[Juergen]

I have been building and maintaining PCs as a hobby for 25 years. I have avoided iPods because I do not like buying something and having the seller still have control over what I bought through DRM. However my daughter has an iPod and I need to re-install the OS on her PC (that has iTunes on it). I have backed up her /iTunes folder. When I redo her PC and install iTunes can I just copy the directory back? I have this fear that iTunes will say "these files are not authorized" or something similar. She paid for these songs and I don't want to accidentally make the unusable because of some licensing issue. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Fred_fred2004]

Have a look on All things iPod, iPhone, iTunes and beyond | iLounge there is tons of utilities and info

 

[TheKisho]

You'll be fine. Once you load the library find a DRM protected song (older bought song) and play it. First time you play a DRM song it will ask for your login information to authorise iTunes to play it. After that your computer will be authorized to play those songs. Don't forget to disable the iTunes before reinstalling the OS as you only have a 5 authorized computer limit. Only songs bought from iTunes are DRM protected (and only older bought songs as iTunes is now mostly if not completely DRM free now).


P.S. The 5 computer limit can only be reset to 0 once a year so be sure to disable before you reinstall the OS or getting rid of computer.

 

[Juergen]

Thanks! That's what I was looking for. This just reminds me how much I hate DRM.

 

[TheKisho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juergen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks! That's what I was looking for. This just reminds me how much I hate DRM.

You could always go back to CDs

 

[krmathis]

Luckily most (all?) songs available in iTunes Store these days are DRM free.

As for backing up you seem to have the steps right. Copy them back in the same directory as earlier and they will most certainly show up in iTunes like nothing happened. Worst case she need to verify her account by logging in with username/password.

 

[TheKisho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Luckily most (all?) songs available in iTunes Store these days are DRM free.

Now if only they could all be Apple Lossless (ALAC) I'd buy from iTunes again. [The songs] ;P

 

[pcf]

Better still- never buy any music from iTunes store. I buy cds and rip them to iTunes and ipods.

 

[TheKisho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcf /img/forum/go_quote.gif Better still- never buy any music from iTunes store. I buy cds and rip them to iTunes and ipods.

Not everyone has a boat load of space. ;P