How to use 2 ipods with one computer?

[Skarlet200]

I have a mini and a 40gb and I would like to use both for different things but I only have one computer. I use the 40 now and it is what is what is reconized by my computer. My mini is old and has songs on it from my old computer which I no longer have. How do I "plug" in the mini without screwing up the current I-tunes and choosing a few playlists from my current ones? Does any of that make sense? I use Windows if that makes a diff.

Thanks! :)

[studogvetmed]

Welcome to iLounge!

Has this mini every been associated with this computer before? If so it will have likely retained any settings previously.

It is easy to set up multiple iPods on one computer you can make each iPod have their own preferences. iTunes will automatically distinquish between the two iPods. Connecting a new iPod to iTunes will in no way affect the iTunes library (unless you have purchased music on the iPod that's not in iTUnes. iTunes 7 now allows for transfer of purchased music back into your iTunes), because syncing in general is one way iTunes -> iPod.

If you have never connected this mini to the particular computer/iTunes before, the first time you connect it, it should be recognized and should prompt you if you want to connect it to the new iTunes. You'll want to say no, because if you do it will automatically sync as much of your iTunes with it and you will lose anything already on the iPod. You'll want it to stay in manual mode, from there you can decide how you want to proceed.

If you had this mini associated with this computer in the past on an automatic update, use the link in my signature to learn how to temporarily disable auto-sync.

You can use third party software to get missing music off your mini and into iTunes so you can set up some type of automatic update or continue to use manual.

Again welcome. Take some time to search the forums and our iPod 101/201 articles for further information!

Good luck,
Stu

[Skarlet200]

WOW,
You guys are fast! Thanks for the reply. I hope this is not too confusing. The mini was originally on my husbands lap top. The music was taking up too much room so when we got a new PC it, everything was transfered on to it.
We have had 2 crashes on it (long story thanks to DELL) but to shorten it, the 2nd time it crashed, the hard drive was replaced.
Shortly after we got the new PC but before the crashes, I bought the larger I-Pod and started using it instead of the mini. The mini still has music on it from when I use to use it. I guess I am a little gun shy since with one of the crashes everything was lost but I was able to use a program to pull the music off my 40GB I-pod and put it back on the computer. guess I can't believe it will be as simple as plugging it in and seeing what happens.
Does any of this change your advice.?

[studogvetmed]

Nope, it kind of makes it more solid.

The mini shouldn't, by from what you describe, try to autosync with this library because it's never been in contact with this PC ever before.

However, just to be on the safe side use the tips in the "temporarily disable auto-sync" link in my signature the first time you connect the mini to your new PC. From there you should be able to make sure the mini get's into manual mode and have no worries.

Once you get the mini up and working on the new computer you'll want to either turn on hidden files so you can grab the missing music directly from the mini and get it accessible on your new computer or search our third-party software forum for programs that will help you get the music off the mini.

It would be fine to just keep the iPod in manual mode and just drag songs onto the iPod as needed and delete as needed, but then you lose the ability to use all the cool autosync features with smartplaylist to manage a small iPod with a big library, so I would find a way to get the music back off the mini and get the songs into iTunes.

See this article for more information on that: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/copying-music-from-ipod-to-computer/

Don't be too disillusioned by my quickness today. We aren't always so punctual :)

Good luck!

[Skarlet200]

Well,
I followed your advice in you link for disabling the auto sync. I worked to the degree that it showed the songs on the mini but when I clicked manual mode, it shows me the first few playlists but it won't let me do anything. I am not really interested in keeping any songs that are on the mini mainly because the are on the 40gb. I am trying to pull a few of the play list off the library so I have them for traveling (my car has an ipod connector). Do I need to "erase" what is on the mini? Thanks again for your time. I am such a complete dork when it comes to this stuff!

[studogvetmed]

Oh heck if you don't care what is on the mini right now restore it in iTunes and start from scratch! Yes, that erases it and then you decide how you want to manage the mini from there. Manual, automatic, or sync selected playlists only. Do you know how old the mini is? Some minis require that you have the AC adapter to finish the restore process.

If you want to attempt to preserve some of the playlists before you restore, click on the arrow next to the iPod in the source list and see if it will let you right click the playlist you want to save. See if there is an option to export the playlist. If ther is, export it to your desktop in xml format. You can then use iTunes to import that file into the main iTunes source. As long as all songs in the playlist are present in iTunes it should recreate the playlist in iTunes.

The only caveat is, I don't know if the option to export an iPod playlist exists...

If not, you'll have to google for some of the iPod copy software that can extract the iPod database to preserve your playlists from the mini.

[Skarlet200]

The mini is almost 2 years old. It came with a AC adapter. When I bought the new 40gb I-pod (April 2005) all the music that was on the mini was transfered the the new one so its no biggie to lose whats on the mini. I do have some playlists on the 40gb that I would like to put on the mini so that is my reasoning for all this.

[studogvetmed]

So you should be able to set your mini to sync just the playlists from iTunes that you want on it. You can do this without restoring if you want, the iPod will take care of itself erasing what needs to be erased keeping what it needs to, a restore isn't a terrible idea though to start from scratch.

To get the mini to sync selected playlists click on the music tab and select to update selected playlists. Choose the appropriate playlists from the list and apply.

Good luck and enjoy!

[Skarlet200]

You are wonderful!!!!!!!!! Thanks soooo much!!!

[d-bear]

ok, i have a question....

my g/f's computer doesn't have a USB2.0 card, and i don't want to put one in because it's not going to be around much longer. if her iPod is set to her computer, can i plug her iPod into my computer simply so it can charge? merely a temp setup until i get the Apple A/V dock kit with the charger.

[cjmnews]

If you don't have iTunes on your computer it is perfectly safe. If you do have iTunes on your computer, you need to answer no to the question of syncing with your library. Then it should work just fine.