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hkriffraff

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 6, 2003
185
1
My iPod's "home" computer is my powerbook. Is there any way to get it also working with a PC without having to reformat it?
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,837
850
Location Location Location
I'd reformat the iPod on a WinXP machine, plug it back into the Mac, reload all the songs onto the iPod, and as long as you also have your songs on your PC, you can use your iPod on both the Mac and PC.

Your iPod won't work on a PC if you format it with a Mac because WinXP can't recognize the way it stores info on a Mac formatted harddrive (because Windows is stupid).

I don't think I answered your question exactly, but no, your PC won't be able to read your iPod if the HD is Mac formatted. Macs can read FAT32. Just reformat it once using your PC, and from then on both your Mac and PC won't have trouble reading it.
 

JLS

macrumors 6502
Aug 8, 2004
281
0
Kent, England
Abstract said:
I'd reformat the iPod on a WinXP machine, plug it back into the Mac, reload all the songs onto the iPod, and as long as you also have your songs on your PC, you can use your iPod on both the Mac and PC.

Your iPod won't work on a PC if you format it with a Mac because WinXP can't recognize the way it stores info on a Mac formatted harddrive (because Windows is stupid).

I don't think I answered your question exactly, but no, your PC won't be able to read your iPod if the HD is Mac formatted. Macs can read FAT32. Just reformat it once using your PC, and from then on both your Mac and PC won't have trouble reading it.


Well yes - remember to select FAT32 when formatting.. the default filing system for XP is NTFS.
 

hkriffraff

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 6, 2003
185
1
If I reformat with my PC, will it then become my "Home" computer by default?

Basically, my situation is that I use a Mac at home and a PC at work. All my music is stored on my home computer, but I would like to be able to use my iPod
for file storage & transfer between work & home.
 
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