Question about using iPod as a hard drive

[macross]

Lets say i want to use my iPod as a hard drive and if I were to save files on it and then transfer it onto an apple computer in the computer lab at my school will I end up losing all the songs off my iPod? I'm afraid that if i connect my iPod to the computer @ school ( or any other computer in general that isn't mine), will it just end up deleting all the songs off my iPod; since the iTunes library on that particular computer at my school will not match the library of songs on my iPod

[m.r.m.]

if you don?t start itunes, no songs will be deleted. if you want to run itunes, just make sure the auto-sync option (in itunes) is disabled. that way none of the songs on the ipod will be deleted.

[eustacescrubb]

You could also set your iPod to be manually updated, which would keep you from having to worry about iTunes deleting songs.

[macross]

Originally posted by mrm
if you don?t start itunes, no songs will be deleted. if you want to run itunes, just make sure the auto-sync option (in itunes) is disabled. that way none of the songs on the ipod will be deleted.

Thats what confuses me, to turn off auto-sync, wouldn't i have to connect my iPod first? Automatically wouldn't i end up losing all my songs on my iPod if i connected it to a computer that isn't mine. Also to use my ipod as a hard drive will i have to install the software onto the computer first. Lets say i save a word document from my laptop then transfer it onto a computer in my school computer lab so i can print it, will i be able to do this wihtout installing the software that came with the iPod?

[eustacescrubb]

You can disable auto-sync with a key command when you plug the iPod in. Hold down Command-Option when you plug the iPod in, and hold it till it mounts and shows up in iTunes. This will disable auto-sync for one time. Then you can adjust your settings.

Also to use my ipod as a hard drive will i have to install the software onto the computer first.

No; this feature is built in to the iPod. I don't know if the iPod can be a FireWire drive while set to auto-sync update (I've never used auto-sync), but at least in manual update mode, the iPod appears on the Mac's desktop, and you can drag and drop files and folders to it like any other drive.

[jcroft]

Originally posted by eustacescrubb
You can disable auto-sync with a key command when you plug the iPod in. Hold down Command-Option when you plug the iPod in, and hold it till it mounts and shows up in iTunes. This will disable auto-sync for one time. Then you can adjust your settings.



No; this feature is built in to the iPod. I don't know if the iPod can be a FireWire drive while set to auto-sync update (I've never used auto-sync), but at least in manual update mode, the iPod appears on the Mac's desktop, and you can drag and drop files and folders to it like any other drive.

You can do this in auto-sync mode, too, as long as 'Enable Firewire Disk Use" in the iTunes/iPod settings.

Jeff