Moving iTunes to a new computer

[Colin]

Hi all,

I just built a new computer and I want to set up iTunes for this new machine. Although I'm backed up, I didn't de-authorize the old machine and it is no more. Here's how I'm set up: The majority of my music is DRM free on a third hard drive. Media purchased through iTunes is in the default location (my docs>my music). Before I took down the old machine, I copied the entire "my music" folder to an external drive.

I set up the new machine, downloaded a new copy of iTunes 7.7 and installed it. Then I copied the contents of 'my music' to the new 'my music' folder. This does not seem to work. itunes launches but hangs. When I plug in the iPhone, windows sees it, but itunes does not. I'm thinking I need to start fresh. I'd also like to take this opportunity to consolidate the itunes 'my music' folder into the third HD with the rest of the music

Anyway, my question is what is the order that I should proceed to get all my music recognized, my podcasts back and the iPhone recognized. Last question, how do force iTunes to sync the contacts with my new Windows Address Book (which is empty)?

[acosmichippo]

Ok, first thing you need to do is get a working installation of itunes. If this one is crashing, uninstall it, redownload the setup file from apple, and reinstall with the new setup file.

once that works, the way you will want to add music from your external drives is by going to (within iTunes) File->Add Folder to Library. Then navigate to your external HD's directory where the music is, and click add. If you have another HD with music on it, repeat the process once the first has completed.

To get contacts from your iphone onto your computer, sync your iphone to it through itunes. The first time you do this, it will ask you if you want to "merge" the info between your iphone and computer. this will take any contacts from your iphone and sync them to your computer. But before you do this, make sure you sync to your OLD computer one last time. If you have any purchased apps or music from the iphone's appstore or itunes store, you definitely want those backed up first.

[Colin]

Ok, first thing you need to do is get a working installation of itunes. If this one is crashing, uninstall it, redownload the setup file from apple, and reinstall with the new setup file.

once that works, the way you will want to add music from your external drives is by going to (within iTunes) File->Add Folder to Library. Then navigate to your external HD's directory where the music is, and click add. If you have another HD with music on it, repeat the process once the first has completed.

To get contacts from your iphone onto your computer, sync your iphone to it through itunes. The first time you do this, it will ask you if you want to "merge" the info between your iphone and computer. this will take any contacts from your iphone and sync them to your computer. But before you do this, make sure you sync to your OLD computer one last time. If you have any purchased apps or music from the iphone's appstore or itunes store, you definitely want those backed up first.

Thanks, I got it working by reinstalling it again. I wish I had known to de-authorize the other machine before I took it apart and overwrote the drive. Oh well, 2 of 5 are gone....

[acosmichippo]

if you ever get to a full 5 out of 5 authorized machines, you can de-authorize them all through apple.com. Unfortunately you have to wait until you get to 5, though.

then you would just re-authorize the computers you still have.