How to transfer/backup your ipod library for FREE!

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Oct 13, 2009
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My intent of this write up is for those of use who have GB’s worth of music on their ipods and have had a hard drive crash that made you lose all the music on itunes. As many of you know you cannot transfer back from your ipod to your computer. Programs are available to do this ranging from $19 to $50 – but here is how to do it for free!

*I am using a 30gb Ipod video (not sure on the gen) Some modification to the steps may be needed for other ipods. But here’s the general idea.

Step one:
Connect your ipod

Step two:
Download Tinker tool from: TinkerTool: Description

Step Three:
Run Tinker tool
-Under finder options – Check “show hidden and system files”
-Now click “re-launch finder”

Step Four:
Your ipod should have popped up on the desktop, open it
- You will see a file “hidden” file called “Ipod_Control
- You will then see a “hidden” file called Music – Copy this entire folder to your desktop

Great you have now copied all of you music to your hard drive, but wait its still hidden ☹

Step Five:
Go to Applications – Utilities –and open Terminal
*You need to unhide the hidden files, to do this you first need to un-hide “music”
Type this exactly, chflag nohidden

You then need to drag the “music” folder to the terminal menu, you will see the add sign, drop it and it should write in the path to the music file. (ex. /Users/samadkins/Desktop/Music )

So the entire command will look something like this, chflags nohidden /Users/samadkins/Desktop/Music

Hit Enter! You have now un-hidden the music folder.

Step Six:
You now need to un-hide all the subfolders in the music. On my ipod all the music was stored in a ton of folders starting with F00 and ending with F49 (yours may be more or less)

Select all files from F00 to F** and repeat step five replacing “music” with the “F” files. Yes it will be a huge list of file paths.

Hit Enter, you have no un-hidden all “F**” files.

Step seven:
Close terminal
In Tinker tools un-check “show hidden and system files” - then re-launch finder
Disconnect your ipod
Open itunes, add to library, Select the “music” folder and click choose. It will then import all the music

All music has now been backed up. Enjoy!
 

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