iTunes library from iPhone to new PC

[TopSix]

Right, I've finally bought a new laptop and would like to transfer my music on my iPhone across to it. My old PC which I'm replacing has given up the ghost. Is there a way to sync to the new library from my iPhone so I don't have to re-burn my CDs? I've looked on google at people suggesting software but I'm wary about using some of these. Any help and a definitive answer would be greatly appreciated.

[Jay_7]

Had it been an iPod it'd be a doddle, but the iPhone is slightly different. Basically the iPhone needs to be Jailbroken (not advisable).

Have you still got the original computer that had the iTunes library on it?

[TopSix]

Had it been an iPod it'd be a doddle, but the iPhone is slightly different. Basically the iPhone needs to be Jailbroken (not advisable).

Have you still got the original computer that had the iTunes library on it?

I do still have the old PC it was sync'd with. What are your thoughts Jay_7?

[Scotty]

if you still have the old PC just copy the old files over and import them into iTunes - easiest way to do it.

jailbreaking is not hard anymore Jay - with Blackrain there is not even a need to press any more combinations of buttons, its a simple executable and fully compatible with 3.1.2

[Jay_7]

if you still have the old PC just copy the old files over and import them into iTunes - easiest way to do it.

jailbreaking is not hard anymore Jay - with Blackrain there is not even a need to press any more combinations of buttons, its a simple executable and fully compatible with 3.1.2

Is there still potential problems after jailbreaking though? There was a virus affecting jailbroken iPhones not so long ago.

[Jay_7]

I do still have the old PC it was sync'd with. What are your thoughts Jay_7?

What Scotty said.

Just go into the iTunes folders and copy the music folder to something like an external hard disk, a USB memory stick or a few blank DVD's if necessary.

Copy the folders to your new laptop, and run the import wizard from iTunes.

Roberts your mothers brother.

[ICTBTTH]

Can this be done without jailbreaking?

i dont have the original laptop with all the music on it but what i want to do is add other files from another iTunes to my iPhone.

[Scotty]

You will not have a problem adding music from another computer, thats easy, but unless you find a way to backup the music already on your iPhone you will lose it when you sync on the new computer.

If it is music you bought through iTunes, that should not be a problem as you may be able to do this using Home Sharing on the newer versions of iTunes. I havent used it as most of my music comes from CDs I have added to iTunes so I cant speak to how (or if) it works the way you want it to.

As an aside, if you use the iPhone Browser (available on googlecode) you will be able to find your iphone music folders at /var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control/Music but its pretty user-unfriendly being inside loads of numbered folders and with titles that give no clues as to what they are. I am not sure if you can extract or copy that as I have not tried.

These software packages are supposed to be able to do it: http://www.copytrans.net/ http://www.icopybot.com/ but again, I havent tried either so cant recommend them (or not).

[ICTBTTH]

Hi,

Just downloaded the Copytrans suite and it seems to have worked a treat. Unfortunately though it only allows 100 songs to be transferred over using the trial version but it seems to have worked a treat though.

Thanks Scotty

[Iain]

When I had an ipod I was in a similar position. What I did was connect my ipod to the computer with Itunes open and then hold the shift and ctrl buttons down, which stops the ipod from syncing automatically. Then I went into my computer and clicked on the ipod icon there, into one of the nmenus at the top (file I think) then show hidden folders from there. A folder entitled music shoudl be comevisible and then its all there infront of you to do what you want with it.

Saves you paying for or downloading any dodgy programs. Easy.

[ICTBTTH]

When I had an ipod I was in a similar position. What I did was connect my ipod to the computer with Itunes open and then hold the shift and ctrl buttons down, which stops the ipod from syncing automatically. Then I went into my computer and clicked on the ipod icon there, into one of the nmenus at the top (file I think) then show hidden folders from there. A folder entitled music shoudl be comevisible and then its all there infront of you to do what you want with it.

Saves you paying for or downloading any dodgy programs. Easy.

Tried the above with my iPhone and it didnt work.

What you can do is download iPhone Explorer which allows you to view all files on the device.

Once installed you are prompted to select the root directory you want to view. I selected the option already selected to the left (as the one below only allowed you to view the files you could already access without it) Once you click next you are presented with all your files. On the left hand side in the folder view if you expand the iTunes_Control folder, select Music and click and drag all the folders in there to where you keep your music. Now within those folders are the music files on your iPod but they wont be named as you know it (i.e they will be called ZXZF or some thing like that) Dont worry bout working out what songs they are as iTunes will pick it up. Once it has finished copying, within iTunes if you click file at the top then select Add Folder to Library. Simply navigate to the folder location where they were all copied to and select them. and once it has finished adding all the files in the folders, The songs will appear as the regular names but without sorting them into the playlists they were in and a few minor details like play count and things like that and this will save having to pay good money for software that bassically does the same job as this.

[Scotty]

Tried the above with my iPhone and it didnt work.

iPhone format is different to iPod. My car radio has an iPod/USB port but it wont read an iPhone. It does however read a usb stick which is cool :P

What you can do is download iPhone Explorer which allows you to view all files on the device.

Yup, iPhoneBrowser or iPhoneExplorer are handy tools - as mentioned above.

[Iain]

What bti did you get stuck on? I did it on a nano so maybe doesn't work for all ipods.