Article
Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer - The Definitive Guide
By Jesse David Hollington
Contributing Editor
Published: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Category: iPod 201 Tutorials
Third-Party Software—The More Sophisticated Options
For those who are not comfortable working within the depths of their iPod’s file system, there are fortunately a number of other more user-friendly solutions that can be used to accomplish the same thing in most cases. Although some of these applications do little more than copy the music files from the iPod back to your computer, some of the more advanced options also provide the capability of recovering additional information from the iPod database such as playlists, ratings and play counts.
Some of these applications also function as full-featured iPod management tools and can be used in place of iTunes for basic music management. Others are primarily dedicated to the purpose of recovering data from the iPod back to your computer and/or iTunes library.
One important thing to keep in mind is that as of iTunes 7, a number of changes have been made in how data is stored in the iTunes database itself and on the iPod. Further, even incremental versions within the iTunes 7 family have made changes in this regard. As of this writing, iTunes 7.3 has been out for less than two weeks, and although most third-party software authors have been relatively proactive about updating their software for iTunes 7.3, not all applications have yet been updated. It is always recommended to confirm compatibility with the version of iTunes that you are using to ensure that a given third-party tool will work as expected.
Below is a summary of some of the third-party tools available to copy and/or recover music from an iPod (click for larger view):
- Compatibility - This indicates which models of iPod the application supports. Applications compatible with the 2007 iPod classic and iPod nano (video) are also compatible with all older models of iPod.
- iTunes Import - This refers to the ability of the application to import recovered tracks directly into your iTunes library. “Manual” indicates that the application in question does not perform the iTunes import directly, but instead creates an XML file that you can import manually using File, Import within iTunes.
- Playlists - Indicates if the application is capable of recovering playlists and their content from the iPod and restoring them to the iTunes library. Note that some applications do this in a single recovery step, while others require a separate process be run in order to do this.
- Ratings - Indicates if the application is capable of recovering ratings for each track from the iPod and restoring them to the iTunes library.
- Play Counts - Indicates if the application is capable of recovering Play Counts for each track from the iPod and restoring them to the iTunes library.
- Last Played - Indicates if the application is capable of recovering the Last Played date and time for each track from the iPod and restoring them to the iTunes library.
- Standalone - Indicates if the application is designed to be run from the iPod itself, without requiring installation on the host computer or integration with an iTunes library. This is not intended to indicate if an application could be tweaked to run from the iPod, but rather if the application is designed specifically for this purpose, and can therefore be easily setup to do so. Applications that can run standalone from the iPod can be particularly useful when transferring music between different computers, some of which may not even have iTunes installed.
As of this writing, there are still no third-party tools presently available that will recover the new “Skip Count” and “Last Skipped” metadata that was added in iTunes 7 in the fall of 2006.
What follows is a brief summary of each of the applications listed above:
 |
CopyTrans (formerly CopyPod)
http://www.copytrans.net Windows, $20, 14-day trial available |
CopyTrans (formerly CopyPod) is a tool designed with one very specific purpose in mind: To copy, recover, or backup your iPod content onto your computer, and it does this exceptionally well. This was one of the first Windows utilities available that could actually recover almost all of the important metadata from the iPod database such as playlists, ratings, play count, and last played times, making it one of the more full-featured iPod recovery solutions.
CopyTrans provides options for simply copying your iPod content back to a directory on your computer, optionally writing an iTunes XML file in the process that can be manually imported into iTunes, or it can handle the entire iTunes import process for you, bringing back all of your ratings, playlists, play counts, and last played dates, essentially restoring a completely lost iTunes library to most of its former glory.
Although this application is not free, if you are in a situation where you need to recover your entire iTunes library and the additional metadata is important to you, this solution is well worth the price tag, as there are few other Windows applications available that perform this task nearly as comprehensively or easily as CopyTrans.
The recovery process is generally as simple as selecting the tracks that you wish to recover, and then clicking either the “iTunes” or “Folder” button to choose where you want to send the recovered tracks:
When selecting “iTunes” as the destination, CopyTrans will first transfer all of the music back from the iPod to your computer, and then subsequently perform an import into your iTunes library automatically, recreating and updating all relevant playlists in the process.
CopyTrans can also be very useful as an incremental backup solution for those who manage their iPod manually and load content from more than one computer. A quick run of CopyTrans on the primary computer can be used to backup all metadata to a master iTunes library or a folder, only copying those tracks that don’t actually exist in the destination location.
