[Maximus]

I currently have about 6 GBs of song,videos, pics, etc. on iTunes. I recently purchased a new Dell Inspiron laptop which I am waiting to arrive, but I am unsure as to how to transfer all the data. Please help me! I have a lot of purchased albums and videos I really need to know how to get them onto my the laptop.

[smax013]

[quote name='Maximus']I currently have about 6 GBs of song,videos, pics, etc. on iTunes. I recently purchased a new Dell Inspiron laptop which I am waiting to arrive, but I am unsure as to how to transfer all the data. Please help me! I have a lot of purchased albums and videos I really need to know how to get them onto my the laptop.Assuming you have not changed the default location that iTunes uses, you should just be able to copy the iTunes folder that is located in your My Music folder in the My Documents folder to the new computer.Easiest way to do that would be to network the two computers together and share a folder. Second easiest would be to copy them to an external drive and then from the external drive to the new computer. Last option would be to burn them to disk (CD or DVD), but this would require multiple burns unless you have a DVD burner that support dual layer DVD+R disks since you have 6 gb of files.Once you get them to the new computer, you will have to use either the Add File to Library... or Add Folder to Library... command. This will add it to the iTunes library. You might then have to authorize that new computer with iTunes Store for the purchased content (Store menu > Authorize Computer).

[mphenterprises]

Hi Maximus. Smax is correct, let me stress the point. No application, no matter how sophisticated, stores anything. All applications are merely vessels in which you view, play, or access a file. All of your files are stored somewhere within your hard drive and then accessed when the appropriate application is opened.

[smax013]

[quote name='mphenterprises']Hi Maximus. Smax is correct, let me stress the point. No application, no matter how sophisticated, stores anything. All applications are merely vessels in which you view, play, or access a file. All of your files are stored somewhere within your hard drive and then accessed when the appropriate application is opened.I will dicker a little bit...there are some applications that store stuff directly in the application. They are rather rare and cannot honestly remember the last time I ran across such a beast...but to say "never" is a bit extreme. :DWith regards to iTunes, the iTunes folder contains a sub-folder called iTunes music. That is the folder that contains ALL your music, movie, etc files unless you choose to store them else where. If you want your playlists, etc, then you have to have the files that are in the iTunes folder as well. And I believe that if you move that copy that entire folder to the appropriate place that iTunes is looking on the new machine, then you may not need to Add to the library...it might just open up that old library. But, I am not sure if that will work. You can also [urlhttp://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93763]export and import playlists_.

[Maximus]

So basically all I have to do is find some way to store the iTunes folder such as on a DVD, which the laptop I'm getting is supposed to have a DVD burner, and then import the file onto the laptop once I have iTunes downloaded. I was also wondering if a removable hard drive would work well for this situation. Please let me know what you guys would do, the best way to do it.:wink: Thanks-Max

[mphenterprises]

Hi Maximus. I am not sure if I read your post correctly but it would do you no good to use the DVD burner on your new computer. Your previous computer would have to have a DVD burner on it so that you can burn your files to DVDs and then transfer them to your new computer.If you do not have a DVD or CD burner on your current computer, then yes a removable hard drive (external hard drive) would be a good option. You would back up the iTunes files onto the external hard drive and then connect the external drive to the new computer to transfer the files.

[Maximus]

Oh ok I see , I feel kind of dumb now haha. So I can just save the iTunes file onto the external hard drive and then import it into the laptop? How long do you estimate that would take, also is there any format I need to convert the file into or anything. Thanks again-Max

[lilxkid24]

i have a similiar problem, i just got a new computer and all my songs are in my ipod,, no back up or anything. I have to find a program to convert it all to itunes lol too lazy to download them over again..

[smax013]

[quote name='Maximus']Oh ok I see , I feel kind of dumb now haha. So I can just save the iTunes file onto the external hard drive and then import it into the laptop? How long do you estimate that would take, also is there any format I need to convert the file into or anything. Thanks again-MaxAs to converting them, if you already have them in iTunes and you want to use them in iTunes on the new computer, then there should be no need to convert anything. You just need to copy them over to the new computer and then use the "Add to library" command in iTunes to add them to the iTunes library.As to time, assuming you do an USB external drive, it should not take all that long. Maybe a dozen or so minutes for each transfer. The exception would be if your old computer is old enough to NOT have USB 2.0 but rather have USB 1.1. If so, then copying them off the old computer to the external drive will take MUCH longer.

[smax013]

[quote name='lilxkid24']i have a similiar problem, i just got a new computer and all my songs are in my ipod,, no back up or anything. I have to find a program to convert it all to itunes lol too lazy to download them over again..If you mount your iPod as a drive (turn on the option in iTunes), then open it up in Explorer and turn off hidden folders, then you should be able to find the folder that has all the songs, etc in it. And then you can copy them to the new computer. If I remember correctly, this is possible in Windoze since Windoze has the built-in ability to "un-hide" folders (i.e. in the Folder Option in Explorer). The Mac does not have this ability built in...at least not easily accessible.If that does not work, then there are utilities that you can get that will allow you to sync your songs from an iPod back to your computer.

[mphenterprises]

[quote name='lilxkid24']...all my songs are in my ipod,, no back up or anything.:shock: :P Lilxkid, you should know better than that LOL You have been on here long enough to see all of us say....Backup....Backup.....Backup..... LOL :lol:

[lilxkid24]

[quote name='mphenterprises']> {quote:title=lilxkid24 wrote:}{quote}...all my songs are in my ipod,, no back up or anything.> > > > > > :shock: :P Lilxkid, you should know better than that LOL You have been on here long enough to see all of us say....Backup....Backup.....Backup..... LOL :lol:I have just been lazy lol. i got my computer for nearly 2 weeks now, and i still haven't made any backup lol, nor have i put any of my ipod songs in itunes yet lol

[lilxkid24]

[quote name='smax013']> {quote:title=Maximus wrote:}{quote}Oh ok I see , I feel kind of dumb now haha. So I can just save the iTunes file onto the external hard drive and then import it into the laptop? How long do you estimate that would take, also is there any format I need to convert the file into or anything. Thanks again-Max> > > > As to converting them, if you already have them in iTunes and you want to use them in iTunes on the new computer, then there should be no need to convert anything. You just need to copy them over to the new computer and then use the "Add to library" command in iTunes to add them to the iTunes library.> > > > As to time, assuming you do an USB external drive, it should not take all that long. Maybe a dozen or so minutes for each transfer. The exception would be if your old computer is old enough to NOT have USB 2.0 but rather have USB 1.1. If so, then copying them off the old computer to the external drive will take MUCH longer.aww snaps, i lost my usb drive lol, eh il just redownload them lol since i only had 20 songs or something anyway. I had over 100 before 2 reformats ago forgot backup :( and just got lazy and got 20 songs lol.