Powerbook and Windows iPod?

[Mach D]

I am planning to buy a Powerbook soon.

Now I have an iPod formatted to Windows. I realize I will have to reformat the iPod for Mac use but I have 6000 songs and it took several weeks to rip all my CDs to my computer. I sure as hell don't want to do that again.

Other that DVD/CD burning, how can I easily transfer this music? Can I use my iPod as a Hard Drive and just move all the files to the Mac?

Help

[exhibitionist]

I am planning to buy a Powerbook soon.

Now I have an iPod formatted to Windows. I realize I will have to reformat the iPod for Mac use but I have 6000 songs and it took several weeks to rip all my CDs to my computer. I sure as hell don't want to do that again.

Other that DVD/CD burning, how can I easily transfer this music? Can I use my iPod as a Hard Drive and just move all the files to the Mac?

HelpPut the files on your iPod, and treat the iPod as an external HDD when doing so. Do not use iTunes to put the songs on your iPod. Macs can read FAT32 formatted drives, so it should be cool. Worked for me.

[quagmire]

Do not use iTunes to put the songs on your iPod. Macs can read FAT32 formatted drives, so it should be cool. Worked for me.

iTunes is the only way to put songs on the ipod. iTunes is so easy to use. Just plug in and it will start downloading songs to ipod.

[dolphin842]

I was in a similar situation, switching to Mac, with a FAT32 iPod.

As others have said, your iPod should work in FAT32 mode just fine. However, if you want to move your music from your iPod to your new Mac iTunes library, you can use a program called iPodRip. It's shareware, but it lets you use full functionality for the first 10 launches. I used it to transfer my library from my iPod to my Mac. It kept all the data, including album art and play counts. No re-ripping or manual file-dragging required!

It's very important, though, that when you first plug the iPod into your new mac, to tell iTunes NOT to sync the iPod with your mac's library when it asks, because your mac's library is initially empty and syncing will wipe out all the music currently on your iPod.

Once I transferred my library to my Mac, I took the opportunity to reformat my iPod, but that's not required. (I just wanted to get rid of any Microsoft-related disk format! :D). Of course, as with any disk re-formatting, be sure to back up before you do so.

~Roy

[yoda13]

iTunes is the only way to put songs on the ipod. iTunes is so easy to use. Just plug in and it will start downloading songs to ipod.

He can still use it as an external hard drive and copy music that way without using iTunes. It won't copy without a third party program if he tries to rip his tunes off the iPod without mounting it as an external hard drive. He won't be able to play the music that way, but he can copy it over and place it in his library this way.

[Mach D]

I'm gonna be a total noob here and ask if I would be able to pull the files from my windows network once I get the Mac. The files are already on my PC, would I just be able to put the files on a network or share the files and pull them using the Mac?

Any downfalls to this?

[solvs]

You can network a Mac and a PC with a regular CAT5 cable and share files, or add the Mac to an already setup PC network. Do a thread search for some hints on how to make this process easier. Works just like regular network sharing.

[chameeeleon]

Yeah, the easiest way to do it is to consolidate your iTunes library (Advanced - Consolidate Library on Windows) and then just drag the "iTunes" folder in "My Music" onto your iPod. Then plug your iPod into your new Powerbook, and drag that folder into the "Music" folder on your Mac (its in the Finder sidebar by default). That way all of your playlists, play counts, etc. are still there, as well as all of your songs! I've done this twice, and it works perfectly. :)

[alexstein]

I did the same thing. I purchased an iBook a couple of weeks ago and networked my pc with my new iBook. All my songfiles, pictures and video got over to my iBook without any problems. Might be a good time to clean everything out you don't want. After that I just reformated my iPod and resynced it with my iTunes library.

[603]

iTunes is the only way to put songs on the ipod. iTunes is so easy to use. Just plug in and it will start downloading songs to ipod.

Ephpod (http://www.ephpod.com)?

[Mach D]

Yeah, the easiest way to do it is to consolidate your iTunes library (Advanced - Consolidate Library on Windows) and then just drag the "iTunes" folder in "My Music" onto your iPod. Then plug your iPod into your new Powerbook, and drag that folder into the "Music" folder on your Mac (its in the Finder sidebar by default). That way all of your playlists, play counts, etc. are still there, as well as all of your songs! I've done this twice, and it works perfectly. :)

Thanks guys, I was really scared I'd have to do that all again.

My music is already all consolidated by artist > album. Thanks for the tip.

[lofiunico]

just a comment but firewire at 400mb/s or usb 2.0 at 480mb/s are both faster than 100mb/s network...if you have a ton of songs it might be faster to just connect it. unless you have gigabit, in which case this comment does not apply and i am very jealous of you

[earthtoandy]

do you have firewire on the pc? if so this is simple. connect them by firewire.. use target disk mode and transfer the files to the mac hard drive. it will take a couple minutes. the ipod is an unessecary middle man

you will want this program called macdrive...
http://www.mediafour.com/

[DJY]

I'm gonna be a total noob here and ask if I would be able to pull the files from my windows network once I get the Mac. The files are already on my PC, would I just be able to put the files on a network or share the files and pull them using the Mac?

Any downfalls to this?

There are lots of ways to get files over... network them or...
what I ended up doing - was after I copied all my songs off my iPod onto my Powerbook...
I then used the iPod as a 40GB External Hard drive to get the rest of my data! Firewire both ends - which made it all nice and quick.

Initially tried networking the two machines - but Windoze gave me problems... then rather than buy a new Firewire cable - just used the iPod.

[Mechcozmo]

Run SyncOTunes on the Mac, it will try to syncronise your libraries but that will mean instead that it will copy it all to the Mac. Then, connect the iPod and let it be wiped...all the songs will replaced with it from the Mac.