Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPod 1st Time Owner of Ipod. Best way to format and set settings

F

Fizzle

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 15, 2005
3
0
I will be getting a new ipod within the day and I wanted to make sure that I run through everything correctly.
It is a gift for a friend but they want to put some of my bands music on it, so
a. it should be formatted for windows (it will also be used on a mac eventually, does this matter)
b. synced via USB port (or should firewire be used?)

also, should i consider 3rd party software that is similar to iTunes such as anapod?
 
wat about the format issue? i have seen posts were people say you should format it in windows format because it is the only way that both mac and pc can add songs to the ipod. is this correct?
 
Well the iPod really needs to be linked to a specific computer, you can't just go along plugging it into every computer and adding songs (for copyright reasons, i know, i know). So if it's going on a Mac later, you'll probably reformat it then. I'm not sure if iTunes on a Mac will support a PC formatted iPod or not. But you won't be able to access the music on it anyway, unless you link to the Mac.

so, pick which system it will be used with, format it for that, if you want to change it later, it can be formatted at that point. because your music isn't going to come with you anyway. does this make sense?
 
You should always have FAT32 as the format of the iPod hard drive.

Why?

1 Combatible (Read and Write) with Mac, Windows - going back to Win 98, Linux, Solaris, AmigaOS i could go on but you get the picture.

2 HFS+ and NTFS are much more efficent than FAT32, but the effiency only really applies to small files, if you have lots of small files on a FAT32 drive you waste a lot of space, an iPod is mostly holding big files so theres not the same level of wastage that you would find on a home computer.
 
Format it on a windows box, then it can be recognized by PCs or Macs.

A Mac-formatted iPod can't be connected to a Windows PC.
 
m-dogg said:
Format it on a windows box, then it can be recognized by PCs or Macs.

A Mac-formatted iPod can't be connected to a Windows PC.
Click to expand...

will i be able to add songs to it via mac. i will only be using 2 computers one pc and one mac
 
A Windows formatted iPod will work perfectly on both PC and Mac.

If you are using 2 computers, set the iPod to "manually manage songs and playlists" this way you have to drop and drag your songs and playlists onto the iPod via iTunes but it will allow you to plug it into any other iTunes user's computer.

The only problem you may encounter is updating the iPod software, then you will need to borrow a friend's PC.
 
rainman::|:| said:
Well the iPod really needs to be linked to a specific computer, you can't just go along plugging it into every computer and adding songs (for copyright reasons, i know, i know).
Click to expand...


This is a common misconception that I don't understand. You go along plugging into every computer and adding songs too it. With manual update, you can add songs from any computer.
 
You can format an iPod as FAT32 from a Mac, quite easy.

Just wait until you want to move a big, multi GB file, between computer locations and then your iPod will be worth its wait in gold.

Did you know Peter Jackson used iPod as a quite way to view raw, unedited footage from the Rings movies on his computer at home?
 
ChrisBrightwell said:
Correction: It can be connected, but Windows can't use it.
Click to expand...

Eeeeew! Why would I ever want to connect my healthy Mac iPod to a Windows box? I'd rather lend it to a Thai hooker than introduce it to such a disease ridden OS.
 
combatcolin said:
You can format an iPod as FAT32 from a Mac, quite easy.

Just wait until you want to move a big, multi GB file, between computer locations and then your iPod will be worth its wait in gold.

Did you know Peter Jackson used iPod as a quite way to view raw, unedited footage from the Rings movies on his computer at home?
Click to expand...
They also used iPods to send the rushes from Wellywood to London.Presumably they weren't happy using the 'net and the money people wan't to know what was happening.
 
Fizzle said:
will i be able to add songs to it via mac. i will only be using 2 computers one pc and one mac
Click to expand...

yes - I have a pc-formatted ipod and I regularly connect/transfer tunes/etc... between my mac & my pc with no problems whatsoever.
 
tfaz1 said:
Eeeeew! Why would I ever want to connect my healthy Mac iPod to a Windows box? I'd rather lend it to a Thai hooker than introduce it to such a disease ridden OS.
Click to expand...

what's wrong with thai hookers?
 
camomac said:
nothing, as long as you keep you ipod away from windows. ;)
Click to expand...

Ahh, c'mon. Windows isn't that bad if you're not a complete idiot. Now, i'm not saying windows is perfect or that it is even as good as a mac. All I'm saying is that windows comps aren't as ridiculously crappy as people exaggerate them to be.

and to be topical, formatting to a windows machine is the way you wanna go.
 
My mistake, I was under the impression that even with manual, the iPod would want to link to iTunes and erase before letting you add. I need to get some friends with firewire :) or a new fricking iPod...
 
just got me the ipod 20 gig color joint today and a nice iskins case for it. Doesn't cover the plugs or anything. and a new bluetooth headset. oh yeah me is happy weeeeeeeeeee
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back