Put 2nd Ipod Classic playlists on Apple Music or Itunes using disk mode

GO TO ADMIN PANEL > ADD-ONS AND INSTALL VERTIFORO SIDEBAR TO SEE FORUMS AND SIDEBAR

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
How can I add songs and playlists from an old Ipod Classic to Apple Music or Itunes? This Ipod was lost for over 2 years and during that time Apple transitioned from Itunes to Apple Music on my Mac desktop with a new IOS update. My problem is that after I installed the new IOS on my desktop, none of my music made it over to Apple Music. I just found the lost Ipod with 7000+ songs and would like to get them off the ipod. I can't move them into Apple Music, but I have Itunes on my older Macbook. I tried syncing the Ipod to the Macbook, but as expected I get a message that the Ipod can't be synced because it has already been synced to another Itunes that was on my desktop. About 5 years ago I added a second Ipod's music to my Itunes account, and I remember it was by putting the Ipod into disk mode but I can't remember the process. Is there a better way to get this music (Playlists) into Apple Music, Itunes or onto Icloud so it is saved and can be used on another device before this Ipod classic dies? Thanks for your help
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
Music (I call it Music, not Apple Music, as Apple Music is an online streaming service that has the same name and confuses everyone) is iTunes under a different name. It works pretty much the same. Normally the library would just transfer over and there would be no issues.

Did you look for an iTunes folder under your user folder in Finder? You may be able to copy the iTunes folder contents (everything inside the iTunes folder, not the iTunes folder itself) to the Music folder and then open Music, and it may appear in Music, complete with tracks and playlists.

If you don't find an iTunes folder (usually caused by having it at the top level of the drive instead of under the user folder), you would recover a backup of your iTunes folder which would get you all your music and your playlists like they were before the upgrade. It is surprising how many people do not backup files. So of course there are ways to attempt recovery.

It is a good thing the iPod refused to sync with iTunes as it would have deleted the Music from the iPod, as it is not allowed to sync from iPods to iTunes/Music.

You can buy recovery software, to try and recover the deleted folders from the upgrade. This could work, but I wouldn't bother as it could get you nothing, or only a partial restore.

You can move the songs from the iPod to Apple Music.
  • The first step is to prevent syncing automatically. Hold Option and Shift keys and connect the iPod to the Mac to stop a possible sync. Then open the iPod in Finder and uncheck Automatically sync when this iPod is connected.
  • Create a folder on your desktop for the Recovered files.
  • Next is to open the iPod in Finder. Double click it on the desktop, or select the iPod's name in Finder.
  • Navigate to the iPod Control folder, then the Music folder.
  • Copy everything in the Music folder of the iPod and put it in the Recovered files folder on the desktop. This may take a long time.
  • After the copy is complete, then you open Music
  • Open the preferences, and go to the Advanced tab. Check Keep Music folder organized and Copy files to Music folder when adding to library and click OK.
  • Then use the Files menus, select Import, then at the top select your user folder, then select the Desktop folder, then select Restored Files folder, then click Open.
  • This will put the tracks into your library based on the data inside the file (Artist, Album, Song) and organize it by Artist/Album/trackname.ext
  • If any tracks were MP3 with incomplete or missing information, you may get some Unknown Artist, Unknown Album, etc. You will need to listen to these tracks to determine what that data is and you can add it by editing the Song Info for the track you listened to.
  • Once the import is complete from the first iPod, you can do the same (starting at "The first step") with the second iPod, though you may end up with duplicate music, but you can delete those from the library as you find them.
Now you need to renable sync with both iPods by connecting each iPod to the Mac, then open the iPod in Finder and check Automatically sync when this iPod is connected. Warning: This will allow the Music program to erase the iPod and sync from your library.

The Playlists might be recoverable with 3rd party software that you can buy. Some may change smart playlists to standard playlists (static) and you would need to recreate the smart playlists manually. I don't know what software would work. You may need to research based on reviews what would work for you.

Once everything is recovered, you can delete the Recovered music folder(s). Then I would make a backup of the Music folder to prevent the need to recover again.
 
