my main computers finally died (he I’m a techy, like all good car mechanice’s my own car/computer is a piece of crap) taking with it the itunes I have paired with my g/f’s iphone.

I have the music backed up (mostly) but NOT on the other computer I’m going to re-pair the iphone with. What’s going to happen, will the contents of the iphone be deleted?
Basically will I need to start again with playlists etc?

Can’t you just reload iTunes from the iPhone? I know that you can do this with iPods, albeit using software other than iTunes.

Your best bet is likely to be here http://www.ilounge.com to point you in the direction of the appropriate software.

You can reload purchases from the phone but not stuff you have transfered from CD, there are 3rd party applications about that allow you to move it all.

being as I’ve not purchased ever from itunes, I assume that mean a big no…

any recommendations on the 3rd party apps?

I really wish I didn’t have to use this piece of crap called itunes, spoils an otherwise great tool (the iphone)

Make sure you turn off syncing on itunes on the new computer (at least for the ipod previously synced to the old computer), then it won’t delete stuff from the ipod. Never have syncing on IMHO, always sort them out manually.

You won’t be able to copy from the ipod back into itunes though, unless it’s stuff you bought on the ipod/iphone directly. Somebody will be along to recommend a third party app that will do this no doubt…

Never have syncing on IMHO, always sort them out manually
I read this before (about auto-syncing) but I surely you have to “sync” @ some point, so it will do it anyway??

“always sort them out manually”
So how do you do it?

If you do what porterclough said (turn sync off) can you then connect the ipod and use the backup function?

But dont you need to turn this off in Itunes so will wipe before you can turn it off?

What state is the HD in your old machine? can you not move it to the new one and copy the music and library across?

But dont you need to turn this off in Itunes so will wipe before you can turn it off?

No. When you plug in a new ipod it will ask you if you want to automatically sync it. You just need to select no at this point.

“always sort them out manually”
So how do you do it?

Just drag and drop what you want from itunes’ music folder into the ipod’s music folder. It’s a major flaw in the design of itunes that they assume you want to auto sync everything – if you count my work computer and my son’s ipod I have 3 computers (3 instances of itunes) and 3 ipods, plus a backup external hard disk. No I do not want itunes to suddenly wipe one of the ipods ‘cos it’s got music from my son’s computer not mine, or because I want to make a named playlist while at work on a computer that doesn’t have all my music on it. Stop that Apple. Bad Apple.

Ignore everything about using itunes to get your music back…you cant. When you plug you iphone in, and itunes appears…simply close itunes.

http://iphonetouch.blorge.com/2008/05/09/how-to-get-music-off-an-ipod-touch-iphone-in-windows/

Looks promising and is free

There are a few free of applications that will let you hack your ipod/phone and dump all the music in a folder to re-import into itunes. Then format the ipod and resync with the fresh itunes. Whatever you do don’t connect it to a new pc with auto syncing enabled or you will lose the lot.