iPod Easiest way to transfer music to my new Mac?

[Gaelinic]

So, I just made the switch to a Mac right before my PC died. I was able to copy my music to an external hard drive before the PC died but was not able to deauthorize my itunes on that PC before it died. I also have all my music on my ipod. So, I have a few questions:

1) What's the easiest, cleanest, and most effecient way to copy my music to my new Mac? Do I move files from the external hard drive to my Mac or off of my ipod?

2) Where do I move the music to? To the general music folder on the Mac or to the specific itunes music folder?

3) Does itunes copy music files into its itunes music folder when you import music into itunes? Can I get it to just read the music files from an external hard drive source wihtout getting it to copy the files to the itunes music folder? The reason I ask this is that when you load itunes for the first time, it asks if you want to copy the files to your itunes music folder. I want to try and keep music on an external TB hard drive so I have more free space on my macbook pro. See next question.

4) I bought 1TB Time Capsule and it's coming in the mail. It should arrive within the next couple of days. I plan on using that drive along with an attached 1tb drive as my main storage device for music and movies. How can I get itunes to recognize music and videos on those hard drives for my itunes music? Is there a way to make a shortcut folder in my music folder to the Time Capsule and attached external drive?

5) Do you forsee a problem with making those external drives my main source of itunes music? Will there be a problem loading itunes when I take my computer on the road and want to charge my ipod? Will itunes get all wonky? Will I have to reload my music when I get back home?

Thanks.

Gaelinic

 

[Consultant]

All those questions are answered here numerous times.


Use http://mroogle.*************/
and search! (examples):
"itunes external harddrive"
"transfer itunes music"
"music from ipod"

 

[gnasher729]

So, I just made the switch to a Mac right before my PC died. I was able to copy my music to an external hard drive before the PC died but was not able to deauthorize my itunes on that PC before it died. I also have all my music on my ipod. So, I have a few questions:

1) What's the easiest, cleanest, and most effecient way to copy my music to my new Mac? Do I move files from the external hard drive to my Mac or off of my ipod?

2) Where do I move the music to? To the general music folder on the Mac or to the specific itunes music folder?

3) Does itunes copy music files into its itunes music folder when you import music into itunes? Can I get it to just read the music files from an external hard drive source wihtout getting it to copy the files to the itunes music folder? The reason I ask this is that when you load itunes for the first time, it asks if you want to copy the files to your itunes music folder. I want to try and keep music on an external TB hard drive so I have more free space on my macbook pro. See next question.

4) I bought 1TB Time Capsule and it's coming in the mail. It should arrive within the next couple of days. I plan on using that drive along with an attached 1tb drive as my main storage device for music and movies. How can I get itunes to recognize music and videos on those hard drives for my itunes music? Is there a way to make a shortcut folder in my music folder to the Time Capsule and attached external drive?

5) Do you forsee a problem with making those external drives my main source of itunes music? Will there be a problem loading itunes when I take my computer on the road and want to charge my ipod? Will itunes get all wonky? Will I have to reload my music when I get back home?

You don't have to create any shortcuts to your music folder, you just tell iTunes in its preferences where you want your iTunes folder to be (which is on your external drive). Then you use "Add to library" to add all the music to the iTunes folder.

You can have two (or more) music folders; if you hold the right keys (I think it is the option key) while starting iTunes, it will let you choose which folder to use. So you can have a huge library on your external drive, and your favorite bits on your laptop. No idea if your iPod will be happy with this.

The deauthorization is no problem. You'll have to authorize your Mac obviously. You can have computers authorized at a time. At the moment one authorisation is wasted because your PC died; if this becomes a problem then you can call Apple and they will deauthorize _all_ your computers, and you start all over again.

 

[Gaelinic]

All those questions are answered here numerous times.


Use http://mroogle.*************/
and search! (examples):
"itunes external harddrive"
"transfer itunes music"
"music from ipod"

Wow. Great link.