For many years I've been using Mac computers, so naturally, my iPod is
formatted for my Mac.
     Recently though, I purchased my first PC and I want to transfer
my music from my iPod (or from the Mac itself) to my PC.
     I have an external HD of sufficient size to hold all of the
music, which I can move from the Mac to the PC, but if I format it in
NTFS my Mac can't write to it to put the music on it, and if I format
it in HFS (at least I -think- that's what the Mac format is called) my
PC can't read or write to it. So one option would be either getting
the Mac to be able to write to a NTFS formatted drive, or getting a PC
to read a HFS formatted drive; I'm pretty sure both of those things
are possible, but I'm not sure how.
     I've tried two programs (OurTunes, and MyTunes) that transfer the
music using iTunes built in streaming music features, but they stop at
around a thousand songs, not near enough to move everything across
effectively. Fixing OurTunes/MyTunes is another option, but really a
last resort more than anything.
     I've tried using FAT32 which both the Mac and the PC can both
read and write to, but it has several restrictions on the length of
file names and the size of file themselves, so FAT32 (or another
format) is unacceptable unless you know of a way to get around the
restrictions.
    As far as getting the music from the iPod to my PC, my computer
won't even see it unless I reformat it to work with the PC, which
naturally, erases all of the files.

Thank you, and happy holidays!

now that you have 2 computers it makes sense to build a LAN to network
your computers. this way you can share/transfer files easily now and
in the future. setting up a LAN is inexpensive compared to previously.
there are several ways to do so. get a cross-over cable and do direct
networking, or get a switch and couple of straight cables or use a
firewire cable and do IEEE1394 netorking. (not sure if mac supports
it)

You have also another option, you can plug the disk directly to a
"wireless storage router" with an USB socket, like this:

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGT634U.php

and share the files of the disk between the Mac and the PC like a
Network drive directly connected to the router.

Best Regards

Feliciano

You have two choices here...

#1:
save all your songs on the mac
attach the IPod to the PC, and allow it to format it for PC usage
move it back to the mac, copy all the files back to the iPod
mov it back to the pc and it will copy all your files over
(this worked on my friends iPod where he had the same problem, mac's
can read PC formatted drives just fine ;D)

#2:
download and install either XPlay 2.0 or macdrive: http://www.mediafour.com/
PC should now recognize the iPod as macdrive and XPlay 2.0 allow
windows to read mac formatted disks.

Zhengkit:
I have both of the computers on the same network, (plugged into the
same router, etc.) but I'm not sure how to enable file-sharing between
my Mac and my PC, if someone could help me set that up, it seems like
it would work fine though.

Fjuarez:
That's a good idea, but I'm not really interested in another router (I
already have two, and a switch.)

Tigerheart:
Are you sure? I've tried that, I formatted it for the PC, but when I
plugged it into the Mac, it could read the iPod fine, but it's unable
to write to it to put the songs on it. I'm going to try a free trial
of MacDrive, see how well it works, sounds good though!

Asher

Okay, I installed MacDrive, moved al of my music from my Mac to the
external HD, but now MacDrive is seeing the HD in the 'partition'
option, but when I go to my computer to use it, or try and use it
through MacDrive, the drive doesn't show up at all. Hmm!

what mac OS version do you have? Also, what system software version do
you have for the iPod on both your pc and your mac?

-TigerHeart

As for the macdrive issue:
Try using this tool on the hard drive after you plug it into the PC:
http://download.mediafour.com/macdrive/tools/MDEraseWinSig.exe
Many times as soon as you install the hard drive, windows writes a
'signature' to the drive. this will remove this signature. If the tool
finds nothing then (I'm assuming your computer is running windows xp
here) right click on my computer, click manage, select disk
management, and see if the drive shows up there. If it doesn't show up
here, then there is a problem with the hardware. Let me know the
results and I'll help you further.

>Zhengkit:
>I have both of the computers on the same network, (plugged into the
>same router, etc.) but I'm not sure how to enable file-sharing between
>my Mac and my PC, if someone could help me set that up, it seems like
>it would work fine though.
 
asher12-ga,

What operating system are you running on the PC?  I'm assuming it's
Windows, but what flavor?

Once I know what version your using I can give you the best
instructions on how to setup file sharing in Windows.

On your network are both computers setup with TCP/IP (basically can
they both get out to the internet), and if so do you know how to use
Ping to verify that they can communicate with each other?

Thanks

What I would do is format the iPod on the PC anyways (making sure that
you have the files on your mac), then putting the songs back on the
iPod from the mac. Then go to your pc and download a program called
iPod->Folder 1.2 from version tracker on the following address:
http://webmail.west.cox.net/%24sessionid%2474BEE2910AEFF4A78A91C0D6FE736766/agent/mobmain?mobmain=1
However, this program will only be able to put the mp3 files on you
ipod on your pc (although chances are most, if not all are already
mp3's.

To overcome the file name restrictions, you can use a shareware file
compression program called StuffIt (http://www.stuffit.com/) which is
available for both the PC and the MAC.  Once you compress all of your
music files on the Mac with StuffIt, copy that archive onto the FAT32
drive.  Then copy the archive off the FAT32 drive onto your NTFS
drive.  Now install the Windows version of stuffit on your PC to
extract the archive.  Reformat the IPOD for NTFS, and you should be
transferring your files in no time!

One way that you could easily get the music off is to use a free
program called iPod Agent. You can download the software a
ipodsoft.com. Once you install it, the interface is self-expalanatory
and it will let you move your music to your PC.
Yours,
jeopardy-ga

Download iTunes onto your Pc from apple.com. Next plug your iPod into
the firewall and it will download.

Grabbed this off G4TechTV.




Use iPod with your Mac and PC 

You have a Mac at home and a PC at the office. If you want to jump
platforms, here's what you can do.

Use the iPod Software Updater for Windows to convert an iPod for Mac
to a WinPod, and vice versa.

Format the iPod on the Windows machine with the iPod Software Updater for Windows.


Your Mac will readily recognize the FAT32 volume formatting of the
iPod for Windows. When you plug the iPod into your Mac, it will behave
almost exactly like an iPod for Macintosh.

The catch: It will take iTunes longer to copy tunes, and you won't be
able to boot your Mac from your iPod.

Christopher Breen is a contributing editor for Macworld magazine,
where he pens the popular Mac 911 tips and troubleshooting column.
He's also author of "Secrets of the iPod."

"Secrets of the iPod"

:D