Transfer Songs from an iPod Onto a Computer
Have you ever had the desire to add the songs from your iPod onto another computer? If you're human and you have an iPod, you probably have. Unfortunately, the iPod is designed to allow only limited transfers. Here is a way around this. This article will explain how to do this using iTunes. It is also possible to copy music from your iPod to your computer using 3rd party software.
Steps
- Connect the iPod to Computer Transfer it normally gets synced to. In iTunes, under Devices (in the source pane), select your iPod.
- Under the iPod’s summary, select Enable Disk Use.
- In the computer that you want to transfer music to, open iTunes, go to edit>preferences>advanced, and make sure Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized and Copy files to iTunes Music Folder when adding to library are checked. If they are not checked, check them.
- Close iTunes. This is very important, because later when you connect your iPod, it could auto sync and delete all the songs on your ipod (iTunes normally warns you in such cases, but it’s better safe than sorry!)
- Make sure you can view hidden files, so go to MyComputer>Tools>Folder Options>View, then scroll down until you see Hidden Files and Folders. Click on Show hidden files and folders, if it is not already applied. Click OK. If you are using Windows Vista Home Premium, you will need to go to Control Panel>Folder Options>View.
- Connect the iPod. iTunes may ask if you want to link your iPod to this new computer. Click No.
- Go to MyComputer. You should see the iPod as a removable device (since you enabled disk use). Click on your iPod.
- Open iPod Control. You will see a folder called music.
- Right click on the music folder, click properties. In the general tab, in the attribute section, uncheck Read-only and Hidden.
- A message should pop-up that says “Confirm Attribute Changes,” select apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files.
- Right-click on the music folder and select copy.
- Navigate to MyMusic. Open the iTunes folder, and open iTunes music. Click paste. Chill a bit.
- In iTunes, File>Add Folder to Library…>My Music>Itunes> Music; click add. Voila! You should see a whole bunch of music come in, iTunes will give names to all the songs (since the file names are random four letter names--the file names are still within the file) and organize them.
- Authorize any songs you have bought from the iTunes store. Log into iTunes, and click authorize. You can authorize up to five computers.
Warnings
- Make sure you never have your iPod connected with the iTunes open on the computer it hasn't been synced to. Doing this might cause you to lose your music.