Last edited:

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
Thanks for your reply. I checked and can't find an Itunes folder in finder, but that doesn't surprise me since following the IOS upgrade that got rid of Itunes, my mac had problems and Apple reformated the hard drive. I have tried your suggestion but when I open the ipod in finder, there is no Ipod Control Fol;der or Music Folder. All I see are 4 folders and one txt file. The 4 folders are Calendars, Contacts, Notes and Photos. There is music and playlists on the ipod because I can listen to it. Any suggestions?
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
Well you didn't say that Apple had formatted the drive in the first post. That is what removed your iTunes. There is no recovery from the drive after that step.

I already posted my other suggestion in my previous reply, it is more than half of the reply. Recovering the music from the iPod.

See the steps starting with
You can move the songs from the iPod to Apple Music.
 

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
I have tried your suggestion but when I open the ipod in finder, there is no Ipod Control Folder or Music Folder. All I see are 4 folders and one txt file. The 4 folders are Calendars, Contacts, Notes and Photos. There is music and playlists on the ipod because I can listen to it. Any suggestions?
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
You may need to use the older Macbook to perform those steps. The newer Mac OS hides the folders and allows you to sync with iTunes.

My Macbook Air running Monterey has the same issue with my 2005 30GB iPod Color.

Your other option is to find a friend with Windows that can enable hidden files and copy the files off for you.
 

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
Thank you again for your help. I again tried your suggestions on my macBook Pro running IOS High Sierra and here is what happened after attempting your steps twice. After holding down the shift & option keys while connecting the Ipod, Itunes starts and I see the Ipod, but the Ipod never shows up on the desktop (Strange!). I then went to Finder, where it is showing in the Devices list. Selected the Ipod and again, the only folders I see are the following

Calendars
Contacts
id.txt
Notes
Photos

No Ipod Control. Any thoughts?

Thanks again
 

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
I just checked Finder preferences and external disks was not selected. I selected it and the Ipod is now showing on the desktop. Minor fix but the main issue still exists, no Ipod Control folder
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
You should be able to do this on the new or old Mac. I just did it on Monterey.

Once you see the Contacts, Calendars and Notes folder, hold SHIFT and COMMAND and tap . (the period key) to reveal the grayed out hidden folders. iPod_Control is one of those hidden folders.

Then the rest of the steps should work to recover the music.

Once you are done getting the music off of 1 or both iPods, then hide the hidden folders again by repeating: hold SHIFT and COMMAND and tap . (the period key) to hide the hidden folders.

Poking around, I see there is an iTunesDB file which may contain the playlists. (The Playlists file is empty so I know they are not in there)
I see there are parsers written to dump the iTunesDB file, but I don't see how it can be used to recover playlists. For all I know the iTunesControl file has some sort of mapping. That will take some research. I am doubting I will find much on playlist recovery. Most of what I see out there is junk.
 

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
I am having incremental success, but not complete yet.
I was able to see the hidden files and copy all the music to the Recovered files folder, however my version of Music must be different. It is version 1.2.4.3 and I'm stalled at these steps. Step 1 below was not in the Advanced tab, but in another tab called Files. I checked the two boxes, then OK. Step 2 then stopped me. In the Music/File drop down menu there isn't an "Add to Library" option. all that is available is the following

New
Playlist
Smart Playlist
Playlist Folder
Open Stream URL
Close
Library
Turn on Genius
Organize Library
Export Library
Import Playlist
Export Playlist
Show Duplicate Items
Get Album Artwork
Import
Burn Playlist to Disc
Show in Funder
Convert
Page Setup
Print
  • 1.) Open the preferences, and go to the Advanced tab. Check Keep Music folder organized and Copy files to Music folder when adding to library and click OK.
  • 2.) Then use the Files menus, select Add to Library, and navigate to the Recovered files folder, click Open.
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
On a Mac it is
File->Import, then at the top select your user folder, then select the Desktop folder, then select Restored Files folder.

I edited the steps in the original post too.
 
Last edited:

bayfly

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2022
Messages
7
Points
1
Thank you for your help getting the music off the ipod and into Music. All went well, however as you mentioned, there are no playlists that came over from the ipod. Did you have any luck researching playlist recovery or the mapping of the ITunesControl file?
 

cjmnews

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
10,061
Points
63
Location
Arizona
No luck on that front.

Your best bet may be purchasing CopyTrans to get the playlists, if you need them. Never used it myself so no guarantees from us.
The only module you would need is CopyTrans to get the playlists. It may try to do the music as well.

I have heard pretty good things about CopyTrans for years. Never needed it myself though.
 
Top