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iPod Multiple iPods on one Mac

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SilentFeline

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 5, 2009
9
0
Hello everyone,

I haven't posted anything in a while but I need some help. I apologize ahead of time if this question seems ridiculous. I know nearly nothing about iTunes and Mac technology. :eek:

I am going to get a new iPod soon and I want to have my iTunes library on my boyfriend's MacBook. He already has a library for his own iPod so I looked up how to use multiple iPods with different libraries on the same Mac. I found this from the Apple website: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1495 We decided that method 3 would probably be the easiest, but I have a few questions. First, does this method work if you do not have a library to start with? My iPod will be brand new and will not have any songs on it and I noticed that method 3 entails adding media files, so would I be able to start my own library using method 3? Also, since it is my boyfriend's MacBook, will I have my own separate iTunes account or will we just have separate libraries using this method? I'm asking this because I want to know if I will be able to buy and download my own songs from the iTunes store or CDs without issue. Would it just be easier to have our own separate user accounts, as in method 1?

Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)
 
gnasher729

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
SilentFeline said:
Hello everyone,

I haven't posted anything in a while but I need some help. I apologize ahead of time if this question seems ridiculous. I know nearly nothing about iTunes and Mac technology. :eek:

I am going to get a new iPod soon and I want to have my iTunes library on my boyfriend's MacBook. He already has a library for his own iPod so I looked up how to use multiple iPods with different libraries on the same Mac. I found this from the Apple website: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1495 We decided that method 3 would probably be the easiest, but I have a few questions. First, does this method work if you do not have a library to start with? My iPod will be brand new and will not have any songs on it and I noticed that method 3 entails adding media files, so would I be able to start my own library using method 3? Also, since it is my boyfriend's MacBook, will I have my own separate iTunes account or will we just have separate libraries using this method? I'm asking this because I want to know if I will be able to buy and download my own songs from the iTunes store or CDs without issue. Would it just be easier to have our own separate user accounts, as in method 1?

Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)
Click to expand...

I think the best method would be to create a second "user" on your friend's Macintosh (in System Preferences, click on "Account", click on "Unlock", click on "+" and just enter a new user name and password). The Macintosh is then set up for two completely separate users. So you will automatically have separate iTunes libraries, just as you have everything separate.

On the other hand, you could just use the same library. Create playlists with the music that you like, and playlists with the music your boyfriend likes. You can tell iTunes which playlists go onto which iPod.
 
S

SilentFeline

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 5, 2009
9
0
Thanks a lot for your reply! I think I want to try creating new playlists, but I still have a few questions. When I plug in my iPod will it automatically go to the playlist I have created for it or will I need to select it? I'm just so used to having a separate account and having all of my music pop right up without me having to do anything. Also, would I download and buy music the same way as I would for a separate account?

Oh, and if I did decide to make a new user account, do you have any idea if it would make my bf's Mac run slower? I had a Windows machine with multiple accounts years ago and...well, I guess you can pretty much guess the rest. :p I have never tried it on a Mac.

Thanks for your help! It's much appreciated! :)
 
Last edited:
B

brucem91

macrumors 6502
Dec 9, 2009
257
0
SilentFeline said:
Thanks a lot for your reply! I think I want to try creating new playlists, but I still have a few questions. When I plug in my iPod will it automatically go to the playlist I have created for it or will I need to select it? I'm just so used to having a separate account and having all of my music pop right up without me having to do anything. Also, would I download and buy music the same way as I would for a separate account?

Oh, and if I did decide to make a new user account, do you have any idea if it would make my bf's Mac run slower? I had a Windows machine with multiple accounts years ago and...well, I guess you can pretty much guess the rest. :p I have never tried it on a Mac.

Thanks for your help! It's much appreciated! :)
Click to expand...
Well, the slow down could be if you were simply "switching users", and not fully logging off of his account. When you hit switch user, it still keeps everything he has open in ram, hence the slow down. I wouldn't worry about the slow down with multiple accounts. I would just use separate accounts, as it just makes working with multiple iTunes libraries that much easier.
 
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