Reformat iPod mini? (from Mac to Windows)

[diehldun]

OK this is really important. I have less than 30 min to decide.

Usually, I sync my iPod to my PowerBook, but today, I'm at my cousin's house, and she has iTunes from Windows. Unfortunately, it says I need to completely reformat my iPod, and that means destroying the entire data bank of songs. I have about 2 gig worth in there.

However, most of my songs, she has in her iTunes library, plus some I really like. But, if I reformat, will I still have to reformat AGAIN from Windows back to Mac? That's my biggest concern, because that's something I don't want to do.

THis puzzles me, because last winter, i had her Windows-based iPod connect to my Powerbook, and I don't think she ran into any problems.

This needs to be ASAP. Thanks

 

[King Cobra]

When you want to transfer songs to your iPod from a PC after you just transfered songs to it from a Mac, you have to reformat it. There's no easy way getting around that, unless you know some hardcore hacking. Likewise, if you want to transfer songs from a Mac to your iPod after you just did a PC to iPod transfer, you need to reformat. In BOTH cases, that means losing all your data on your iPod.

So in your situation, I do not recommend reformatting.

 

[CubaTBird]

uh...

yea when u format in windows ur gonna need to refomat it in os x... so ur gonna run into the same prob... i saw back the music up to a mp3 disc instead of a typical music cd

 

[diehldun]

well...

does it harm the iPod if you keep reformating it?????? maybe I'll think of some plann meanwhile...

 

[thehuncamunca]

no it doesn't
i'd just use disk mode and copy the songs you like over to your ipod, then when you get back to your mac take them off the ipod and add them into itunes, sync the ipod and the new songs will be on your ipod along with all your old stuff

does it harm the iPod if you keep reformating it?????? maybe I'll think of some plann meanwhile...

 

[diehldun]

no it doesn't
i'd just use disk mode and copy the songs you like over to your ipod, then when you get back to your mac take them off the ipod and add them into itunes, sync the ipod and the new songs will be on your ipod along with all your old stuff

I'm sorry I'm not getting you. The disk mode...

 

[jsw]

I'm sorry I'm not getting you. The disk mode...

I believe he means to simply use the iPod as a Firewire exteral hard drive, not to connect with it via iTunes.

Edit: as mentioned here; however, I'm unclear as to whether that would avoid the reformat issue... I suspect it might not.

 

[diehldun]

I believe he means to simply use the iPod as a Firewire exteral hard drive, not to connect with it via iTunes.

Does it say in the owners manual how that works?

 

[jsw]

Sorry - see edited post above for link....

 

[slughead]

Apple should write an HFS+ driver for windows, since MS wont write a UFS or HFS driver for themselves