Itunes wants to delete all my songs Solved/Closed

Question

Hello, 
i recently bought a new computer and dowmloaded my itunes. before on my old computer I had an itunes with like 200 songs. since I got my new computer I bought 20 songs and tried to transfer them onto my ipod. Everytime I try to however, a message pops up saying that if I transfer the new songs onto my ipod all of my old songs will be deleted. what should I do? 

Extra: 
i also get a pop up saying that a newer version of itunes is ready for download. Should I download it or will it just make things worse? there is also a pop up that says this "Itunes has detected that it is not the default player for audio files. would you like to the default programs control panel to fix this?"Configuration: Windows Vista Internet Explorer 7.0

warrio_r · Accepted Answer

hi, if you sync you iPod with iTunes, all the music in the iPod will be deleted.

What you need to do is to :

 click on your iPod icon when you connect it to the computer and then check "Manually manage music".
 Then you need to create a playlist, put all the songs you want to add in your iPod, then under the iPod click on Music, and you will see "Autofill from:" below the window.
 Select the playlist yu created and click on autofill.

Thus the songs will be added without deleting the ones which were already on the iPod.
It is recomonded that you update the iTunes when you are prompted to do so.
Thus you can get more features.

Beau · Answer

Ok, I think I've figured out how to move songs into the iPod without having to back it all up (who has the time when they just want to add a new album?).  I sympathise with everyone who has lost their music - I recently had a hard drive malfunction, so all the music I have is on my 120GB iPod.  Not wanting to have to comb through my external hard drives to re-create my iTunes library just to update a new album, I've been looking for a way to add music to my iPod without having anything taken out against my will.  I'll break it down...

1. Plug your iPod in.  Most of the times, iPods are set on autosync.  However, if it's from another iTunes library, you should get a pop-up warning you about the fact that syncing will clear your iPod.  Cancel, and do not sync.

2. On the summary page of your iPod, at the very bottom, there should be a section called "Options", and a place to check a box called "Manually manage music and videos".  Check it off.  This will enable you to move your music back and forth without iTunes wanting to clear out your iPod for a new library.

3. Remember, do NOT attempt to move to the music tab and sync your music.  Instead, click on the little arrow/triangle next to your iPod name (this is on the left sidebar, under "Devices").  You should now see a list of things on your iPod, from Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, to your playlists.

4. Now in order to move your music, highlight whatever album or song you want to move from your iTunes Music Library, and move it in to the Music section under Devices > iPod Name > Music.  This should move the songs into your general iPod music folder.  Click on that folder and search for your music to make sure it's moved in correctly.

5. If you're trying to move a playlist, make sure you're not moving one playlist into another, because then the playlist you are moving will merge with the other.  Just place your playlist somewhere around your iPod's name, and it should move in with the other playlists without merging.

7. You're done!  Make sure to eject properly, and if your disk use is enabled, make sure that your iPod is no longer mounted in Finder.

So, I think that's about it.  I think this will work better with small amounts of music rather than large libraries, but that's just me.  Anyhow, I hoped this helped someone, and I hope this step-by-step is easy enough to understand.  Good luck everyone!

dainai · Answer

For starters if its a new pc you should either upgrade to win 7 or downgrade to xp. Vista is riddled with problems. Second, unless you know exactly what your doing in terms of managing your internet  and computer security do not use explorer either, mozilla firefox is a safer and very user friendly browser. 
In terms of your apple problems I would recommend you look into how to manage your ipod without using itunes, it is an evil bloody program, especially on a pc. The safest way to not lose your songs and add new would be to copy content of ipod into your new itunes library, then just add songs onto ipod again as normal. However have you tried putting it into manual mode? To get maual mode you click on ipod symbol in I tunes under source list, go options, music, manually manage songs and playlists. This is often all that needs to be changed to get itunes to not delete previously loaded content...

sol · Answer

You have to autorize you new computer

jenny · Answer

when you plug your ipod (or iphone) into your computer, click on the ipod icon on the side bar. click manage my own songs and videos (or something like that) and drag the songs or playlist you'd like on your ipod onto the ipod icon.

iPod Solver · Answer

If you have already set your ipod for "Manually Manage" you can change it, but you will not be able to keep the songs already on there. The process of keeping your songs is very easy and about a 3 step process. To keep the songs already on there here is what you do:

1.) Plug in your iPod to the computer and open iTunes
2.) Under the "Library" List click on the Music icon
3.) Click on the music you want on your iPod(Dont let go of the mouse yet), and drag the songs from your playlist, to the Music icon under the Devices List.

crazybeez · Answer

if you do lose your songs, you can pull up your purchase history in itunes and email them with the order numbers, they will re-download everything you purchased however what you put on there from cd's or other ways, they cannot replace. :-/ also, itunes will only do this for you once and they are a pita to get a hold of however if you do, they are very nice and understanding. 
hope that helped

N0buddy · Answer

I had the same problem, so when your on the option (Device) go to iPod options and have everything unchecked but Manually manage music and videos
Now you can drag all music and videos over to your iPod 
This will stop you from being able to sync you iPod from each computer unless you transfer all you stuff to one computer

zal13 · Answer

go to your tabs and choose manually manage music and videos

ihastheanswer · Answer

if you actually bought the 200 songs already on your ipod, you might be able to transfer them from your ipod to your itunes. right click on the ipod on the left in itunes when you have it plugged in and look for a "transfer purchases" option. when I did it it pulled everything from my iphone onto my computer so I didn't have to re-purchase everything.

you should keep copies of all songs you purchase on an external hard drive and re-add them into itunes every time you get a new computer. upgrading itunes versions shouldn't mess anything up. but this way when you switch computers you can add your songs and if it needs to you can erase your ipod and re-add everything again.

if you know you're going to do that, you can save your library and open it on the new computer, that way your playlists and everything are saved as well.

Kayaker · Answer

Install MediaMonkey and you will see your Iphone/Ipod as seperate drive. All songs can be copied to another location and you can also add your own songs to your Iphone. 
Read the instructions from MediaMonkey how to proceed. It is freeware with a pro version for purchase.

uwon'tloseurmusic!!! · Answer

I just pluged mine in and it atomaticly did it for me!! I have the lastest version of itunes though

Nickname · Answer

if you have an ipod classic or movie, you can open it in my computer enable hidden  folders you will see a folder ipod control open it and you will see a music folder copy and paste it somewhere and add it to your itunes library the folders and music will be named in a strange way but itunes fixes the names

pat · Answer

its alot easier than transferring and moving files around and all that... plug in your iphone/pod whatever and be connected to internet. open itunes and go under "file" then "transfer purchases from 'iphone name' " it will ask if you want to register the computer to this item... just say yes and follow thru then it will put everything on your iphone to itunes and you can run itunes like you did before.

charkyo · Answer

go to "file > transfer purchases" in itunes cause I had the same problem and this solved it :)

myanswer! · Answer

i just clicked "transfer purchases" too..but thats because I had already hooked it up to that computer before and it worked the first time but then I bought lots of songs on my ipod and when I went to sync it a second time it wouldnt work told me if I synced my ipod it would erase all my songs so I thought I lost all the songs I recently purchased..however I clicked that and all the songs I bought were added to my itunes and then they went back onto my ipod so it was all good :) but the problem is I have lots of doubles on my ipod now!

Itunes wants to delete all my songs

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