Desktop died - iTunes lost?
Author
Discussion

xxplod

Original Poster:

2,269 posts

268 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
I wonder if the PH IT wizzes can help me. My desktop computer died a couple of months back - no warning, seems like a fatal hard drive issue. Machine won't even boot up.

I've bought a new laptop which is fine. However all my iTunes music was on the hard drive of the old machine. Is there any way to get iTunes to give it to me again (they'll obvously have my account details) or am I stuffed? I don't think it's likely to be worth having a repairer look at the base unit and try and recover what's on the drive, surely that would cost £££?

Any help gratefully received!

adam85

1,264 posts

215 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
Have you got all of the music previously on iTunes on your iPod? If so, this is going to save you a lot of hassle.

http://www.findleydesigns.com/ipodaccess/index.htm...

This will take the music from the iPod and arrange it nicely in your iTunes just as before.
Yes, there are ways of achieving the same thing but this is a much less PITA method!

fivesixseven8

6,146 posts

251 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
xxplod said:
I wonder if the PH IT wizzes can help me. My desktop computer died a couple of months back - no warning, seems like a fatal hard drive issue. Machine won't even boot up.

I've bought a new laptop which is fine. However all my iTunes music was on the hard drive of the old machine. Is there any way to get iTunes to give it to me again (they'll obvously have my account details) or am I stuffed? I don't think it's likely to be worth having a repairer look at the base unit and try and recover what's on the drive, surely that would cost £££?

Any help gratefully received!
They won't let you download purchases a second time. Only apps can be downloaded several times for free. Sucks I know.

xxplod

Original Poster:

2,269 posts

268 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
Thanks guys

autoholic

353 posts

235 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
I recovered our music when the laptop when fizz by using idump. Sounds bad I know but the software is free and it worked a treat.

http://idump.en.softonic.com/

cw2k

390 posts

213 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
fivesixseven8 said:
They won't let you download purchases a second time. Only apps can be downloaded several times for free. Sucks I know.
They normally offer a once in a lifetime option to download all your music again.

You have to use the contact us feature and ask nicely, they will then remind you that you should have made backups then they will add everything to your download queue again. They will only do this once, if you lose your music again after that they won't replace them.

.Mark

11,104 posts

300 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
cw2k said:
fivesixseven8 said:
They won't let you download purchases a second time. Only apps can be downloaded several times for free. Sucks I know.
They normally offer a once in a lifetime option to download all your music again.

You have to use the contact us feature and ask nicely, they will then remind you that you should have made backups then they will add everything to your download queue again. They will only do this once, if you lose your music again after that they won't replace them.
+1 Have heard (and witnessed) this too.

MKnight702

3,363 posts

238 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
How dead is the old PC?

My PC died recently, just wouldn't boot up or recognise the hard drive no matter what I did. Ended up replacing the HDD and then plugged the old drive into an external case and read the data on the old disc no problem. Pulled off all the photos and ITunes, dropped them into the new directory and away we go.

LordGrover

34,091 posts

236 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?

.Mark

11,104 posts

300 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?
I don't think there is a setting for it bizarrely enough. I use EZBackitup (freeware)to make a copy of all my important stuff to an external HDD.

Simon Says

19,349 posts

245 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?
I just go into the itunes folder and copy and paste the music over to external drive,spare HD etc,used this method twice now and restored using this method no problems so far wink

The_Burg

4,853 posts

238 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
Take the hard disk out of the old machine and plug it in another PC, a friends or maybe IT department at work for a cheeky beer. Download 'Recuva' and magically most if not all your old stuff will come back!

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

279 months

Monday 1st March 2010
quotequote all
And this is why you should have backups! I'm always imazed when people are gutted you can't re-download your purchases... Last time I lost a cd I couldn't go the the shop to get a replacement free either.

PJ S

10,842 posts

251 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?
Errmm.....have you tried just like umm copying the files to another drive (external or internal)?
That usually does the trick, so if you like umm lose access to one set of files on a drive, you've like umm another set sitting there.

Come on LG, it's not rocket science or brain surgery - it's fundamental usage of a computer, or at least should be if you can somehow manage to work out how to join and use a forum!

PJ S

10,842 posts

251 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
Blue Meanie said:
And this is why you should have backups! I'm always imazed when people are gutted you can't re-download your purchases... Last time I lost a cd I couldn't go the the shop to get a replacement free either.
Ah, but those are very different 1's and 0's - so you're comparing Apples with Microsofts. Tsk tsk....you should know better than that!

LordGrover

34,091 posts

236 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
PJ S said:
LordGrover said:
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?
Errmm.....have you tried just like umm copying the files to another drive (external or internal)?
That usually does the trick, so if you like umm lose access to one set of files on a drive, you've like umm another set sitting there.

Come on LG, it's not rocket science or brain surgery - it's fundamental usage of a computer, or at least should be if you can somehow manage to work out how to join and use a forum!
Clearly. rolleyes

The point is iTunes offers a facility to backup to CD or DVD only. I consider this an oversight or laziness.

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

279 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
PJ S said:
LordGrover said:
I can only find an option to burn iTunes library to dvd or CD - is it not possible to backup to external HDD or USB flash drive?
Errmm.....have you tried just like umm copying the files to another drive (external or internal)?
That usually does the trick, so if you like umm lose access to one set of files on a drive, you've like umm another set sitting there.

Come on LG, it's not rocket science or brain surgery - it's fundamental usage of a computer, or at least should be if you can somehow manage to work out how to join and use a forum!
Clearly. rolleyes

The point is iTunes offers a facility to backup to CD or DVD only. I consider this an oversight or laziness.
It offers a back up to cd of dvd because if you are backing up a computer, to an external drive, you can select what folder you want, or do the entire drive. It offers back up to hard copy. Back up to external is simple.

GingerRob

443 posts

199 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
With my iTunes it's saved on a seperate hd to windows and all other programs so if the main HD goes down then there fairly safe

PJ S

10,842 posts

251 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
GingerRob said:
With my iTunes it's saved on a seperate hd to windows and all other programs so if the main HD goes down then there fairly safe
And therein lies the nub of the problem for most users - they install then start wading into using it without spending a measly few minutes looking at the options available to tailor the software to your needs/preference.
Doing so, would probay negate half the "iTunes help required" threads that crop up.

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

279 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
PJ S said:
GingerRob said:
With my iTunes it's saved on a seperate hd to windows and all other programs so if the main HD goes down then there fairly safe
And therein lies the nub of the problem for most users - they install then start wading into using it without spending a measly few minutes looking at the options available to tailor the software to your needs/preference.
Doing so, would probay negate half the "iTunes help required" threads that crop up.
yes