iPod Running Mac on Windows? How to get my Mac Ipod to play on Win PC

[Hrothgar]

I've got 40 gb of music on my Mac formatted iPod. I've got a Windows PC at work. My Internet searches seem to lead to the conclusion that it's not possible to get the songs off my iPod and onto my Windows PC. Is it possible to run Mac OS quietly in the background of my Windows machine so I can have iTunes at my desk? Or do I need to buy an iPod docking speaker system?

Thanks.

 

[jampat]

You seem to have gotten some shady information. Each iPod is happy syncing to a single computer (it doesn't care if its osx or windows). If you try to sync to a second computer (any operating system) it won't be happy. There are software programs for ~$20 that let you copy the music off your ipod without itunes (and therefore bypass the single computer restriction). Keep in mind if you have purchased music on your iPod, this may not be legal.

If you want to play music at work with the iPod connected, checking the 'manually manage" box (wording is similar to this, I don't have the right phrase), should allow you to play the music living on your ipod while it is connected.

Honestly the easiest solution is connecting speakers to your ipod (either with headphone or dock connector).

 

[Hrothgar]

I read that if I bought/burned music to a Mac formatted iPod, there was no way to get that off to play on Windows iTunes?

But, yes, it's probably easier to buy speakers for the ipod.

 

[brucem91]

I read that if I bought/burned music to a Mac formatted iPod, there was no way to get that off to play on Windows iTunes?

But, yes, it's probably easier to buy speakers for the ipod.

basically, an iPod can become formatted as "mac" or "pc". A "mac" formatted iPod can only be read/synced from a mac, but can be restored from a pc. a "pc" formatted iPod can be read/synced on a mac/pc. So assuming that your music is at home on a mac, I would plug your iPod into a pc, restore, then go to your mac and sync. So as long as you never RESTORE, it will work just fine on mac/pc.

 

[Hrothgar]

Interesting. If I restore on a PC, it wipes out the current stuff on the iPod, and sets it to Mac/PC functionality? I then take it home and plug it into the Mac, and all my stuff is synced back onto the iPod, and it can be synced with both the Mac and my PC?

 

[brucem91]

Interesting. If I restore on a PC, it wipes out the current stuff on the iPod, and sets it to Mac/PC functionality? I then take it home and plug it into the Mac, and all my stuff is synced back onto the iPod, and it can be synced with both the Mac and my PC?

an iPod can only be setup to sync to one computer(unless manual sync is checked I beleive), but restoring from a PC will format the iPod as "PC", and will allow you access it from both a pc or a mac.