As a complete library recovery and backup solution, CopyTrans is well worth its $20 price tag. However, if your primary concern is just getting the media files themselves back, and you’re not overly concerned about the other advanced metadata such as ratings, play counts, etc., then there are a number of alternative free solutions available to perform these more basic functions.
| iGadget (formerly PodPlus)
http://www.ipodsoft.com Mac/Windows, $15, 15-day trial available |
From an iPod recovery point of view, iGadget is not particularly exceptional, however it offers a number of additional iPod features that may be worth a look for some, including the ability to sync up-to-date RSS feeds, weather forecasts and even local gas prices onto your iPod, and the ability to use any empty space on your iPod to backup/sync files from your computer.
The actual media transfer and playlist transfer features are relatively straightforward, however a two-step process is required to recover both music and playlists, with separate functions to transfer songs and transfer playlists.
iGadget can be used to simply transfer songs to your hard drive, or you can have it automatically add the transferred songs to iTunes.
The playlist transfer function is fairly straightforward: Simply choose a playlist and select the “transfer” button. It should be noted, however, that this only transfers the playlist itself, and not the tracks in the playlist. The contents of the playlist will only be updated if the tracks already exist in your iTunes library. Therefore, a complete recovery will require two steps—the first being to run “Transfer Songs” to recover your music, followed by a “Transfer Playlists” step to recover the individual playlists.
It should also be noted that although iGadget is available for both Mac and Windows, this does not appear to be a direct cross-platform port, as there are some noticeable differences between the two versions. While the Mac version is a 15-day trial with no other restrictions, the Windows version trial seems to have more stringent usage restrictions, such as being able to only transfer one song at a time. The Windows version also does not update the iTunes metadata as part of the transfer process, requiring an additional “Update iTunes Information” step to transfer the additional metadata:
Further, the Windows and Mac versions are both sold separately, so this would not be a practical solution for somebody looking to move data between both platforms.
That having been said, iGadget does do a very good job of recovering all of the extra rating and play count metadata into iTunes, and the additional features it offers may make it a more attractive option for the price tag. It is not, however, nearly as well-suited as the more dedicated options for one-button recovery of an iTunes library or regular backups of iPod content.
 |
iPod.iTunes
http://www.crispsofties.com Mac, $40, limited trial available |
iPod.iTunes is a program that is designed to provide a number of synchronization options between your iPod and iTunes. In addition to the standard recovery of data from an iPod, it can also provide synchronization in the other direction—from iTunes to the iPod, but only adding new files, rather than removing those that do not exist in the iTunes library. Further, this tool also provides a very effective means for comparing content between the iPod and iTunes libraries.
Ultimately, this is a solution intended for those who would prefer to manage their iPod manually, but still be able to perform comparisons and selective synchronization of content between an iTunes library and iPod.
From an iPod recovery point of view, iPod.iTunes works more or less as expected, but compared to the alternatives, the price tag may be a bit excessive for somebody who is just looking to recover their iPod data back to their computer. Further, while complete reverse-synchronization is fairly straightforward, recovery of selected data is a two-step process similar to that found in iGadget, with a first step to recover selected music files, and then a second step required to recover selected playlists.
 |
iPodAccess
http://www.findleydesigns.com Mac/Windows, $20, limited trial available |
iPodAccess is a cross-platform application designed to perform basic iPod recovery tasks. It can recover all of the relevant metadata, as well as rebuilding playlists through a separate “Clone” feature, and you can choose whether to import this information directly into your iTunes library, or simply copy or backup your iPod tracks to a file/folder structure.
It has the additional advantage of being able to try and recover information from an iPod database that has been damaged or corrupted.
Note that this feature is not compatible with the iPhone or iPod touch, however, due tot he different sync protocols that are being used. Fortunately, issues of database corruption on non-jailbroken iPod touch or iPhone devices should be relatively uncommon.
Although iPodAccess lacks some of the more advanced features of other similar products, it does have the advantage of being available for both the Mac and Windows platforms. Some of the more advanced recovery features may be useful as well in the event of a seriously damaged iPod database, however the trial version does not allow even basic access to this mode, making it difficult to determine if this particular tool would work in a specific situation without actually purchasing it. A trial version mode that could actually indicate if tracks could be successfully recovered and how many would probably be a much more practical approach for helping people to discover whether or not this tool would be suitable for this purpose.
 |
MegaPhone (formerly iPhoneDrive)
http://www.ecamm.com Mac, $20, trial available |
MegaPhone (formerly iPhoneDrive) is a tool specifically designed with the iPhone in mind, and like iGadget provides a more comprehensive feature-set than mere media recovery.
As a media recovery tool, it is rather basic, providing only the ability to copy tracks from the iPhone and optionally import them into the iTunes database. No metadata is restored in this process, and there is no option to recreate playlists.
