Going From PC to a Mac - Will iTunes go easily?

[GovtLawyer]

I currently have an 80GB iPod, a fairly recent version, just before the latest generation. I have almost 4000 songs on it. I have all of the songs on my PC, (as well as an identical backup of the music on an external drive), and all of them are ripped from my own CDs - none are bought from Apple or downloaded from the Internet. In a few days I'll be getting my new iMac. I've followed some of the threads on moving to a new computer, and it looks like a complete transfer is not all that easy. Some people are worried about playlists and songs counts, etc; I'm not.

I originally thought I could simply copy the songs from my external drive, put them in the iMac music folder, tell iTunes to build a library from that folder, plug in my iPod, and away I go. However, I'm not sure that will work. For one, my iPod is formatted for a PC.

Could someone please give me step by step directions for accomplishing this task. I'd hate to have to rip 300 albums all over again.

Thanks,

Steven

 

[darkcurse]

This is pretty step by step I guess.

Instructions from lifehacker on how to transfer your library from PC to Mac.

Another way would be to use your iPod as the transfer medium. Just use something like senuti to copy all your music from your iPod to your new Mac.

 

[Jason S.]

Since you're not worried about playlists or song counts, then you can easily just transfer the music from your external drive.

Make sure you have the boxes checked for iTunes to copy your music to the iTunes Music folder and to organize everything for you under iTunes Preferences, and then under the File menu, click Add to Library and select your external drive. iTunes will copy all of the music from the drive and organize them in folders by artist in the iTunes Music folder on your Mac.

All of the titles, artists, and album names should still be present, but if they aren't it would be an easy fix because you imported everything from CDs, iTunes can retrieve the track info again under the menu Advanced -> Get CD Track Names.

Even though your iPod is formatted for a PC, you can still sync your music, but you won't be able to do any software updates. If you'll only be syncing this iPod with your Mac, then I recommend you reformat it to the Mac filesystem, which can be easily done by a restore in iTunes. Your music in your new library will be synced back to the iPod after the restore.

The Lifehacker method posted will also work. When I switched, that is what I did. It was a bit much work just to transfer my music, but I wanted to keep my play counts and star ratings.

iTunes can also make backup CDs and DVDs with your music -- that will also keep the song counts, playlists, and ratings intact. This is probably the easiest option if you want to keep everything just as you have it now as long as you have a few blank discs around.

 

[Consultant]

This is pretty step by step I guess.

Instructions from lifehacker on how to transfer your library from PC to Mac.

Another way would be to use your iPod as the transfer medium. Just use something like senuti to copy all your music from your iPod to your new Mac.

Good info there.

 

[GovtLawyer]

Even though your iPod is formatted for a PC, you can still sync your music, but you won't be able to do any software updates. If you'll only be syncing this iPod with your Mac, then I recommend you reformat it to the Mac filesystem, which can be easily done by a restore in iTunes. Your music in your new library will be synced back to the iPod after the restore.

This sounds too easy. Just to review . . .
I have my whole collection on the external drive, so I simply connect the drive to the new iMac and copy the music to the music folder in Finder. I tell iTunes to add the music to the library (new library) I'll now have exactly the same iTunes library as I cuurently have, minus the playlists, counts and genius selections. (Not important as the playlists were generated by the Genius anyway.)

Now, when I connect my PC formatted iPod to the iMac, what will happen? Should my iPod have been formatted prior? Or, will I simply tell iTunes to restore it, once its connected, and it will automatically erase the old stuff, reformat it for the Mac, and rebuild the contents? If that's it, then that's fine with me.

Do I have this right?

Thanks,

Steven

 

[darkcurse]

If you're using your iPod to transfer the music then,

1. Get a program like Senuti
2. Plug in your iPod, and then start transferring the music over with Senuti etc
3. Once all your music is transferred over and you're sure everything works format your iPod to the "Mac version"
4. Resync your iPod and enjoy

 

[GovtLawyer]

This sounds too easy. Just to review . . .
I have my whole collection on the external drive, so I simply connect the drive to the new iMac and copy the music to the music folder in Finder. I tell iTunes to add the music to the library (new library) I'll now have exactly the same iTunes library as I cuurently have, minus the playlists, counts and genius selections. (Not important as the playlists were generated by the Genius anyway.)

Now, when I connect my PC formatted iPod to the iMac, what will happen? Should my iPod have been formatted prior? Or, will I simply tell iTunes to restore it, once its connected, and it will automatically erase the old stuff, reformat it for the Mac, and rebuild the contents? If that's it, then that's fine with me.

Do I have this right?

Thanks,

Steven

At what point to I reformat the iPod?

 

[darkcurse]

At what point to I reformat the iPod?

When you're satisfied that your library transferred over successfully. Or when it says your iPod has an update, whichever comes first