what folders/files to backup for itunes when re-installing windows vista?

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Level 1

15 points

what folders/files to backup for itunes when re-installing windows vista?

i need to format my computer and re install windows vista fresh.
I have backed up all my data files, however, i dont know which apple files/folders i need to backup.

here is the problem, each time i format my PC, when i reinstall itunes it wont sync with my iphone because it says its synced to another, which is not really true but i understand why.

i wish to be able to simply place from backup the apple folders needed so my itunes is reinstalled and i dock my iphone it will sync up properly and not act like a retard.

what settings? is it registry? or files must i place and or backup to make my iphone resync as if windows was never reinstalled?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

quad core 9850, Windows Vista

Posted on Dec 19, 2007 9:32 PM

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Answer 1

necronym

Level 4

1,434 points

Dec 20, 2007 2:29 AM in response to ninja_pimp

If you reformat and reinstall, your registered user number, created during activation of Windows, changes. This name and number are never the same twice.

Since you have already synced iPhone to one computer, with a specific identifying name and number, when you try and sync it to the reformatted machine, with a new name and number created during Windows Activation, iPhone will identify this as a different computer. It's not acting like a retard as you put it. iPhone can only be synced with one computer.

Once your reformat is complete. You will need to sync iPhone to your system and copy over everything you need from there.

Back up your entire iTunes folder too.

Perhaps it would be easier if you had a system that didn't need a reformat and reinstall. Or a system that didn't need its operating system activated whenever you had to reinstall it.

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Answer 2

ninja_pimp Author

Level 1

15 points

Dec 20, 2007 9:27 AM in response to necronym

<edited by host>
an OS that does not need reinstall, lol. that will be the day.

i was not aware itunes creates a new SID opf special unique number.
even if i do backup everything and restore, you are saying i still have to do a fresh new sync, meaning i lose everything.

an example would be outlook, i format a PC, same exact PC. reinstall the OS, install outlook but i restore my PST file and voila i can access all my emails again.

i merely wish to be able tos ync up with my iphone which is on same PC with same OS and same CDkey used to activate it. the onyl thing unique is the windows SID which is generated upon install nothing more.

if I'm truly syncing to same iphone on same PC, itunes should detect this and let me resync.

hardware failures on a computer is part of life, nothing lives forever. hard drives sometimes just crash hence a re install.
what should be acceptable and doable is backup the itunes files pertaining to a sync so i can restore them.

i did go into /user/app data and backup the itunes folder but on restore it did not work.

all my music and videos are stored on a different PC so i dont loose that data, but the itunes information must reside on the OS which is ont he PC it crahsed.

thats the info I need to know, what to backup and restore, but if I hear you correctly, you are saying its NOT possible because itunes generates some unqiue code for each new install and so even if i backup and restore the folders it still will deny me because the unique code wont match the fresh install.

which i find hard to believe.
i want proof.

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Answer 3

Ansuz82

Level 6

8,285 points

Dec 20, 2007 9:06 AM in response to ninja_pimp

There is no real way to do what you are after. The iPhone will always see it as a different computer.

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Answer 4

Andrew T.

Level 4

3,219 points

Dec 20, 2007 11:50 AM in response to ninja_pimp

It "MIGHT" be possible to get this working properly. But I stress the word "MIGHT"

The main folder that should be backed up to start is the iTunes folder in the My Music Folder. This will store your content such as movies, tv shows, podcasts, album artwork, etc.

The next thing I would do is try the following.

Go to C:/Documents and Settings/ username / application data / applecomputer

Take the folder Apple Computer and back it up. You then "MIGHT" be able to then put this folder back in the same spot and have most of the same information and it "MIGHT" get rid of the idea your on a new PC. again this is a MIGHTY big "MIGHT"

Just ensure your Vista Machine has the same Login name and Username like it had before.

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Answer 5

ninja_pimp Author

Level 1

15 points

Dec 20, 2007 9:35 PM in response to Andrew T.

i treied restoring the /user folder/app data/apple.. but that did nto do it
as for the my music folder, thats on a separate hard drive and when i pointed itunes to that folder, it can see the music tracks but not the playlists.

ultimately i'd like to be able to back up my playlists which are in itunes.

is there any way to backup my playlists so if i do have to format and reinstall windows, it would be nice to restore my playlists as this is the time consuming part to recreate.

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