MegaPhone could be a useful solution for those who might want to purchase it for its other features, but it falls short of most dedicated iPod recovery tools.
 |
Music Rescue (formerly PodUtil)
http://www.kennettnet.co.uk Mac/Windows, $20, trial available |
Music Rescue, formerly known as PodUtil, is still one of the staples of basic iPod data recovery, although it does not yet provide support for the iPhone or iPod touch.
Music Rescue’s main advantage is its ability to be carried around on a traditional iPod model and its excellent cross-platform support. The Windows and Mac interfaces are virtually identical, and the iPod license actually installs both the Windows and Mac versions on your iPod, so you can easily use it to copy music from your iPod on either a Windows or Mac platform (assuming that your iPod is formatted for Windows).
It is very simple to use on either platform, while also sporting some more advanced features, such as sorting presets and selection rules.
Music Rescue also supports recovery of the rating and play count data and related playlists, unfortunately, however it does not recover the “Last Played Date” information.
Sorting presets are used to define where recovered music is stored (based on the internal database and tag information), and provides an extremely flexible set of options in this regard, even allowing metadata like ratings and play counts to form part of the naming structure (even though this data cannot be directly imported into iTunes as of yet).
Further, sorting presets can be used to determine whether tracks are added to the iTunes library after copying, and whether playlists are rebuilt in the process.
Multiple presets can be defined for different purposes, and simply selected from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the main screen prior to actually performing a copy.
To copy tracks from your iPod, simply select the tracks you want to copy by placing a checkmark beside each, choose the destination folder from the “Copy to” entry at the bottom of the screen, and click the “Copy” button.
The selected tracks will be copied to your computer, and imported into iTunes if the current preset is configured to do this. Further, if you have configured the preset to rebuild playlists, a dialog box will come up, prompting you as to which playlists you want Music Rescue to create for you.
In addition to selecting tracks manually, Music Rescue can also select tracks based on user-defined rules, similar to those used in Smart Playlists. These can be done either as a one-time quick ruleset, or a more complex defined ruleset that can be saved and reused:
Although not as full-featured of a recovery tool as some of the other options, Music Rescue is nonetheless a very useful tool for those who want to copy music from their iPod to their computer more selectively and aren’t considered about the “Last Played Date” information. Music Rescue is especially useful for its ability to be carried around on your iPod, making it a very useful solution for recovering content from your iPod to more than one computer—even between Mac and Windows platforms.
 |
SenUti
http://www.fadingred.org Mac, Free (DonationWare) |
SenUti is a free tool that provides a very effective means of iPod recovery for those who aren’t necessarily concerned about a completely automated full-recovery solution or other advanced features.
Using SenUti is extremely straightforward. When opened, it shows a summary of your iPod content, as well as a collapsed listing of your iTunes playlists. Music can be recovered either by selecting it and pressing the “Transfer” button, or by dragging-and-dropping it into the iTunes heading on the left. Playlists are recovered by dragging and dropping them from the iPod listing to the “iTunes” section.
SenUti lacks many of the advanced features of its commercial competition, such as smart syncing of metadata or the building of complex rulesets, but it has the major advantage of being a free solution. Additionally, the current beta version provides preliminary support for the iPhone and iPod touch.
 |
SharePod
http://sharepod.sturm.net.nz Windows, Free |
On the Windows side, SharePod provides a free basic iPod management solution that will also allow for the recovery of playlists and ratings, although metadtata such as play counts and last played dates are not recovered. Further, SharePod does not handle the process of importing this data into iTunes automatically, instead creating an XML file in the target directory that can be imported manually via iTunes’ File, Import function.
Using SharePod for iPod recovery is fairly straightforward. Simply select the tracks and/or playlist that you wish to recover, and click the “Copy to PC” button.
SharePod will prompt you for which directory to recover these tracks to, and how you want these tracks to be named. You can select from several pre-sets using the drop-down box, or you can type in your own format, using some of the basic tags such as Artist, Album, and Track Number.
Once you’ve specified the directory and the naming format, SharePod will copy all of the tracks to the destination folder. A file named “SharePod_iTunes_Import.xml” will also be created in the destination folder. This file can be imported into iTunes using the File, Import function to add these tracks to your iTunes library, along with their playlist and rating information.
Like SenUti, SharePod does not provide the same robust recovery solutions and advanced features as its commercial counterparts, but can still be an effective method of handling recovery of basic data from an iPod, and has the major advantage of being a free solution.
 |
TouchCopy
http://www.wideanglesoftware.com Mac/Windows, $20, trial available |
As the name implies, TouchCopy was designed primarily to support the iPod touch and iPhone, although it also provides support for traditional iPod models as well.
TouchCopy provides a very straightforward interface similar to that found in other applications.
The ability to transfer either to a folder on your computer or directly to iTunes is provided, as well as a basic “Search” feature and one-touch button to backup your entire iPod music library.
