How do I go about doing this without erasing all of my songs? I would also like to use it on my windows computer as well...Is there any way I can do this so it can be used with both Mac and windows? thanks!
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How do I change my Ipod from windows to mac format??
- Thread starter BigMacUser
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I dont want to change the format...but when I plug my ipod (windows formatt) into my MBP it comes up on my desktop but it doesnt come up in Itunes....WTF? How do i get it to show up in Itunes on my MBP so I can take the sogns from my Windows comp. and put them on my MBP...and vise versa??
Question: I have both a Mac and a PC. Will my iPod work on both?
Answer: No, not at the same time. iPod is configured for either Mac or PC. You can use the iPod Updater to restore iPod to work with a Mac or a PC (depending on which version of the updater you use). See "Restoring iPod to factory settings" for more information. Note: Using the iPod for Mac on a PC, or using the iPod for Windows on a Mac, is not supported by Apple. FAT32 is the format used by Windows, and while some FAT32 iPod models may work with your Mac, Apple only supports using the iPod shuffle in FAT32 format on Mac. For more information see the iPod shuffle Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Question: Can I use an iPod formatted for Mac on a PC, or an iPod formatted for Windows on a Mac?
Answer: It is not possible to use an iPod formatted for Mac with Windows. This is because Windows does not support the HFS Plus file system and therefore will not see the drive.
You can convert an iPod formatted for Windows into an iPod for Mac by using the iPod for Mac Software Updater on the Apple website. Note that once it is reformatted, it will only work with Macs. You need Mac OS 9.2 or Mac OS X 10.1 or later to reformat an iPod for Windows into an iPod for Mac.
Answer: No, not at the same time. iPod is configured for either Mac or PC. You can use the iPod Updater to restore iPod to work with a Mac or a PC (depending on which version of the updater you use). See "Restoring iPod to factory settings" for more information. Note: Using the iPod for Mac on a PC, or using the iPod for Windows on a Mac, is not supported by Apple. FAT32 is the format used by Windows, and while some FAT32 iPod models may work with your Mac, Apple only supports using the iPod shuffle in FAT32 format on Mac. For more information see the iPod shuffle Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Question: Can I use an iPod formatted for Mac on a PC, or an iPod formatted for Windows on a Mac?
Answer: It is not possible to use an iPod formatted for Mac with Windows. This is because Windows does not support the HFS Plus file system and therefore will not see the drive.
You can convert an iPod formatted for Windows into an iPod for Mac by using the iPod for Mac Software Updater on the Apple website. Note that once it is reformatted, it will only work with Macs. You need Mac OS 9.2 or Mac OS X 10.1 or later to reformat an iPod for Windows into an iPod for Mac.
I'm a little confused myself. I have a 5G 30gig iPod that is windows formatted. It seems to work fine with both my PC and my mac. Am I missing something on the mac side of things by leaving it Window's formatted?
2nyRiggz said:
I have a 4G Ipod (photo) that was formatted for my windows PC, and also used as a drive. I just got a Macbook, and the ipod syncs fine with it (updated fine and transferred music fine). Why did it work for me?
rockstarjoe said:
Ditto here. I was expecting to have to erase my 4G Windows iPod when I plugged it into my Macbook, but it came up fine and I was even able to transfer some music I'd just ripped to it.
Unusual.
gloss said:
...and not to wander too far off topic, but I would just like to mention that transferring my iTunes library from my PC to my Macbook was incredibly painless. I just copied the Itunes Library.itl and library.xml files from the PC to the mac, and when I opened itunes it saw all of my songs, ratings, playcounts, playlists, etc. I was really impressed at how easy it was! On a PC, things are not this easy.
Ok...so there's always one guy who brings back a topic from the dead with a question which has been almost answered. Turns out that guy's me for a change, and I apologise for that.
This is my only issue i have to do with my new Intel Mac...
Here goes, an answer would be greatly appreciated!
- I have a Windows
PC, and i did before i had the Mac. So now i have an iPod which is formatted to Windows.
- If i was to take the iPod upstairs and plug it into my new iMac, would it read the iPod and allow me to use it on iTunes and everything? Or do i really need to delete every single song on my iPod, then transfer all 10GB of songs from my Windows to the Mac (how am i supposed to do that?!), then restore the iPod - plug into Mac, format it as Mac. Then copy the 10GB of stuff BACK over
There has got to be an easier way! It's Apple!
Any help would be very much appreciated, i have already read the links posted in this topic. Sorry again for bringing this topic back, but i have read it time and time again and still can't find the answer i need!
Thanks,
Andy
This is my only issue i have to do with my new Intel Mac...
Here goes, an answer would be greatly appreciated!
