How to Recover an iPod Library After a Crash
Losing your iPod library can be frustrating after your computer crashes. If you don't have it saved on an external hard drive, it may seem impossible to get it back. However, by enabling your computer to show your hidden files and folders, you can transfer your music library straight from your iPod in a matter of minutes.
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Things You'll Need
- iPod (any generation)
- iPod USB cable
- The Houdini program (Mac OS users)
Instructions
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Recoving Your Music Library on Windows
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1
Connect your iPod to the computer using the iPod USB cable.
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2
Change your computer's folder preferences to "View All Hidden Files/Folders." This can either be done from the Control Panel, or by right-clicking on any folder and changing its preferences.
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3
Go to "My Computer." Here, you will see your connected iPod.
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4
Double-click on the iPod's icon to view its contents. You can now see its previously hidden data folders (Music, Photos, etc.).
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5
Double-click on the Music folder to view your downloaded song files. Click and drag them onto your desktop to complete the transfer.
Recovering Your Music Library on a Mac
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6
Connect your iPod to the computer using the iPod USB cable.
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7
Download the free Houdini program for your Mac to view hidden files and folders.
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8
Double-click on the Houdini .dmg file once it has finished downloading to successfully install the program onto your computer. It should now be accessible through your Applications menu.
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Go to your Applications menu and double-click on the Houdini icon to launch the program. Houdini will give you five different options: "Create," "Open," "Move," "Delete," and "Hide."
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10
Select the "Open" option. This will bring up the Finder window in which you can select your iPod under Devices.
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Select the Music folder from your iPod now that it is no longer hidden. From here, you can click and drag your song files onto the desktop to save them to your computer.
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Tips & Warnings
Hold the Shift key while clicking on files to select more than one file at once.
Disconnecting your iPod while it is syncing may result in a loss of data.
