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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 7:54am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

do any of you with IPods know how to transfer your entire Ipod library to an external hard drive and still be able to easily sync the damn thing when you plug said damn thing into your laptop?? I seem to be having some issues with this and now have the whole library back on my laptop. The one caveat is, a portion of the library is from someone elses ipod library (my wife's) which I have on a memory stick. My Ipod library is now over 20gigs and I dont want it to stay on my laptop forever as it grows and grows :)

any help/comments would be appreciated.

(and yes, i know i should have a bigger hard drive on my laptop than 120 gigs - hindsight is 20/20)

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Poster: Earl B. Powell Date: Jul 9, 2009 8:04am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

any help/comments would be appreciated

Well, it starts with no room on the laptop, then they start stealing the covers in the middle of the night. Next thing you know, they're burning the bacon...in more ways than one. Sooner or later you'll be trading sports for reality TV and daytime dramas. Then comes the minivan.

You don't have these kind of issues with cows.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 8:19am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

yeeeesh.... thanks for ruining my day Earl


;)



(although, the wife is a huge Big Brother fan - so i am totally FUCKED tonite - and not in good way)



mmmmooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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Poster: Earl B. Powell Date: Jul 9, 2009 8:25am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Actually, I have had similar issues with I-Tunes and it appears that neither I-tunes or Windows Media Players can tell the difference between files and playlists. I've attempted all kinds of ways to store my music files all in one area and can't seem to accomplish that goal. I think the main problem occurs when you select the default player for certain types of music file extensions and it starts converting and creating playlists in the format it plays in.

This is probably the source of your issue, but I haven't found a way to resolve it for my own purposes.

Fortunately, I dont think it applies to my FLAC files which seem to stay in order since i never create playlists within Winamp. Only use it to burn.

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Poster: spacedface Date: Jul 9, 2009 8:51am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

In iTunes I manage my own music to prevent the program from fooling around.

Have you tried SharePod or similar utilities? You can at least make a backup of your iPod on another computer -- because until you get the hang of it having an exact copy of the files is handy.

If you use SharePod you need to work with the built-in playlist file, which is like the desktop databse that the iPod "Finder" organizes with. You have to be careful with syncing in iTunes too, again manage your own music. I only use Sharepod for the backup and use a custom playlist in iTunes -- shuffle things in & out on that playlist then sync manually.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:27am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

thanks spaced. i havent even thought of using sharepod (and never seen it in action) - but that is a GREAT idea to check out and atleast make a total backup of all the music files (great idea). i think part of the problem may be the 13 gigs worth of tunes i "pilfered" from my wife's laptop :)

itunes certainly doesnt seem to like being two or three places at once.

i am definitely going to take your suggestion though and make use of/play with that application (after a totally backing the files up, of course)

thanks again :)

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Poster: spacedface Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:26pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

RE: iTunes many places at once

Any iTunes install just refers to what you give it, and you can use any playlist even if the files are not present, or you can throw files from peripheral devices onto a local playlist.

I only use Sharepod for downloading audio off an iPod, because I like iTunes features -- except I don't want it managing my life based on they made deals with Hollywood. If it's my music, I can use it wherever I want!

If you want to backup your music, you might also use 3-4 data DVDs and/or a hard drive that iTunes and WiMP don't know about.

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Poster: Mandojammer Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:47am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

dire, EBP -

Here's my $.02, maybe $11,678.92 with the hyperinflation that the stimulus plan(s) seem destined to cause.

But I digress.......

Take control, put all of your music files in one folder with sub-folders for each artist or band.

DO NOT LET iTUNES DO THIS FOR YOU!!!.

I have all of my music on two external 2 TB hard drives, with each backed up to the other.

Select one hard drive to be the "source" folder location for your iTunes library. Go into iTunes, selct 'File', "Add Folder" then navigate to the hard drive of your choice, highlight the folders you want imported and there you have it. Be careful with mass folder adds since some of the data iTunes uses to sort and file in the library is missing from the song(s). It's best to check each folder's contents' properties to make sure each file (song) has the same filing properties. Right click on the file, select 'Properties', select 'Summary' and edit as needed.

My file convention is:

Artist: Grateful Dead
Album Title: GD - 1969-42-22 The Ark (SBD - Miller 88466), Boston, MA

This works for me, but there are other filing conventions that will work. You know, the whole Baskin-Robbins 31 thingie.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:20am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

thanks Mando!! I am beginning to lose control of my itunes library, so that is a good idea (along with those articles Clash posted). Something must be done... and soon :)


Hey, I hope your physical rehabilitation is going well my friend. Hopefully the pain has subsided some. At least enough to allow you to enjoy the painkillers without wasting them entirely on the pain itself ;)

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Poster: jackstraw86 Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:53am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

I'm with Spaced on this. I got Sharepod a few weeks ago and I don't even use iTunes anymore. You can even hook up both iPods to the same computer at the same time and move music from one iPod to the other. I hated iTunes with a passion. I manage all my music using Sharepod and have it stored similarly to what Mando suggested.

iTunes = :(
Sharepod = :))))

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 11:54am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

thanks man - nice to get a "2nd" positive on using that program - guess me gonna get dat!

Reply [edit]

Poster: spacedface Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:35pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

iTunes is great for managing metadata info tags and ripping and conversions. I just don't like the way they manage iPods.

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Poster: clashcity Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:14am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

No experience with iTunes or iPod given my anti-Apple tendencies. Either way it would seem logical that you could make backup, transfer or otherwise move the files from one location to another without using iTunes.

Usually these applications are somewhat limited in what they enable you do, or try to make you do it their way.