- I have a Windows
PC, and i did before i had the Mac. So now i have an iPod which is formatted to Windows.- If i was to take the iPod upstairs and plug it into my new iMac, would it read the iPod and allow me to use it on iTunes and everything? Or do i really need to delete every single song on my iPod, then transfer all 10GB of songs from my Windows to the Mac (how am i supposed to do that?!), then restore the iPod - plug into Mac, format it as Mac. Then copy the 10GB of stuff BACK over
There has got to be an easier way! It's Apple!
Any help would be very much appreciated, i have already read the links posted in this topic. Sorry again for bringing this topic back, but i have read it time and time again and still can't find the answer i need!
Thanks,
Andy
- I have a Windows
- If i was to take the iPod upstairs and plug it into my new iMac, would it read the iPod and allow me to use it on iTunes and everything? Or do i really need to delete every single song on my iPod, then transfer all 10GB of songs from my Windows to the Mac (how am i supposed to do that?!), then restore the iPod - plug into Mac, format it as Mac. Then copy the 10GB of stuff BACK over
a windows formatted iPod will work with both Macs and PCs, but you will have to use the PC to update firmware. A Mac formatted iPod will only work with Macs. To transfer the music from a Mac to a PC, best bet is to format the iPod to windows and use the iPod as an external HDD, or just use a memory stick.
Thanks a lot
So you think it would be best for me to enable disk use on the iPod then copy the files over once plugged in on the Mac?
It's a 30GB iPod Video...so i've got enough space.
EDIT:
I am currently copying all files from the iTunes library to the iPod - using disk space not actually writing them to the iPod. I made a folder in the iPod called iMac and apparently i'm copying ALL the songs i have on my PC over to that folder. I'll do the same with the videos i guess.
Anyone know if this will work?! Hope it does.
So you think it would be best for me to enable disk use on the iPod then copy the files over once plugged in on the Mac?
It's a 30GB iPod Video...so i've got enough space.
EDIT:
I am currently copying all files from the iTunes library to the iPod - using disk space not actually writing them to the iPod. I made a folder in the iPod called iMac and apparently i'm copying ALL the songs i have on my PC over to that folder. I'll do the same with the videos i guess.
Anyone know if this will work?! Hope it does.
I assume you mean that you can't get it to sync with your mac.
In that case you just need to use the iPod updater which is now conveniently built into iTunes. Click on your iPod in iTunes and under the summary tab is a section called version. If you click the restore button it will mac format your iPod.
It's also possible that iTunes won't even recognize the iPod and allow you to restore it. If that's the case you might have to use the stand alone iPod updater software. I have a copy of it in my utilities folder. I'm not sure if I downloaded it myself or if software update did it for me. It's also possible apple eliminated the stand-alone updater with the introduction of iTunes 7. I'm not sure... you'll probably just have to play around.
Note that this restoring and iPod is analogous to formating a drive so you will loose all the data that's on the iPod. Also note that a windows iPod should sync just fine with a mac so this might be a sign of a different underlying problem.
Sorry to bring this post back up --
I have a 30 GB 5G (I think- last version of video ipods) ipod and I originally set it up for Windows before switching to a MacBook. It worked fine for a while and then one day it just quit being recognized by my Mac.
I thought I'd have to switch formats (even though it should work on both PC+Mac) but the computer wouldn't even see that it was plugged in to the USB. The DO NOT DISCONNECT sign freezes and I have to unplug the ipod and wait for the battery to die and recharge it. Doing this, I can still play music on the ipod but I can't update it.
Is there anything I can do or is the ipod basically dead? (I've had it for almost 2 years.)
Thanks for any help!
I have a 30 GB 5G (I think- last version of video ipods) ipod and I originally set it up for Windows before switching to a MacBook. It worked fine for a while and then one day it just quit being recognized by my Mac.
I thought I'd have to switch formats (even though it should work on both PC+Mac) but the computer wouldn't even see that it was plugged in to the USB. The DO NOT DISCONNECT sign freezes and I have to unplug the ipod and wait for the battery to die and recharge it. Doing this, I can still play music on the ipod but I can't update it.
Is there anything I can do or is the ipod basically dead? (I've had it for almost 2 years.)
Thanks for any help!
if it's working, there's really no reason to change formats. You don't gain anything by changing to mac format, and you would loose the ability to connect to a windows machine.
Hopefully all your music is in your iTunes library, then once you reformat it will be copied back to the iPod.
Otherwise, you will have to get all the music off the iPod, then reformat, and restore.
Hopefully all your music is in your iTunes library, then once you reformat it will be copied back to the iPod.
Otherwise, you will have to get all the music off the iPod, then reformat, and restore.