TouchCopy can recover media content either selectively or en masse, and provides support for recovery of playlists and rating and play count metadata. Note that as with some of the other solutions, support for recovery of the “Last Played Date” is missing here also.
TouchCopy also provides the ability to playback your media content directly from your iPod or iPhone, as well as the ability to recover other types of content from traditional iPods such as calendars, contacts, photos, notes and even iPod Games. Note that this latter option is largely redundant for those who are using iTunes, however, since at the present time, iPod Games can only be purchased from the iTunes Store, and iTunes’ own built-in “Transfer Purchases” option will recover all iPod Games along with other purchased content.
 |
YamiPod
http://www.yamipod.com Mac/Windows/Linux, Free |
The final tool, YamiPod, is actually a more fully-featured iPod content manager than a recovery tool per se, but it allows for tracks to be copied from the iPod back to your computer, and allows for limited support for recovering playlists back into an iTunes library.
It is far from the most full-featured solution available, but has the advantages of being a free, cross-platform solution that can be carried on the iPod itself. Further, a Linux version is available for those users who might want to recover their iPod library back to a computer running Linux.
Note that at the present time, YamiPod is only supported on iTunes v7.2. Using it with an iPod that has been synced to a newer version of iTunes produces a notification dialog advising you that it may not work as expected.
YamiPod’s interface is somewhat more complicated than many of the other options, and if you are looking primarily for an iPod recovery tool, YamiPod is not necessarily the best first choice for this specific purpose unless you are in search of a free cross-platform solution, or a solution specifically for Linux.
Next Page: Photo Recovery, iPod Games, and Conclusions
Shop in the loungeStore for iPod + iPhone Accessories.
Comments
If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.
Recent News
- Singapore Airlines offers in-flight iPod/iPhone connectivity
- Apple patent explores wireless media device applications
- 100,000 iPhones sold in Germany
- Aliph intros new Jawbone Bluetooth Headset
- iPod to appear in Metal Gear Solid 4, iPhone parody in GTA IV
- Just Mobile debuts Xtand for iPhone
- Intel exec: 2 iPhones at WWDC, larger one with Atom processor [updated]
- AT&T offers refurbished 8GB, 16GB iPhones
- Telefónica CEO: 3G iPhone to appear in ‘the coming weeks’
- Mophie ships Radura case for iPod touch, classic, nano, iPhone
Recent Reviews
- JBL On Stage 200ID
- Griffin ClearBoost for iPhone
- Sleek Audio SA6 In-Ear Earphones with Tunable VQ Technology
- Vestalife Ladybug & Element Skateboards Limited Edition Ladybug
- XtremeMac Tango X2 2.1 Speaker System + AM/FM Radio
- Apple Inc. Apple TV Take 2 (40GB/160GB)
- Altec Lansing T612 Digital Speaker System for iPhone and iPod
- Altec Lansing Orbit-MP3 iM207 Portable Audio System
- Bluetrek/Contour Design SurfaceSound Compact
- Nike Amp+ iPod nano Remote for Nike + iPod Sport Kit
1
Here is another well-featured and more important free product : Floola (http://www.floola.com/)
Posted by romzzz on July 10, 2007 at 1:58 PM (PDT)
2
My favorite is iPodDisk. It mounts the ipod like a drive with all the albums and artists. By far the best in my opinion
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ipoddisk/iPodDisk-1.3.dmg?download
Posted by brmac on July 10, 2007 at 3:20 PM (PDT)
3
Holy moly, what an awesome article!
Haven’t even yet completely read it, but i’m sure it’s gonna be worth it.
Too bad it didn’t come two weeks earlier, when i myself had to rebuild my iTunes DB from my iPod as my external HDD was dead.
I successfully rebuilt the complete DB using SharePod, a MP3 Tagger and loads of time
Posted by Manuel Grabowski on July 11, 2007 at 4:32 AM (PDT)
4
iPodDisk is for Mac.
On PC, your best bet is CopyTrans http://www.copytrans.net/copytrans.php as it does not only copy your songs to your computer but also all useful data such as ratings, playlists and imports all that to iTunes.
Posted by Bob1234567890 on July 12, 2007 at 7:19 AM (PDT)
5
Very good article!
I was wondering why XPlay and Anapod Explorer were not rated or mentioned?
Posted by melanchete on July 15, 2007 at 4:01 AM (PDT)
6
Although they are both excellent tools in and of themselves, XPlay and Anapod Explorer are designed as full iPod management tools to replace iTunes, and are therefore somewhat beyond the scope of this article.
Although Yamipod also provides this type of functionality, it was included due to its wide cross-platform support and its free availability.
