So how do you backup your Itunes Collection?

[drakethib]

Just wondering (songs, movies, etc)

Thanks

 

[RichAyers]

Last time I checked it wasn't configured to allow a burn to a DVD. I wish they would allow that...I'm a back up freak...but I also have a business to run, so I need to backup my files, emails, and yes, music

RichAyers

 

[robertgp124]

On my mac, I use an external hard drive and super duper (I don't like time machine). On my wife's pc, she uses an external drive and just copies the folder over to an external drive every once in a while.

I saw a 16 gig usb flash drive the other day for $23 before a $10 rebate. Storage is getting cheap!

On the external hard drive my wife bought, I had originally bought the backup software that came with the drive. That was a mistake - it was awful. Using windows backup or just copying the folders over manually seemed to work better.

 

[OKW Lover]

I've got a Time Capsule which automatically backs up my Mac at regular intervals.

 

[rtobe]

I have a PC and use an external hard drive. I too wish iTunes would allow DVD backup. I tried with CDs but when you have movies that won't fit on a CD it doesn't let you back up on CDs

 

[lisa8200]

I use a program called sharepod. basically its a program that can be used to add and remove songs on your IPOD without Itunes. I use it to copy all the songs etc. from my IPOD to an external HD. So it's not actually a backup program but it works for what I do. It was also handy for me to hook the external HD to Lisa's laptop and put all of my songs on hers. then she added them to Itunes. 30 gigs of music takes awhile. ( shhhh, she uses her phone MP3 player but, she's getting an IPOD for Christmas )

 

[Cyrano]

Another who backsup to an external drive

 

[cyberbox2]

A local back up is always a great idea. However I ALWAYS keep an off-site back up as well because is the event of as theft or fire, your local back up is gone too. I use Mobile Me on my Mac to back up my purchased iTunes content. I get 20 gigs on "in the cloud" storage and I can access it from anywhere. Mobile Me is also great for keeping my iPhone and Mac in perfect sync.

My Motto: If it's not in two places, it doesn't exist! (that is your data im talking about)

 

[GBShorts]

External drive that stays in the crack of my couch next to where I sit with the laptop.

 

[nedac]

I have a question... I have all my music in 2 places... on my external hard drive and on my Ipod Touch, my lap top is loaded and I have no room for music on it. If the external hard drive dies, is it possible to get the music from my Ipod back onto my new hard drive?

 

[cyberbox2]

Their are several programs that can do this. I do not know of any free programs but a quick Google search on 'iPod to PC transfers' will bring up some choices such as this one: http://www.copytrans.net/purchase.php

Good luck!

 

[wdwowner]

Just burn the songs to CD, in regular music format.

That way you will never have to purchase the same song twice, or 3 or 4 times. That is what iTunes really wants you to do, buy the same song over and over again for each ipod you have.

Better yet, buy your music from Amazon.com, no DRM control, it is yours. No need to buy 3-4 times over many years.


Even better thought, don't use iTunes, use a different podcatcher software, then copy to your MP3 player. Everytime I see a post that it is not in iTunes I laugh. I always get the podcast right away when they are released. It takes a long time for iTunes to update, if it does it correctly at all.

It is your music, podcast, equipment. Take control of it, don't let iTunes control you stuff, it will loose it at sometime, and you will have to buy it all again if don't back it up correctly.

 

[cslittle999]

Just burn the songs to CD, in regular music format.

That way you will never have to purchase the same song twice, or 3 or 4 times. That is what iTunes really wants you to do, buy the same song over and over again for each ipod you have.

I'm not sure why you would re-purchase music you have. It's easy to sync the same music to multiple iPods. In any case burning the songs in music format would take a lot more discs than a data CD/DVD.

 

[GBShorts]

I have a question... I have all my music in 2 places... on my external hard drive and on my Ipod Touch, my lap top is loaded and I have no room for music on it. If the external hard drive dies, is it possible to get the music from my Ipod back onto my new hard drive?

There is a way to go in and viw your ipod as a storage system. The files are hidden but once you "unhide" them, you can copy and paste backwards from your iPod to any computer. I found an online tute when I lost my hard drive a couple years back and it worked great. Only prob was I lost whatever music I hadn't synced up to the ipod yet.

 

[burberryplaid]

We have an External Hard Drive

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Get an external hard drive and do it now! I actually just bought one and it was sitting on my desk in the package when my desktop crashed. I am just sick about it and hope we can do data recovery as we've got several years worth of songs/video/pictures.

 

[Demosthenes]

I use a raid drive, an external hard drive and a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. I take the hard drive off site, and only back it up occasionally. The NAS is in the basement in a fire room; not perfectly protected, but pretty well secure. This also backs up all of my photos and scans of important documents. I use the program that came with my Iomega drive for the back up (iTunes will only let you back up your purchased music and movies, and I want to protect it all). I also use this to transfer media files to my computer at work. It seems like a lot of expense for back-ups, and it is, but I also keep important work files (I own my business) here as well as a back up for the office.

 

[kafitty]

files/pictures uploaded to an online remote backup, and music is burned to CD's.

external hard drives CAN and WILL crash!!

 

[doctorhead]

I use an external hard drive with Time Machine for my mac.

 

[nedac]

Any recommendations of a free program to convert iTunes files to mp3?