Opinions Please, OT Regarding itunes

[Madi100]

I have a bazillion and two CDs. I'm trying to "dejunk" a bit. If I have all of my CD's uploaded to itunes, do I really need to save them?

 

[mainegal]

I sure am interested in hearing the answers.

My partner loaded his CDs on to itunes and got rid ofthe discs. But I am afraid to. What if something happened to the computer, or to itunes software on the computer? Would I lose everything? I want to keep the actual disc. I also like the liner notes, when they exist.

The more troubling question - I have close to a bazillion and two CDs, many of which I have not listened to in years. Yet, I still want to hold on to them.
Memories and all that...

 

[kpadalik]

I uploaded a bunch of my CD's to iTunes about a year ago. Then something happened to iTunes on my computer and I had to reinstall or something b/c of some corruption thing. Well, I lost all my music in my iTunes library. I don't know if I did something wrong, but it sucked! Glad I hadn't thrown away the CDs yet! I think if I ever have the time, I may just pick out favorite songs from the CDs and burn them to another CD - it may thin out my collection a little bit!

 

[OKW Lover]

I'd keep the CD's unless you have an entirely separate back-up of your music besides what's in iTunes. You never know when disaster will strike and your hard drive goes south.

 

[Michele]

I uploaded all of our CD's to iTunes (about 300). Then I sorted through them kept about half(special, sentimental whatever), sold the other half in a garage sale. I have a backup of iTunes stored away on an external drive, just in case. Now my shelves are cleaner, but my storage room is fuller. LOL

 

[PalmettoPrincess]

HAVE BACKUPS! My computer crashed and I lost all of my songs, including some very important Disney songs that I did NOT have the CDs for anymore.... still upsets me when I think about it.

 

[FireDancer]

I would not in a million years let iTunes handle my music library. I use iTunes as an interface for my iPod only and store my music on external drives. I would rip your CDs to MP3 or whatever audio format you chose and store them locally. I would manually add them to your iPod library through iTunes which you can easily do by configuring iTunes to allow for manual update of your iPod.

I don't let anyone other than me manage any of my files. I don't purchase music from the iTunes store either because I don't like the level of control they like to take over your files. I prefer getting the file from the Amazon store because they let you have it, they don't keep it in some repository for you. Plus I am partial to them because they were always DRM free where iTunes took way to long to get off the DRM bandwagon.

 

[BeamsofLight]

I wouldn't trust iTunes to handle everything on its own. I like it, but it can be wonky sometimes, and if your computer crashes ... well ...

As others have suggested, if you do want to get rid of all your CDs, make sure to back up your music files on an external drive. I've done that, and it's come in handy on several occasions (plus it makes your files a good bit more portable than just having them in one iTunes library). If you really want to be safe (and have a tremendous number of CDs), get two external drives and back up your backup (I have a coworker who went that route after burning his entire, huge, CD library).

While we're on the topic of backups, make sure to back up your other essential files, too.

 

[mikelan6]

I'd keep at least some of the CDs. Some of them have great cover art, etc. And definitely keep backups just in case.

 

[auroralark]

I would also not trust my music collection to any computer program. What I did do was get rid of the cases and keep the CDs in one of those binders. Cut down a lot of space.

 

[Madi100]

So, I'm learning that itunes isn't the best. I love my ipod, don't care for itunes the most. Question, though, on backing files up. I have a large ipod, 80G. It holds ALL my music. If my computer would crash, don't I still have those songs on my ipod? Wouldn't I be able to get them back?