Posted by Jesse David Hollington in Toronto on July 15, 2007 at 9:39 AM (PDT)
7
I’ve recently transferred my itunes music files to an external HD & have also uninstalled & reinstalled itunes. itunes can access my songs but has wiped all of the playlists, playcounts etc. I was thinking of downloading copytrans to sort this out, but is it possible to use this just to update playlists etc. or will i have to copy all of my music files & then delete the originals? Thanks for your help!
Posted by aaaaaaaaandy on July 18, 2007 at 4:12 PM (PDT)
8
My hard drive died and I am in desperate need of this article. It is not clear to me whether or not any of the software included in the article will allow you to recover videos, pictures, tv shows and games that are currently on my 30g ipod. Please help!
Posted by Middie on July 25, 2007 at 9:21 PM (PDT)
9
I get the following error when using CopyTrans. All my songs/artists/playlists show on the screen and I desperately need to copy the contents of my iPod to my itunes...ideas anyone?
System Error: 0002 ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND
CopyTrans Error: Source song not found on iPod.
Posted by outghost on July 27, 2007 at 9:21 AM (PDT)
10
My iTunes doesnt have an “add to library” option. It has both “Add to Library from File” and “Add to Library from Folder”. I use iTunes 7. When I try to use the “Add from Folder” option, I get to the Ipod_Control folder and I can not go any further into it to get to the Music folder. Any ideas? Right now I’m going in to that folder from My Computer and copying all the folders into my iTunes Music folder and copying them in one folder at a time and its taking forever!!! Thanks.
Posted by givemenoise on July 30, 2007 at 8:11 PM (PDT)
11
ok, my problem is that i’m going to be moving to california in a month or so. I can take my Ipod with me but the computer is my mothers. My uncle will have a computer and I may get a laptop. I’m wondering how I can transfer my library to a different computer.
Posted by Ronaldbbbb on August 2, 2007 at 12:03 PM (PDT)
12
Hi, good article but having some small problems.
Managed to get into my ipod’s music folder, which then had a 49 F folders (ie F00 to F49) inside of which are all the music files.
Problem: my itunes is now empty. I tried ‘File Add Folder to Library’ and itunes does nothing?
I picked the entire music folder first, then tried individual F folders, and still nothing happened.
I tried this both on the copy I took of my ipod (to safeguard it in case something happened when I connected to an empty itunes and lost everything!) and also to the actual files on my ipod…
Any ideas?
Thanks - Pete
Posted by petemw2506 on August 6, 2007 at 8:58 AM (PDT)
13
Have you done any reviews on CopyGear for Mac OS X? I am wondering if this is the way to go for my new MacBook. Thanks - Jon
Posted by iJoni on August 7, 2007 at 5:59 PM (PDT)
14
Also if you have any review on iRepoX. Thanks - Jon
Posted by iJoni on August 7, 2007 at 6:28 PM (PDT)
15
I used ipod access to transfer my music from ipod to my laptop. Now I get an error message stating the majority of songs could not be used because the original file could not be found. Can I utilize this material?
Posted by scalpeldoc on August 8, 2007 at 8:11 AM (PDT)
16
my friend just bought an ipod and wants to transfer the music from my ipod to his pc. what software does he need? we have pc’s
Posted by lazysalvadorean on August 14, 2007 at 1:55 AM (PDT)
17
I have never bonded my video ipod to any machine let alone my own macbook but now i want to back up the audio files I have on the Ipod but am afraid they will get wiped when I bond my ipod to the macbook, has anyone any ideas?
Posted by anthonycronin1 on August 15, 2007 at 9:56 AM (PDT)
18
Great article! Though I didn’t make time to read it all, I don’t recall seeing any mention of having to remove the hidden attribute from the Music folder prior to trying the “Add folder to Library...” step? For iTunes 7 anyway, it wouldn’t import it with the folder properties hidden attribute set (used the Windows folder method because I don’t trust other software much).
Does anyone else think that it’s a pretty pathetic attempt to combat music/software piracy by simply using hidden folders?!? HA! What a joke...though I laugh now, I won’t be surprised if upcoming iTunes releases start using some sort of nasty algorithms or encryption. It’ll just make it harder to crack and extract.
Again, great article, a real lifesaver!
Posted by gimmie5 on August 19, 2007 at 12:08 PM (PDT)
19
FYI, for those of you who are trying the “brute-force method” of copying your media files back manually, I found that you have to make sure the folder that contains your music (the iPod_control/music folder in this article) is not a Hidden Folder. If it is, iTunes will not allow you to “Add Folder to Library.” If you right click on the folder (even in your iPod), and select Properties, you can uncheck Hidden as a property and then it should work fine. I just successfully got my entire library back!
