ITunes Music?

Question

Does anyone know how to convert itune music from an old computer to a new one? I'm thinking I have to copy all my songs on to a CD from my old computer and transfer them over to my new one, but that's going to take forever. Is there another way to do this?

Answer 1

yeah i think thats the only way. i had to do that before, and i have over 1,000 songs! sorry i couldn't be more help. just do 10 cds a day and you'll be done before you know it (depending on how much music you have)

Answer 2

If you have two Macs, the process is simple. You just connect the two computers with a Firewire cable and boot the old computer as a hard drive. You then copy over the music.

If you have Windows or one of each, you can always network the computers so that you can directly copy from one to the other.

A third way is to use an external hard drive or USB drive to transfer the music. Burning CD's would be the last way to go.

Answer 3

if you make cds as DATA cds you will be able to hold more music on it.

if u burn the cds from within itunes you will be limited to the 80min capacity of the cd. Probably 10-20 songs

If use easy cd creator (roxio), nero, sonic, or even windows to burn it as a DATA disc then you will be able to hold much more. Remeber these cds won't be playable in a car or home cd console player but it will more the data the the new pc. A blank cd can hold 800mb..... 800mb divided by the average song size 4.5mb means that you can store about 177 songs on one blank cd.

Even if you have 1000 songs you can burn them onto about 6 discs and should be able to do that within an hour or two, if you have a decent cd burner.

and you don't need to convert it....itunes will allow you to play purchased music on 5 computers. So you should just need to burn it to a cd, copy it to the new pc, and import it. When you try to play purchased songs for the first time it will ask you to log in to itunes.

or if you have a dvd burner you could burn the songs on to a DATA dvd.

there are networking ways to do it but with cds it is probably the easiest.

Answer 4

The easiest way is to load all your iTunes music onto your iPod, then hook up your iPod to your new computer and transfer the songs. If you do not have an iPod then skip the "iPod Transfer Steps:" - there are more options below.

First steps (backup your playlists):
1. open iTunes on your old computer
2. go to "File" > "Export Library..."
3. save your backup (xml file) to your hard drive
4. use a thumb drive (usb drive) and copy over the xml file. your other option is to burn it to a CD.

iPod Transfer Steps:
1. (from your old computer) hook up your iPod to the computer using the USB cable.
2. your iTunes will automatically recognize your iPod.
3. once your iPod is recognized by iTunes, go to "Edit" > "Preferences..."
4. click on the iPod tab
5. you should see all the iPod options. Make sure the check-box to use the iPod as a harddrive storage device is checked.
6. next make sure that all your music is selected to sync with the iPod (you will find this option within the iPod preference page)
7. sync your iPod to your iTunes

Transfer to new computer
8. once your iPod is loaded up with your iTunes music, connect your iPod to your new computer using the USB cable.
9. close down iTunes if it opens automatically when you plug in your iPod.
10. go to your "My Computer" - you should see your iPod listed along with your C:\ drive and etc.
11. open your iPod drive (lets call it drive letter E:\)
12. copy all your iPod directories into your C:\ drive under "My Music" folder

Open iTunes
13. once all the music has been copied to your new computer's hard drive, open iTunes.
14. go to "Edit" > "Preferences..."
15. go to the "Advanced" tab
16. under "iTunes Music folder location", make sure it is pointed to your "My Music" folder (where you copied the music from your iPod)
17. within the same menu - check the check-box next to "Keep iTunes Music folder organized". When you copy your music from you iPod the folder structure will not look familar. By checking this option iTunes will move all your music from the confusing folder structure to a very neat and organized folder structure under an "iTunes" folder.
18. accept the changes you made and let iTunes organize your music.
19. the last step is to authorize this new computer to play your iTunes music. You are allowed 5 authorizations.

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If you don't have an iPod then your next best option is to burn all your music to a DVD not a CD. If you don't have a DVD burner then you will have to make due with a CD.

DVD (or CD) Steps:
1. from your old computer, open up iTunes.
2. go to "Edit" > "Preferences..."
3. click the "Advanced" tab
4. next, click the "Burning" tab located under the "Advanced" tab
5. select the button next to "Data CD or DVD" (if this doesn't work then you will have to use "MP3 CD")

NOTE: using the data cd or the mp3 cd you will be able to fit many many more songs then if you chose the "Audio CD" option.

6. click the "OK" button to accept your changes.
7. next, insert your blank CD or DVD
8. iTunes will recognize the blank CD or DVD
9. click the Burn icon and follow the steps to burn your entire Music Library.

*** A shorter alternative is to simply go to "File" > "Back Up To Disc..." and select the option to "Back up entire iTunes library and playlist". This is only available on iTunes version 7.

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Last resort is to detach your old computer's hard drive and connect it to your new computer. Your best bet here is to ask Best Buy to do it for you.


Good luck! hope this works out for you.

Remember, you will probably have to authorize your new computer within iTunes. You should be okay since you have a total of 5 authorizations through iTunes. All you have to remember is your iTunes login and password.