How to get music from ipod onto computer?

emmiemac

Hi,

Was wondering if anyone could help me on this one.

I have a load of music on my ipod that I got from my computer, but recently I lost everything on the computer and had to reinstall the lot. I've got problems with my ipod battery and am about to send it off to apple and have been told that I will lose all the music from it.

So bascially I am looking to find a way of getting the music that is on my ipod on to the computer so that I don't lose it all for good, ideally onto itunes as this is what I use.

Not very clever at all this stuff I'm afraid so any help will need to be put as simply as possible!

Thanks very much

Ashok_2

http://www.engadget.com/2004/11/02/how-to-get-music-off-your-ipod/

Moneymaker

http://www.podcaststingers.com/links.htm

JustCharlie

you don't need to download any software

i was having a play around with my ipod video a while ago and relaised that you can still access the music.

plug in your ipod and open the external drive window from my computer.
go to file and select show hidden folders.
Four foldes will appear.
on opening them you will see they appear empty but select all four and copy them into a new folder on your desktop

now go back into itunes and select 'add folder to library'
scan your newly created folder
theres no picking and choosing. all the music from your ipod will be added to itunes and it may take a long time to complete. however you can always delete stuff you don't want aferwards

i'm not sure of the legality of this but if you already own the music and are just copying it from an old pc to a new on using your ipod then surely thats legal?

bluenose1

JustCharlie wrote:

you don't need to download any software


plug in your ipod and open the external drive window from my computer.
go to file and select show hidden folders.
Four foldes will appear.
on opening them you will see they appear empty but select all four and copy them into a new folder on your desktop

How do you open external drive window from "my computer" I can't see it as an option.?

JustCharlie

bluenose1 wrote:

How do you open external drive window from "my computer" I can't see it as an option.?

heres a more detailed step by step for all you iPod loving MSEs

i'll assume your operating on xp.

if you open my computer you should have the window divided into four or five horizontal sections.
under the title 'devices with removable storage should be your optical drive
if you then plug in your ipod now, a new drive should appear next to it. It will either be labled the same as you ipod (eg JustCharlie's iPod) or just have a letter (normaly '(F:)' )

NB If you do certain things eg close itunes or open the drive and then come out again the icon wil dissapear. in this case just unplug your ipod and plub it in again

double click this icon to open the ipod drive.

depending on the settings of your computer you will see either four folders or nothing at all

If you see no folders: Click 'tools' > 'folder options...' > 'view' and make sure 'show hidden files and folders' is checked in the list.
Click 'apply' > 'ok'

If you open these folders they will also appear empty. However fear not!

Select all four folders and copy them to a new folder on your desktop

Now open itunes
click 'file' > 'add folder to library...'
locate your newley created folder 'should be under 'desktop'
click ok

itunes will now scan these 'empty' folders adding all you lovely music to your library :T

Hope this helps. Post back if you need more info

JustCharlie

JustCharlie

One more tip:

because of the nature of this method. at one point the entire contents of your ipod is copied to the desktop. so if you have a full 80gb ipod for example you will have 80gb of hidden songs on your desktop. so make sure you've got plenty of storage.

also because of the default way in which itunes is set up if you delete these folders you will loose the music from itunes.

to get round this in itunes:
click 'edit' > 'preferences' > 'advanced' and make sure the 'keep itunes organised' and 'copy files to itunes...' options are checked

this way you can safely delete the files from your desktop when you are finished and decide within itunes which songs you keep.

emmiemac

Thanks very much indeed for your help JustCharlie.

Have got it all copied over.

Definately needed the step by step instructions!