Posted by waterguard on August 20, 2007 at 3:09 PM (PDT)
20
Thanks JDH - this article saved me untold hours of reloading my iTunes with 150 CDs and 20 DVDs!
I have a problem still - iTunes Video library does not recognize the 20 movie files that were copied over from the iPod. I asked CopyTrans to copy ALL files and I found the movie files in the iPod Music folder.
I’d appreciate your insights on how to fix this.
Thanks,
JC
Posted by JCPA on August 27, 2007 at 12:09 PM (PDT)
21
My Ipod is formatted for Windows because all my music is on there, but I’m going abroad soon and only taking my laptop which is a mac. I want to move all the files on my laptop over so I can re-format it.
Will Ipoddisk work for that? Or will it only read mac formatted Ipods?
Posted by kpleary on September 4, 2007 at 1:50 PM (PDT)
22
*I want to move all the files on my Ipod over to the mac.*
Posted by kpleary on September 4, 2007 at 1:51 PM (PDT)
23
Last step…
I was able to see all my music files and then when I went to do the final step in Itunes - Add to Library… Itunes could not see the files...so deflated.
I was able to transfer them to my desktop and then tried again… still itunes can not see the files? What is the trick to finally and safely bring my music into the library? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by al*c*a on October 10, 2007 at 5:50 PM (PDT)
24
My Ipod was formatted using Mac.
The Mac is no longer and I want to transfer my Ipod data base onto my Windows/XP desk top. I can seem to find where any of the software listed with allow you to transfer Mac data over to a Windows system. Can anyone advise? Thanks!
Posted by HeyMsDarla on October 13, 2007 at 2:11 PM (PDT)
25
Great software, last pc completely crashed and the only copy of my tunes were in the ipod, now they are back in my itunes on my new pc. Well reccomended.
Posted by christiebhoy on October 21, 2007 at 3:27 AM (PDT)
26
Thanks so much. Your article and especially the step-by-step instructions on how to salvage a hard drive crash (no backup of my music files)was a lifesaver! I was able to successfully export all my music from the iPod to my new hard drive, immediately backed up the music files to an external drive, then allowed iTunes to “erase and sync” the new library with confidence.
As noted by a couple of earlier posters, don’t forget to “unhide” the iPod Control folder(s) or the files will not copy over using the listed procedure.
Posted by mhowie on October 21, 2007 at 7:48 AM (PDT)
27
As posted before by al*c*a, I also followed the instructions exactly and although I could see the hidden folders through Finder, iTunes could not see them. The instructions to select File, Add to Library through iTunes does not work.
You guys need to update your guide. Please do, we need your help!
Posted by skadiwolf on November 4, 2007 at 8:42 AM (PDT)
28
It seems that the iPod / iTunes tools mentioned do not work in iTunes 7.5 to copy AudioBook files from iPod to iTunes. The File/Add Folder to Libarary function and the Transfer Purchases function both act as NoOps if the only content on the iPod is AudioBooks which were imported as .m4b type files. If anyone has ideas about recovering such files to my PC, I’d like to hear them.
Posted by dvhirst on November 27, 2007 at 3:20 PM (PDT)
29
I thought i’d recommend another progra for your ‘Third-Party Software’ list.
iDump - http://www.softpedia.com/get/IPOD-TOOLS/Multimedia-IPOD-tools/iDump.shtml
I’ve been using it for about a year now, and everytime I format my computer, I use iDump to get all my songs back from my iPod. I even use it to give some of my songs to my friends. It’s free and works great. You should consider adding it to your list.
Posted by nematzz on December 19, 2007 at 10:03 PM (PDT)
30
My Ipod/Itunes is using windows XP. When I try and connect my Girlfriend’s Ipod to download my music (not purchased) on Itunes to her Ipod Nano, Her Ipod Nano does not show up in Itunes, even after reset?
Please help.
thank you
Posted by jptravels4fun on December 22, 2007 at 3:47 AM (PDT)
31
Fantastic article!
U made me and my nano friends.
Thanks...to an angle in disguise
Posted by Nano_K on December 23, 2007 at 12:27 PM (PDT)
32
I could not enable disk use from the new i-tunes version...do you think apple has disabled this feature!!!
Posted by mu on December 30, 2007 at 6:51 AM (PDT)
33
I wonder what the drawbacks are to the method I used when I changed computers - prior to getting rid of my old computer, I saved the entire iTunes file from my hard drive onto a external hard drive. Then, after downloading iTunes on the new computer and authorizing it using my account, I simply replaced the iTunes folder on the new computer with the one from the external drive. The only difficulty I had was with music that I did not purchase through iTunes - for these I created a separate file and used the import feature in iTunes; I had to delete the ones that wouldn’t sync with the iPod with the ones that synced with the new folder.
