I have just got a new (secondhand) iPod Classic and it has arrived already loaded with music and TBH I would like to keep it (over 5000 tracks) but the problems is when I plug it into my iTunes account it wants to clear all the music, it is set in a Mac format and I’m running my account through Windows.

So the burning question is “Can I convert all the music from a Mac format into Windows and not lose all the music?

Cheers

The iPod will probably be formatted with a mac filesystem – unless they specified otherwise. Does it show up in the filesystem at all?

If it’s formatted with a mac filesystem (hfs+?) then your best bet is to ask a mate with a mac nicely (use Senuti) – otherwise you’ll have to buy software to read it (MacOpener?)

That’s my best (mac user) guess 🙂

you seem to be asking two questions here
1. can you take the music off the iPod you bought and put it on your machine
2. not sure what you’re asking here. Mac format? You mean the iPod is formatted for use on a Mac? Or that the music is in .m4a files?

1. you can do this. Although iTunes won’t let you and you’re not meant to. There are any number of commercial software items on the web that will take the contents of your iPod and dump it on your PC. With some iPods including the classic you can set it to disk mode and just copy the files. Although this loses all the file metadata and you’re left with a bunch of mysteriously named files that you’ll be able to play but will have no clue who made them.

try this

2. if it’s a mac formatted iPod classic (they’re all now ‘universal’) then you’re stuck. Unless you have some software on your PC to read HFS formatted disks. If it’s that the files are .m4a or somesuch then no problem – this is iTunes native format. reading mac disks with a PC

Thanks to you both for your help.

prettygreenparrot

having read your post it confirm the following –

you seem to be asking two questions here
1. can you take the music off the iPod you bought and put it on your machine – YES
2. not sure what you’re asking here. Mac format? You mean the iPod is formatted for use on a Mac? Or that the music is in .m4a files? – Mac format? You mean the iPod is formatted for use on a Mac? – YES.

I have read your links and are looking for advice, which one is best, I poss think No 2 ??vert?? (not sure of name)

Have you done this before?