Trouble with using iPod as hard disk...

[iPodBlanc]

Ok, so I got a new laptop, and wanted to put all the music and stuff I had in iTunes on my old computer onto my new one. So, I followed Apple's instructions, and everything transferred smoothly. All my music and videos arrived safe and sound on my new laptop. I did the thing where I used my ipod as the hard drive thing or whatever, so when I opened up iTunes on my new laptop all my playlists and play counts and everything were the same as they were on my old computer. It said that I had used about 10 GB on my iPod, when I knew I only have about 5 GB used on my ipod. I tried to get it back to normal, and I'm not sure exactly what I did, but all the songs and things were deleted out of iTunes, and everything on my iPod was erased except for 3 podcasts. I still have the music files on my laptop, but I'm really confused as to why everything but 3 podcasts were deleted off my iPod. Also, on my old computer, iTunes is perfectly fine, and all the files, playlists, and play counts are still intact.

So, the question I have is, how can I transfer everything back to my laptop? I tried following Apple's instructions again, but when I update my iPod on my old computer it doesn't add the songs back to it. I would just add all the files again, but I'd really like all the playlists and play counts and everything the same.

I would be SO grateful if you could tell me how to get the songs back on my iPod and my laptop. Thanks so much!!

I have to get all my music off my old computer and put it on my laptop before wed., or else all of it will get erased. So, I really need help. :(:(

[iPodBlanc]

This is what comes up when I connect my iPod to my old computer.

"The iPod "Baloo" is linked to another iTunes library. Do you want to change the link to this iTunes music library and replace all existing songs and playlists on this iPod with those from this library?"

And then you can click Yes or No.

On my laptop that showed up, and I clicked Yes. I think that's what messed it up.

On my old computer, should I click Yes or No? What will happen?

[Waitingfornews]

One quick question, are the files on your laptop or does itunes just know the names of the songs and have a bunch of (!) symbols off to the side?

[toothpaste]

This is what comes up when I connect my iPod to my old computer.

"The iPod "Baloo" is linked to another iTunes library. Do you want to change the link to this iTunes music library and replace all existing songs and playlists on this iPod with those from this library?"

And then you can click Yes or No.

On my laptop that showed up, and I clicked Yes. I think that's what messed it up.

On my old computer, should I click Yes or No? What will happen?

Hook up the ipod to the old computer and click yes. This will resync all your music from the original computer. The use a third party utility like ipodutil to move the music back to the new machine with playcounts/ratings intact. When you hook up your ipod to the new computer only after you have moved all your music over, recreated playlists should you press yes to relinking your ipod to the new itunes library on the new computer.

[iPodBlanc]

Thank you SOOOO much toothpaste. I'm going to go try that now.

So after I do that, when I plug my ipod into my laptop all the songs and things will go back on?