Am I missing something?? Seems like all the complicated steps of transferring music are not necessary....someone who is more tech-literate than I please help if I am setting myself up for a disaster later on.
Happy New Year…
Posted by Consigliere on January 2, 2008 at 2:43 PM (PDT)
34
hi, i managed to transfer my music from ipod to pc using the ‘brute force’ method, adding the ipod music file to the library and copying files to my itunes music folder as i did so. It worked fine, except that only about half the songs have transferred across. There doesn’t seem to be any rationale behind which songs have transferred - even within individual albums some songs have appeared and some have not, so i don’t think it can be to do with formats.
Any ideas why this might have happened and what I can do about it?
Posted by Theopeterson on January 2, 2008 at 3:56 PM (PDT)
35
Great article!!
My question is… i have a pc formatted ipod mini and need to transfer the songs onto a new mac. (obviously i do not have access to my old itunes on my pc) What software is best to use?? i am not a very computer savvy person. please help!!
Posted by okniruzd on January 9, 2008 at 7:32 PM (PDT)
36
If you are trying to recover your music from your iPod, you obviously do not want to select Erase and Sync. Simply click Cancel instead, and your iPod will remain connected to your computer, but the auto-sync process will not run.
I tried this and I can’t ‘see’ the iPOd in My Computer. When I try to run the recovery programme - SharePod it doesn’t find the iPOD. Can anybody help?
Thanks
Posted by John Gerard on January 13, 2008 at 7:47 AM (PDT)
37
I manually installed the music from my ipod to my pc using your instructions and now all of my songs are coming up “original file could not be found”. What did I do wrong and how do I fix this? The only way I can play the songs on my pc is if I have my ipod connected as a disk. The only way I can see to fix it is by selecting one by one “convert selection to AAC” and even some songs are not able to do it. I hate itunes. -_- If I had actually paid for my ipod (it was a gift) I’d want a full refund for the headache it’s been.
Posted by HeatherWillson on January 17, 2008 at 5:40 PM (PDT)
38
heather, I think you need to redo whatever you did to get your music from ipod to pc - except this time:
go to edit, click preferences. Then on the advanced tab, make sure the “Copy files to iTunes Music Folder when adding to library” is ticked.
Then redo what you did, and the files should store in your library folder, and will play on your pc.
Right now, either you have changed the location of the library, and iTunes does not know where the songs are, or they haven’t been copied at all (more probable).
Posted by o.m.w on January 20, 2008 at 1:58 PM (PDT)
39
Is it possible to get ipod games of your ipod and onto your computer thanks
Posted by preliveson on February 2, 2008 at 12:03 PM (PDT)
40
thankyou for that. i switched my computer on this morning to find that everything i owned had gone without a trace. im not ashamed to say i was almost in tears and was ready to re-download all of my 300 songs and movies etc, so this what a big big help.:D I did however loose my movies and tv shows etc and songs that werent on my ipod but im glad that i at least got the majority of my music back
Posted by jackie0hh on February 11, 2008 at 3:50 AM (PDT)
41
I recently tried the Brute-Force Approach, and I couldn’t get the whole folder to transfer. I can only transfer 1 file at a time. This will take too long as I have several thousand to transfer. I was able to move the f01, f02, etc folders on my hard drive music folder, but they do no appear as songs on my iTunes. Any suggestions?
Posted by Zeketradamus on February 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM (PDT)
42
Can anyone give me a free program to do it on an ipod touch please?
Posted by haggarddie on April 11, 2008 at 5:42 PM (PDT)
43
Great article. It was really helpful. However, I’m having a few problems, maybe someone can help?
I tried a bunch of programs (like the ones listed in the article), but they didn’t work. I really want to get one of my playlists on my computer too (and other stuff like the last time played), so I finally just ended up buying CopyTrans, which seemed like a really good program. When I run it though, only some of the songs were transfer. Also, sometimes it will say the iPod’s no longer connected halfway through even though it’s still connected (and it’s in Disk mode). I emailed CopyTrans and they said there were probably errors on my iPod and I had to buy another program that would fix all the errors, but it’s $40 and I’m not willing to pay that much on something I don’t even know will work.
I’m sure there’s a program that’s free that can fix errors? Any ideas? Or suggestions for other good programs that work?
Btw, I tried manually moving my music, but that doesn’t work either and the iPod doesn’t stay “connected”. Thanks for any help!
Posted by fivergirl on April 13, 2008 at 10:21 AM (PDT)
44
THANK YOU!!!! This article was incredibly helpful… especially the pictures
I have an 80g iPod, and got a new laptop… before I read this article, I was trying to transfer my library from my pc to the laptop with an external hard drive without success. I was able to use the “brute-force method” and after reading every portion of the article and the comments and questions left here by other users, I was able to recover my entire library straight from my iPod.