So why not cut out the middle man and just do a search for *.mp3 and/or *.m4a (iTunes extension when it converts files I reckon) and then just copy those files somewhere else.

I'll assume you are using Windows XP:

Start > Search

in the field for "All or Part of the file name:" enter *.mp3

it will find all mp3 files on the computer.

CTRL+A to Select All
CTRL+C to Copy

Browse to new location/folder

CTRL+V to Paste

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:25am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

i am able to copy the files to an external, but when syncing, the silly ipod doesnt always look in the right place (or so it seems). it apparently gets pissed when not ALL of the files are on my laptop.



(and yes, i am definitely computer stupid)

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Poster: clashcity Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:32am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Can't you just tell iTunes where the music files are located, thus changing the location of the library. Then iTunes will always look to the external for new files, etc.

In that same line of thinking you'd setup your rip, etc setting to always put the files on the external.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:14am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

tried that once but probably did something wrong - i must fiddle some more :)

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Poster: fenario80 Date: Jul 9, 2009 4:54pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Actually I think that move is impossible - I had a weird glitch last year where I re-aattached the hard drive and my computer suddenly and spontaneously gave it a new letter designation, as though it had never seen it before.

I tried really hard to find the library path in itunes and just couldn't find it - instead I had to delete everything and start over from scratch.

itunes definitely won't follow if you move files from place to place: you will have to delete the originals from itunes and then add them again from the new location. It's a pain in the ass, but probably worth it if you want to know where everything is. The guy who said never ever let itunes manage the music is dead on - you should always select the manual management option

It should be mentioned in this thread somewhere that, even though I am doing the same thing that several of you are - that is, keeping all of my music on the external hard drive and pointing itunes at it - I'm pretty sure that this is not recommended by your drive manufacturer. The external drive is really more for "cold storage" and too much activity may be too much for it.

Disclaimer: I am not a tech guy, so take that for what it's worth, but I'm pretty sure that itunes killed my first external drive by overworking it ...

I just ordered a second 1T MyBook so I can back up the first one - I used to do it on DVD but realized that at this point I would need 150+ DVD's to back up everything.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 10, 2009 5:48am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

you may be right - i failed AGAIN in my attempt. however, like you, i am not a tech guy and maybe i am doing something wrong.

your second point just may be worth some serious consideration though. considering i have a lot of "irreplaceable stuff" on all my externals, and I update my ipod many times every couple of weeks, i DO NOT want extra stress placed on those said harddrives. good point Fernario!! discretion is the better part of valor. thanks

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:30am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

can transfer the tunes no problem - it is just in re-syncing them to the ipod itself.

and you are right - Apple wants things done THEIR way or no way ;) worth the hassle though for a walk around music player that holds 120 gigs.



(using Vista, not XP - maybe THAT is part of the issue - lol)

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:53am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Yeah, Vista is often a troublesome beast.

So, can't help with the synch aspect, but having to access and futz with three diff ipod devices thru one laptop, I have found the "manual" approach in which you don't let the system "do anything" works well. I go into the folders and find the "library" and BU that, and then can access it as a "new folder" for a diff ipod if I want to dump those tunes into it by just "add folder" command and so on.

Not sure this helps, and maybe that's what folks above were sayiing.

Bottom line is the manual approach is the only way to go...

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:18am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

yeah - since my daughter has infiltrated my laptop and has "demanded" some of her music be stored in my itunes libray, manual is going to become a necessity (unless I want Lady Gaga, the Jonas Brothers, et al on my ipod)


:)

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 9, 2009 4:40pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Oh, well...that is just an added BONUS of this approach...

Yuk.

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Poster: clashcity Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:45am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Screen shots are from a Mac but I assume same options exist. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449 This should also help. http://lifehacker.com/238296/ultranewb--how-to-move-your-itunes-library-to-an-external-drive edit - also it'd be well worth the 50 bucks to pre-purchase the Windows 7 upgrade. http://promotions.newegg.com/Microsoft/Windows7/PreSale/index.html?cm_sp=Homepage_Top_Right-_-Windows7/PreSale-_-http%3a%2f%2fpromotions.newegg.com%2fMicrosoft%2fWindows7%2fPreSale%2f362x130.jpg
This post was modified by clashcity on 2009-07-09 16:45:30

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:16am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

SWEET ARTICLES!!!! now why did I never see those (answer: because i am dumb)

thank you VERY much Clash!

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Poster: spacedface Date: Jul 9, 2009 10:41pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

You should bookmark LifeHacker, it's very handy.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 10, 2009 5:54am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

i did :)

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Poster: clashcity Date: Jul 9, 2009 1:01pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Glad to help.

Just gotta ask google the right question the right way I reckon.

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Jul 12, 2009 5:20pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

Hey Clash - the moving of my entire iPod library to an external ended up working like a charm!!!! thank you very much for those links - my now roomier laptop hard drive and I are most appreciative!! everything now added to the itunes goes straight to the external and not the laptop :)


and thanks to everyone else too - lots of great hints and ideas!!

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Poster: clashcity Date: Jul 9, 2009 9:40am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

"Apple wants things done THEIR way or no way"

Pretty much why I can't stand their products.

Microsoft might be evil and all, but at least I can make up my own mind as to how I accomplish a task.

Unfortunately, iPod and Zune are really the only 2 players in that greater than 30 GB space.

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Poster: spacedface Date: Jul 13, 2009 8:50pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: IPod question - (kinda dead related)

iTunes is pretty good actually. Before someone gave me an iPod I used a Creative MP3 player and used it like an external drive Windows explorer.

You can do the same with SharePod and an iPod as a workaround to Apple's system that Hollywood required to license music. But you have to work on the default playlist in Sharepod so the iPod can see your mp3s.