Is there a way to maintain an iPod library without having all the files on your PC?

[AllyCat]

If I delete anything from the hard drive, iTunes won't synch it when I plug in the device and then that file won't play on the iPod. I can't believe I have to keep all that stuff on my low-GB PC in order to continue to play it.

What can I do?

[kentauros]

1. Get an external drive for your PC just for music.

I don't use/own an ipod, but my Cowon is drag-n-drop for getting files on and off of it. It's real easy to maintain :D

[Initech]

2. This.

You can get a 1TB external USB drive for like $100. Check out Newegg and Tiger Direct.

[Mojambo]

10. Yup.

The WD Mybook is a nice option.

Works out great for all my media.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Just copy the music files from your PC to the external HD

They are in folders by artist. Copy all of them to your backup and then onto the next PC and the new iTunes install will see the previously ripped files.

[jobycom]

4. Floppy disks. Get the 8" ones, as they are way bigger than a CD, so they hold more.

Or get an external hard drive, like the rest of us. :)

[kentauros]

5. This one's bigger:

CapacitanceElectronicDisc

Dimensions: 12 x 12 inch
Storage Capacity: 2 x 60 min.
Manufacturer: RCA

CED was a lubricated (!) pvc
videodisc in a caddy. The caddy
was inserted in a machine, the
disc was unloaded and the
empty caddy ejected. Worked
with a diamond stylus with
titanium electrode. 1981-1986.

:P

good site for antique storage technologies: http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/archive/lostformats.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Punchcards, baby.

Punchcards.

[LTR]

12. I remember an old 80's era computer I had that had a cassette data drive

Talk about long load times! Sheesh!

I believe it was an Atari 800. I was a big Star Raiders fan (the only thing really useful on that thing).

[grace0418]

7. Just another vote for external hard drive. That's what I do. I have 50G of music and other

files on my iPod. That would put a big dent in my available space on my computer. I just make sure the external is plugged in every time I open iTunes (and there is a setting in iTunes to tell the program where to save your files). It works like a charm.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. I have my music library on an external hard drive

I've imported a portion of that into my iTunes library, and have a smaller portion of that synched to my iPod.

[TommyO]

9. I'm going to recommend the external drive route as well

Apple has simple instructions for moving your library from one drive to another:

Mac: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Windows: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1364

[AllyCat]

11. Thank you!

[TommyO]

13. You're quite welcome

I went through several library changes on my Mac while I upgraded several hard drives, it was time consuming, but relatively easy.

[AllyCat]

14. I'm getting a Mac next time (this time?) This all started with a nasty trojan

that shut down windows. After spending $200 getting it "fixed" it came back with windows access, but no internet. After days of searching and running fixes, I finally fixed the broken LSP with Super AntiSpyware and got on the 'net for about 24 hours. Then I loaded a new firewall in case we got hit with this beast again. It errored out on me from the first minute and was impossible to set up. So I unloaded it about 10 minutes later and voila! NO INTERNET CONNECTION AT ALL. After 30 min on the phone with our ISP, they have determined that we have no IP address.

Back to the computer guy and if this doesn't work, I'm getting a Mac. I've had it. If I can get back on line, I'll use your fixes! Thanks!