Broken Mac -- how do I get purchased iTunes songs onto PC?

[bbrigmon]

I spilled Coca-Cola on my iMac - killing it. There are hundreds of songs I purchased on iTunes sitting on that Mac that I can't access. (1) Can I use the "Check for Available Downloads" feature in the iTunes store to regenerate all of these songs on my PC? (2) What are my other options (other than purchasing another Mac) for regaining access to these songs? Thanks!

[gnasher729]

I spilled Coca-Cola on my iMac - killing it. There are hundreds of songs I purchased on iTunes sitting on that Mac that I can't access. (1) Can I use the "Check for Available Downloads" feature in the iTunes store to regenerate all of these songs on my PC? (2) What are my other options (other than purchasing another Mac) for regaining access to these songs? Thanks!

You won't get the songs from iTunes. But Coca-Cola won't have killed your hard drive. If you didn't have a backup, the first step would be to find someone else who has a Mac and try if your Mac can start in "target drive mode" - in that mode, it basically lets another Mac access the iMac's hard drive, and you can copy everything over. Next step, if the iMac is absolutely dead and cannot be fixed, you can remove the hard drive, plug it into an external case, and copy everything from there. It also gives you a nice external drive for your next computer.

[Gasu E.]

I spilled Coca-Cola on my iMac - killing it. There are hundreds of songs I purchased on iTunes sitting on that Mac that I can't access. (1) Can I use the "Check for Available Downloads" feature in the iTunes store to regenerate all of these songs on my PC? (2) What are my other options (other than purchasing another Mac) for regaining access to these songs? Thanks!


Did you load them onto your iPod? If so, search the web for directions on how to--carefully-- open your iPod as an external drive and copy the songs to a PC. Be sure to read the directions thoroughly first, as you could wipe your iPod if you are careless.

[phairphan]

I think it might even be simpler than all of this. If you authorize iTunes on the PC with your ITMS credentials, when you plug in your iPod on the PC and try to sync it will prompt you that there are purchased songs on the iPod that aren't in iTunes and then asks if you would like to transfer them.

It has been awhile since I've done this, so my memory may be a bit foggy. I would wait to try this until someone else here can confirm. Otherwise, you may wipe your iPod clean.

[Consultant]

Got a photo? How did you spill your drink?

I think it might even be simpler than all of this. If you authorize iTunes on the PC with your ITMS credentials, when you plug in your iPod on the PC and try to sync it will prompt you that there are purchased songs on the iPod that aren't in iTunes and then asks if you would like to transfer them.

It has been awhile since I've done this, so my memory may be a bit foggy. I would wait to try this until someone else here can confirm. Otherwise, you may wipe your iPod clean.

No. Only apps sync.
Update: see the other post.

[JSAYER]

Got a photo? How did you spill your drink?



No. Only apps sync.

Are you sure? It was a while ago but I remember being surprised by the songs that I purchased on iTunes being transferred over.

[Consultant]

Are you sure? It was a while ago but I remember being surprised by the songs that I purchased on iTunes being transferred over.

Hum guess that's new. I found the link: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848
You used to have to fill out a form.

Anyway, found it under http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/

[kbfr08]

I spilled Coca-Cola on my iMac - killing it. There are hundreds of songs I purchased on iTunes sitting on that Mac that I can't access. (1) Can I use the "Check for Available Downloads" feature in the iTunes store to regenerate all of these songs on my PC? (2) What are my other options (other than purchasing another Mac) for regaining access to these songs? Thanks!

Give your mac a bath in isopropyl alcohol (I use 97%), scrub it really well. Dry it with a blow dryer, wait a few hours incase any alcohol is left, then power it up. I spilled pepsi on my macbook, and it's still going strong after 3 years.

Just be sure to only give the logic board a bath ;).

[xi mezmerize ix]

are the same songs on an ipod? if so, there is tons of freeware out there to get the songs onto a computer