port

8-7-09: Clean up album artwork in iTunes, Syncing media content and calendar/contact info from different computers, Reorganizing recovered tracks in iTunes, Using multiple iPods and iPhones on one computer

7-31-09: Using an iPod and a Zune, iPod and on-TV menus, Backing up Notes from IPod touch, Sharing an iTunes library between a Mac and a PC, Waterproof earphones, 3G iPod and iPhone Accessory compatibility, Shure earphones

7-24-09: Displaying recent plays on web site, iPhone and car integration, iPod classic TV output, Renaming iPhone, Sound quality on different iPod models, iPod shuffle accessory compatibility

7-17-09: Transferring saved application data to new iPhone, Recovering Content from Mac iPod on Windows, iPhone 3GS and charging accessories, Recreating Recently Added playlist, Restoring old iPod touch, Track sorting on iPod classic

7-10-09: Passwords on iPod touch, iPod headphone jack problems, Tagging tracks imported from CD, Adding chapter markers to audiobooks, first-generation iPhone and stereo Bluetooth, Nike+ shoes

7-3-09: iPhone Recent Calls list and location info, iPod touch Bluetooth audio support, Car interface fails after 3.0 upgrade, iPhone battery life, iPhone stereo audio recording,

6-26-09: Recovering a dead iPod touch after 3.0 update, Battery Percentage Display on iPhone 3.0, Options hidden after 3.0 update, iPhone locked after 3.0 update, Managing videos on iPhone, iPod classic accessory compatibility

6-12-09: Conserving power on iPhone, Syncing iPhone Notes, Syncing Apps on new iPod touch, Block pop-ups in Safari, Syncing new iPhone, Playing multiple albums

5-29-09: Sorting tracks in iTunes, iPhone Bluetooth Headset Dock, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Screen damage on 4G iPod nano, Syncing purchased tracks back to iTunes, Managing a class set of iPods

5-22-09: Syncing iTunes content between computers, Importing music into iTunes, Re-transferring apps from a new iTunes library, New iPods and charging accessories, Using multiple iTunes libraries

5-15-09: Starting out with an external hard drive, Syncing playlists manually, Recovering lost iPod serial number, Music count vs Playlist count, Multiple iTunes Store accounts on the same computer, Optimizing album artwork

5-8-09: Organizing audiobooks, Problems transferring purchased items back to iTunes, Keeping played podcast episodes on iPod, Transferring iTunes library to a new computer, iPod shows no content, Using a new iPod with an existing iTunes library

4-24-09: Playing iTunes purchases on a non-networked computer, Finding iPod manuals online, Sharing an iTunes library between separate user accounts, Equalizer on iPod shuffle, Recovering content from Apple TV, Screenshots on iPod touch

4-17-09: Converting tracks to higher bit-rates, Using iPod with non-iTunes content, Using iTunes with an external hard drive, Expired rentals don't delete on iPod, Using only part of a song, Restoring 4G iPod stuck on AC adapter icon

3-27-09: Transferring iTunes library from XP to Vista, Using iPhone as an alarm clock, Splitting iTunes library across two iPods, Recovering iPod onto a computer with an existing iTunes library, Purchased TV Shows stuck in downloads folder, Tagging tracks as Audiobooks in iTunes 8

3-20-09: Using two iPods on a single computer, iPod shuffle 2G/3G accessory compatibility, Displaying TV Show seasons separately in iTunes, Playing iPod through secondary computer, Stopping iPod playback on iPhone, iPod touch 2G and Dock audio

3-13-09: iPod touch vs iPhone, Storing music only on your iPod, Problems transferring rented content, Managing content manually on iPod shuffle, iPod lyrics display, Playing video out to TV from iPhone

3-6-09: iPhone playback on other computers, Games on iPod classic and 5G, Transferring iTunes tracks to SD cards, Group compilations on iPhone, Transferring your iTunes library, iPhone Car Integration

2-27-09: Problems transferring iTunes content to external hard drives, Using an iTunes library database from an external hard drive, Converting Palm address book for iPod touch, How iTunes organizes music videos, Preventing iPhoto from opening when connecting an iPod touch

2-20-09: Video docks for 5G iPod, Connecting an old iPod to a new iTunes library, Downloading iTunes 8 on another computer, Erasing a used iPod and starting fresh, Recovering photos from an iPod, Tracking purchases in iTunes

2-13-09: Waterproof cases and sound quality, Upgrading to iTunes Plus with a manually managed iPod, Reinstalling games on the iPhone, iPhone 3G Dock options, Fixing album artwork problems, Display iTunes Applications category

2-6-09: iPod nano voice memo format, Buying iPods abroad, Skipping a playlist when shuffling, Adjusting playback speed of music tracks, Not all TV Shows syncing to iPod, Checking and unchecking multiple items in iTunes

1-23-09: Synchronizing contacts to iPod touch, Pairing iPhone Remote app, iPhone call audio via Dock Connector, Recovering iPhone apps, New iPods and charging, Remote control of Windows via iPhone

1-16-09: Creating Smart Playlists based on other playlists, Transferring or syncing an iTunes library between two computers, Converting Mac-formatted iPod to Windows, Using Artist and Sort Artist fields, Using an iPod on more than one computer, Importing audiobook CDs as audiobooks

1-2-09: Parents controls on iPod touch, Running iTunes from an external hard drive, Search feature on 5G iPods, Syncing videos to iPod touch, Safari problems on iPod touch, Other content on iPod shuffle

12-19-08: Keeping podcast episodes, iPod and TV USB inputs, Converting PC-formatted iPod to Mac, iPod touch e-mail accounts, Backing up iTunes to a hard drive, Managing and syncing iPod touch On-The-Go playlists

12-12-08: Classifying videos in iTunes 8, Sharing music between iPods, Sharing apps between iTunes libraries on the same computer, iH9 and iPhone compatibility, Recreating Purchased folder, Locating Music Videos

12-5-08: Creating custom slideshows for Apple TV, Optimal album artwork size, Transferring iPod touch from PC to Mac, Upgrading to a new iPod touch, Authorizing iPod Games on new computer, Managing iPod content manually

11-21-08: iPod keeps resetting, Organizing iPhone apps, iPod touch video accessories, iPod-compatible online music sources, Reordering playlists manually

11-14-08: Cover Flow on 4G iPod nano, Setting up iPod touch without Internet access, Internet radio for iPod touch, Apps button missing on iPod touch, mm50 speakers and new iPod models, Including Year field on iPod

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Comments

1

I have recently purchased an ipod touch for my daughter, and attempted to sync her library of songs which consisted of purchased and cd copies. I was prompted to download the most recent itunes application 8, as we only had version 7 on our PC. We did this and attempted to sync again, however only about half of her music will sync to her new Ipod touch. Significantly the purchased tracks have not syncronised. Can anybody help me sort out this problem, and cheer my 13 year old daughter up!

Posted by Lee Morley on August 27, 2009 at 2:29 AM (PDT)

2

This article saved my life when I had to sync my iPod Touch on a new PC without loosing the backup data, apps data etc. Very useful.

Posted by Mateo Gonzalez on April 25, 2010 at 8:56 PM (PDT)

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