There were a few small details like the “hidden file” selection in comment #19 that were totally key. Once I saw that, I realized how to get my music to finally play without having to leave the iPod plugged into the computer. Before that I could see my list, but nothing would play without the two being connected. Yay!!
Posted by snazzybettie on April 26, 2008 at 6:36 PM (PDT)
45
I just got my first 160 Gig I-pod I love it but my friend loaded it all up for me with his music. I am looking for a recomendation on what softward application to use to back up everything on my external hard drive as well as manage all my none I-tune purchases music. Please help.
Posted by Croket on May 2, 2008 at 6:42 AM (PDT)
46
On Leopard (10.5.2), did the terminal command to “unhide” the files, could see them in Finder, but not in iTunes. Tried various approaches from creating alias links, etc - no luck. Can’t import directly from the iPod until I resolve. Any help (updated guide perhaps?) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
-Float
Posted by Floatbag on May 5, 2008 at 12:15 PM (PDT)
47
I tried the “Brute Force Method” and when i get to the Add to Library option, the hidden folders on my iPod remain hidden (as in, the iPod_control). I did the command through the Terminal, and the folders show up when I’m viewing them in Finder, but not through iTunes. Help!
Posted by sirallanv on May 5, 2008 at 5:36 PM (PDT)
48
I have a Touch ipod. I deleted all my albums. I clicked ‘Manage Manually’ box before I deleted everything. When I connect my ipod, my music is still there. I need it back to my itunes. Help please.
Posted by Jacie on May 7, 2008 at 1:48 AM (PDT)
49
Thanks for this guide. I downloaded Senuti 0.50.1 but that didn’t work, it left me on “Insert your iPod” screen. After fumbling with that, I searched and found a 0.50.2 version. It worked pretty well (It couldn’t recover 1 album, but no problem.) It did recover the rest of my 181 albums though. I’m not sure how long it took, as I wasn’t really expecting it to work, but surely under 1 hour.
Again, thanks for the guide, if it weren’t for it, I wouldn’t have discovered Senuti… (I’ve been searching the whole day and don’t remember hearing Senuti being mentioned) Well, it’s 3:30am, now I can rest. LOL
Bye.
Posted by Jacie on May 7, 2008 at 3:28 AM (PDT)
50
note: i couldn’t add folder from my ipod directly… i had to copy the folder to my harddrive, and then change that folder (and subdirectories and files) to NOT be hidden [use file>properties], then I could add folder in itunes.
Posted by UPDATE instructions on May 7, 2008 at 7:53 AM (PDT)
51
I think the best software to retrieve ipod data is TuneAid (http://www.digidna.net)… Mac and PC and iPhone and Touch supported
Posted by lazy on May 9, 2008 at 3:05 AM (PDT)
52
This is great. However there are a few more things I had to do to get this transfer done.
1. Copy & Paste the Music folder from the Ipod over to another location on the new computer
2. Right click newly copie Music folder and choose Properties, uncheck box for Hidden File. This unhides the file! Itunes will not copy a hiddlen folder to it’s library.
I guess the real point here is you not only have to choose “view Hidden files” you also have to go into the folder’s properties and unselect “hidden file”
Posted by libby on May 11, 2008 at 2:28 PM (PDT)
53
If you are using a pc, copying files from ipod to pc is SIMPLE. Open the ipod from your list of drives. You’ll probably see 3 folders because the one with your music is hidden. Go to TOOLS, folder options and view tab. Select show hidden folders.
Copy those folders to another folder and import that folder into Itunes. I don’t know why anyone would use software to do this. It’s pretty simple.
Posted by mo on May 14, 2008 at 9:51 AM (PDT)
54
Great article, thanks. I’d love to see a similar one for Podcast (receiving) software. iTunes just seems so limited.
Posted by iPhoner on May 14, 2008 at 11:47 AM (PDT)
55
Back in January (’08) my system crashed and I had to run a recovery on my pc. After finding this article I put the process of transferring the music from my ipod back on to my computer off for three months because this guide seemed so long and stated that the manual process was “involved”.
But, just to piggyback on mo’s post on May 14 - The article is great and I am glad I now know how the ‘innerds’ of my ipod work but, I feel like I had to read through too much just to get to literally the 3 - 4 simple steps of the “brute-force method”. Software is DEFINITELY not necessary.
Posted by Princess on May 15, 2008 at 2:21 PM (PDT)
56
I tried several solutions. On my XP box with iTunes 7, I just used iDump. Worked like a charm first time. FREE!!! Rockin’ good.
Posted by iWasPizzedOffUntilNow on May 15, 2008 at 4:15 PM (PDT)