How to Recover iTunes After a Hard Drive Crash

Besides the inconvenience, cost can be a major headache when your hard drive crashes. Not only might you lose projects for work or school, you could lose software that you paid for or music you've downloaded. When you consider that you'll usually pay between $.99 and $1.29 per song, that could add up to thousands of dollars (and Apple won't let you download a song for free, even if it's to replace a song that you previously purchased from them that was lost). However, there is a way to restore your iTunes library on your computer from your iPod.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• iTunes
• iPod
• TinkerTool

Instructions

Macs

1. Macs aren't equipped with a utility that will make invisible files visible, so you will need to download a program to do that. A free one is TinkerTool.

2. Plug your iPod into your computer to open iTunes; if it doesn't automatically open, open it manually.

3. A window will pop up on your computer asking you if you want to sync the contents of your iPod with the contents of your iTunes library. Click cancel.

4. In the iTunes source list, choose the iPod, and make sure that you have selected the Summary tab in iTunes' main window.

5. Select the Manually Manage Music option, as well as the Enable Disk Use option, then launch TinkerTool.

6. In Tinker Tool, click on the Finder tab, and select the "Show Hidden" and "System Files" options, then click on the "Relaunch Finder" button.

7. Find the iPod's icon on the desktop and double-click it. This will open more folders in the iPod window. Find the folder called iPod_control and double-click it.

8. Now you will have a number of folders to choose from. Locate the music folder, and drag it to the main desktop of your Mac so that it's copied to your computer.

9. Open the music folder on your desktop, then open the folders within the music folder. Locate the Library entry in the iTunes Source List, and drag the contents of the folders there. This will add the music from your iPod into your iTunes library.

Windows-based PCs

1. Plug your iPod into your computer to open iTunes; if it doesn't automatically open, open it manually.

2. A window will pop up on your computer asking you if you want to sync the contents of your iPod with the contents of your iTunes library. Click cancel.

3. In the iTunes source list, choose the iPod, and make sure that you have selected the Summary tab in iTunes' main window.

4. Open up the My Computer icon from either your desktop or the Start menu, and select your iPod from the window.

5. In the My Computer window, open up the Tool menu and click on Folder Options. This will open up another window.

6. Choose the View tab, and find the heading for Hidden Files and Folders. Click on the button that says "Show Hidden Files and Folders," then click the "Apply" button at the bottom of the Window. Close the Folder Options window.

7. Find the iPod's icon on the desktop and double-click it. This will open more folders in the iPod window. Find the folder called iPod_control and double-click it.

8. Now you will have a number of folders to choose from. Locate the music folder, and drag it to the main desktop so that it's copied to your computer.

9. When the Music folder is on the desktop, right-click on it. From the window that appears, choose "Properties." In the Attributes area of the General tab, uncheck the Hidden option, and then click "Apply."

10. A window will appear that will ask you to confirm the attribute changes. Make sure the box next to the Apply Changes to this Folder, Subfolders, and Files option is checked, and then click OK.

11. Drag the folder and its contents into the iTunes library.

Tips & Warnings

• When you first plug your iPod into your computer and open iTunes, make sure that you don't sync the contents of your computer with your iPod (Step 3 in Mac instructions, Step 2 in Windows instructions), or you'll erase the music off your iPod.

References

• MacWorld.com
• TinkerTool