Moving music from iPod or hardrive to iTunes on my new Thinkpad ($25)

Here's the situation:  I have on old ThinkPad with a ton of music in
iTunes and synched on my iPod.  I just bought a new ThinkPad -- and
(foolishly?) have already purchased some music for it and have some
podcast subscriptions.  So:

> Is there a way to add my huge library from the old computer to the
new one without losing the little bit of stuff on I've already put on
the new one?

> I'm happy to implement a solution using either iTunes "import" or
copying folders from the old computer to the new one.  But I don't see
how.

Thanks.

You can try the software ANAPOD EXPLORER which allows you to BROWSE
and COPY music from your ipod.
Hope you can solve your problem b4 X-Mas

ephPod has worked wonders for me and it's free.


http://www.ephpod.com/

This seems very simple to answer, so I may have misunderstood the question. 

First of all, find a way to transfer the music files from your old
hard drive onto a different type of media, such as an external hard
drive, or onto DVDs or CDs. The files should be located in

My Music > iTunes > iTunes Library

 Then, drag and drop the files from the new copy onto the hard drive of the new PC.
Import them with iTunes. If you attempt to play any of the old
purchased music, it will simply ask you to login to the account you
bought it with, and then will liscense your computer to play it. This
won't happen if your computer is already liscensed, it will just do it
automatically.

To import them from the iPod:

1. Plug your iPod in
2. Open the Search tool.
3. Select "Pictures, Music, And Video"
4. Check the "Music" box,
5. Click on "Advanced Search Options"
See the "Look in..." menu?
Change that to your iPod's name (that is what your iPod's name appears as in
"My Computer").

6.Click "More Advanced Options"
Make sure "Search hidden files and folders" is checked.

Finally, make sure that nothing is typed in under "all or part of the file name"
CLICK SEARCH.

A bunch of files will pop up on screen.
Drag and drop those into a new folder you've created (preferably on
the desktop).
now, open up iTunes and add that folder to your library.
That's all.


One alternate method involves using a utility like Anapod Explorer,
ephPod, or Xplay.
Personally, I have found that Xplay (by mediafour) is the easiest to
use (doing a google search to download it is safe).

Hope that helped,
Jeremy.

These are very helpful comments -- espeically Jeremy's.  So how do I
give him the $25 as a very small token of my thanks?  (Maybe I should
post that as a seperate Google question. <grin> )

In any event - THANK YOU!  And Jeremy -- tell Google to pay you.

I'd like to add that you can very easily copy all the music off your
ipod onto any PC or mac using PodPlayer: Free,
http://www.ipodsoft.com/index.php?/software/podplayer

It's so small and convenient, I just keep it on my iPod for when I run
into a computer without iTunes I want to play my music on.

After you copy it to your hard drive, just import it in itunes using add folder.

Note that if you still want your ratings, you'll need to import the
library.xml file off your old computer into your new iTunes.

C:\Documents and Settings\David\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes
music library.xml