Backup to iPod pre-Panther install

[killmoms]

Far and away the largest amount of space on my new PowerBook G4 is taken up by my MP3 collection. However, I'm excited about Panther and really want to get it on here. My iPod is currently holding all my music, but still has 3.3GB left free, which is more than enough to hold my still small collection of irreplacable documents, pictures, and so on.

My question is this; when I clean install Panther after moving my files over to the iPod, how can I get the music back off? I realize I could format the music from the iPod and move it over as files, but the data's already there. Could someone point me to a good utility to use to grab the music back off?

Also (and this is the most important), when I boot up Panther and plug in the iPod, will it erase the music from it, since the iTunes library on the comp is empty? Or, will it think it's "someone else's" iPod and not do anything to it, allowing me to use a utility to move the music to the hard drive and flow it into iTunes?

--Cless

 

[Frisco]

Several things you could do here:

First off use ipodrip to get your music off your pod ipod rip

Why not just copy your entire Home Folder to your ipod so you will save the playlist info and everything else. If you don't have enough space on your ipod to do this you could delete all the music from your ipod, but not from the library. To do this you will need to setup the ipod to Manually update in itunes.
After you install Panther you can then just replace Home Folders with the one on your ipod.

If you just want to copy your music library. Find your iTunes music folder,
typically ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music.
If you specified a different folder for
iTunes to store music in, find that
folder.
Copy this folder to the same loction
on your new Mac.
In iTunes, select File>Add to Library,
and select the folder you just copied.
iTunes will import all your songs.
If you want your iTunes to retain all
its playlists, just copy the entire
iTunes folder from the Music folder on
your old Mac to the new Mac. This
should cause iTunes to have all the
playlists and songs you had on the
old computer.

If you choose not to do any of this, but just want to extract the music off your ipod use ipod rip above. Yes itunes will open and try to delete everything on your pod. The trick is to force quit itunes when you plug in your ipod before it has a chance to update. Then open ipod rip to get your music. Be careful though not to let itunes open and update. Make sure itunes icon is in your dock. As you connect your ipod, click and hold on the itunes icon and select force quit. Practice this several times now, before you do anything. Plug in your ipod and try to force quit before it has a chance to update.

Of course you can also do an Archive and Install which will automatically backup your Home folder, but from what you said you want to do a clean install.

Good luck!

 

[rdhazrd]

Why force quit iTunes? Why not just open it first and set it to manual update? Then it won't try to delete anything.
Just thought I'd ask.

 

[Frisco]

You can only set the ipod to manually update by connecting it. By this time his ipod would have already updated itself and all the music would be gone.

He is doing a clean install of Panther so after the installation itunes by default would be set to automaticall update. He can set it now to manually update but after the installation the setting will be lost and poof everything gone

It's too bad you have to connect the ipod to change ipod's settings.

 

[killmoms]

If I set the setting to not automatically launch iTunes when I connect the iPod in Jaguar, will Panther recognize this? (i.e. will iTunes then not launch when I connect the 'Pod in panther?)

--Cless

 

[Frisco]

No the setting will be reset because you're doing a clean install. All preferences will be gone. Just use the Force Quit

 

[killmoms]

Actually, just to let you guys know, the setting is stored on the iPod. I tested it by connecting it to a couple different Macs (one running Jaguar, one running Panther). Sure enough, it mounted as a Firewire disk, but didn't launch iTunes. I'm now happily copying all 3094 songs back to my hard drive with iPodRip. Thanks for the help folks! Panther rocks!

 

[Frisco]

Originally posted by Cless
Actually, just to let you guys know, the setting is stored on the iPod. I tested it by connecting it to a couple different Macs (one running Jaguar, one running Panther). Sure enough, it mounted as a Firewire disk, but didn't launch iTunes. I'm now happily copying all 3094 songs back to my hard drive with iPodRip. Thanks for the help folks! Panther rocks!

WoW that's good to know. I thought the setting was stored in itunes--learn something new everyday. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

Have FUN!

 

[bankshot]

Originally posted by Frisco
Yes itunes will open and try to delete everything on your pod. The trick is to force quit itunes when you plug in your ipod before it has a chance to update.

By the way, just a little note - there's no need to force quit iTunes in this situation. Just hold down Command-Option when you connect the iPod and it will not auto-update for that session.

 

[Anna]

If you want a shareware app - iPod2iTunes

if you want a gret freeware app get CrockPod
it has a fantastic design and very well set up