# I'd like to sync my old music to my new Itunes, please help. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834 "2009-03-09T14:45:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/1 "2009-03-09T14:45:20Z")
The title pretty much sums it up. I have about 3800 songs on my Ipod, some of them from Itunes itself, most of them from old CD’s I own no longer. I have a new computer and if I sync Itunes I’ll lose all the old stuff, how can I put it all the old songs on my computer so I can continue adding stuff to the Ipod. Thanks for any help. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/2 "2009-03-09T14:52:18Z")
The best and easiest way is to transfer everything from the old computer to the new computer (not from the iPod to the new computer). If your iPod is less than half full, you can use the remaining space on the iPod itself as a USB drive to do the transfer. \*\*\* Make sure you transfer everything, including the main database file, or you’ll lose things like your playlists. If you don’t have access to the old computer, then you’re going to have to look at several available programs that pull the music from the iPod onto the new computer. Unfortunately, you’ll probably lose all of your playlist and rating information if you have to do it that way, but the rest should be preserved. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/3 "2009-03-09T14:52:23Z")
It’s been a while since I’ve had to do it, read this [first.](http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/copying-music-from-ipod-to-computer/) I think it’ll answer your question. ETA: That link is for recovering from ipod only, if you have the original files what **Invisible Wombat** said is the best way. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/4 "2009-03-09T15:46:11Z")
I can live without the playlists and ratings, I just put a lot of work into getting all the songs and I want to make absolutely sure they don’t get wiped out. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/5 "2009-03-09T16:06:05Z")
Can you access the original files and do you have memory stick or storage device to transfer them to? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/6 "2009-03-09T17:39:34Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Can you access the original files and do you have memory stick or storage device to transfer them to? If the iPod isn’t full, it _is_ the storage device. You can use any space not occupied by its music as a disk drive. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/7 "2009-03-09T18:00:25Z")
Absolutely, but if **Sitnam** has access to an ext. hard drive or something large enough they could just copy the entire itunes folder to the new computer. ---
**Author:** ![Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lo-Slung_Denim)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/8 "2009-03-09T20:56:24Z")
Thanks, by proxy. I had the exact same problem, and now it’s sorted. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/9 "2009-03-09T22:35:01Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Absolutely, but if **Sitnam** has access to an ext. hard drive or something large enough they could just copy the entire itunes folder to the new computer. We’re not understanding each other. How is what you’re suggesting different from what I’m suggesting (except that I’m suggesting an iPod, which we know he has, and you’re suggesting other external storage media)? I’m saying: 1. Connect iPod to old computer 2. Drag entire iTunes folder from computer to iPod 3. Move iPod to new computer 4. Drag entire iTunes folder from iPod to computer 5. Delete iTunes folder from iPod to make sure there’s plenty of room for regular music storage ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-sync-my-old-music-to-my-new-itunes-please-help/488834/10 "2009-03-09T22:46:19Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > How is what you’re suggesting different from what I’m suggesting (except that I’m suggesting an iPod, which we know he has, and you’re suggesting other external storage media)? It’s not. Some people, though, aren’t comfortable using their ipod as the storage device because it’s unfamiliar to them - I don’t care either way.