One ipod, two computers/two itunes - problems? (1 Viewer)

[Jon_Are]

I currently have itunes installed on my desktop; I'm just now thinking I should slap it onto my laptop as well.

1. Transferring my music: can I simply copy the files to an external drive, then to the laptop? Or back up the library within itunes to the drive, then restore the files from the laptop's itunes?

2. Once up and running, will each version of itunes recognize my one ipod without too much trouble?

Note: >90% of my music is on CDs I own.

I'm sure more questions will arise.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Greg_S_H]

If you're networked, you should just be able to transfer it to an external drive and point both copies of iTunes to the folders on that drive. That way, you'll have all your songs once and won't have to use double the space. If the songs are already on your desktop, and you're networked, no transferring should be necessary.

I am pretty sure you can update the iPod on either copy of iTunes you want, but you'll want to make sure you have the same songs checked on each or your iPod if you don't want your iPod to undergo a big change every time you use another copy of iTunes.

 

[Jon_Are]

Thanks, Greg.

Yeah, I'm networked. As an experiment, I dragged one song onto the public folder in the desktop, then went to the laptop and was able to access it and play it within itunes. So far, so good.

However...

When I played the tune from the desktop itunes, it noted that the file had been moved and I had to point to its new location. Not a big deal, if it's only one song.

Is there a way, once I've re-located the entire library, to tell my desktop itunes where ALL the new files are??

If so, this may be the way to go.

Jon

 

[Doug_H]

Jon

I have several computers sharing the itunes library by sharing the data files from the original computer. I always rip new music from the main computer and the rest are updated as they all use the same file. No moving or finding files.

 

[Greg_S_H]

That I don't know. There may be a way, but the best thing I could suggest would be to either make your current music directories shareable, or you could delete everything from iTunes, move your songs, and then readd them from the new location. You'd lose playcount that way, and everything you had unchecked would be checked as they were added. I'd hold off on this until someone can confirm or deny a way to let iTunes know you've changed locations.

 

[Jon_Are]

Is this within Vista? If I'm not mistaken, a file needs to be in a public folder in Vista in order to be shared (which would require me moving it/them).

Jon

 

[questrider]

I've been using iTunes for years and as far as I know, there is no way to tell iTunes where your new files are simply because your library could be stored in several different directories and then this would screw up everything. What you can do is consolidate your library using "Advanced > Consolidate Library". This won't "move" it, but it will "copy" it to a new directory, consolidating all of your music in one directory (if it is in different ones as my original collection was), re-connecting all the files' paths. Then you can simply go and delete the original directories.

 

[Jon_Are]

Thanks, Brian.

Problem is, if I consolidated, the files would not be in a public folder, so they could not be shared (in Vista). If I then moved them to a public folder, the laptop itunes wouldn't be able to find them without me telling it each time I try to play a song.

Am I making sense??

Jon

 

[Greg_S_H]

Is there not a way in Vista to make an existing folder shared/public, or are the files in a folder you just don't want to have shared? If you've only recently installed iTunes on the laptop, couldn't you just delete the entries you've made and drag the files from your public folder to there?

 

[questrider]

Why couldn't you consolidate the files to a public folder? Under Edit > Preferences > Advanced > General, you choose the "iTunes Music folder location" where iTunes stores your files. It doesn't have to be in the default My Documents > My Music > iTunes folder.

Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with Vista?

 

[Jon_Are]

These both sound like reasonable suggestions, I'll try them and check back in.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Jon_Are]

That did the trick, Brian. Many thanks.

Jon