Do you want to erase this iphone and sync with this itunes library?

In regards to iTunes content, an iPhone can be synced or manually managed with an iTunes library on a single computer only, and photos can be transferred from a single computer. When transferring iTunes content and photos from another computer, all iTunes content and photos transferred from a different computer will be erased from the iPhone first, but no other content on the iPhone will be touched which depends on the selections under the various tabs for the iPhone sync preferences.

There is no device limit in regards to the number of iPods and/or iPhones that can be synced with the same iTunes library and iTunes account on the same computer.

Have you ever synced your iPhone with your iTunes library and iTunes account on this computer?

After doing so, any music, video, or 3rd party apps purchased/downloaded from the iTunes store with your iPhone should be transferred to your iTunes library on your computer the first time you sync with iTunes after doing so.

iTunes includes an option to transfer iTunes content that was purchased/downloaded from the iTunes store from an iPod or iPhone, but this is for iTunes content that was purchased/downloaded from the iTunes store only including 3rd party apps.

With your iPhone connected to iTunes and without syncing, at the iTunes menu bar go to File and select Transfer Purchases From - the name of your iPhone.

LenEstrada wrote:
My real question is this; can we all (3 family members) sync the same music, from the same iTunes account, from the same computer, across 3 different devices without losing any of our personal and unique info??

I don't know the complete answer, but I will say that if you want to do this, the one thing you want to do is leave music syncing on ONLY at the shared iTunes account. I am able to sync music from my family music Mac, and addresses/calendars from my personal laptop, by making sure that the music syncing tab is turned off on the iTunes on my laptop. My guess is that for a particular iPhone, if you have any of its sync tabs enabled for more than one Mac, you are creating conflicts, but if there are no overlaps, you're OK. Again, I have not tested this fully, only that I am able to avoid erasure threats by making sure no tabs result in overlapping sync orders at multiple Macs. Try keeping each sync tab enabled on just one Mac.

I just had to re-install Windows Vista and iTunes.

I am now trying to sync my iphone but I get a warning message saying "The iphone is synced with another itunes library. It's content will be erased."

I have a 32 gig iPhone and manually manage my music. All of my music is backed up, but I have 25 gigs of music on the iPhone which I would rather not re-copy over from my iTunes library if my iphone is erased.

So does this warning message mean that all my music will be erased if I sync?

Thanks.

Apple's default behaviour with iTunes when working with iPhone/iPod, etc. is that you are a music thief and must be stopped.

I have a similar situation. I have a home computer and a work computer with different music on each. With my iPhone I can't copy any music to/from my iPhone without totally erasing the music that is currently on my iPhone even if I "authorize" my iTunes to be used with my iPhone.

Yes, that warning message is that all of your music will be erased if you sync. Amazing isn't it?


Patrick

iPhone and iPod touch: Syncing and merging data

The iPhone and iPod touch will sync certain content one way only (unidirectionally): either from the computer (Mac OS or Windows) to the iPhone/iPod touch or from the device to the computer, but not in both directions.

One-way Syncing (Unidirectional)
The iPhone and iPod touch will sync certain content one way only (unidirectionally) from the computer (Mac OS or Windows) to the iPhone/iPod touch or from the device to the computer. For example, with audio/video content such as music, movies, TV shows, and podcasts, the data will sync only from the computer to the device. You will not be able to modify this type of content from the iPhone/iPod touch. All changes will need to be made in iTunes or the computer that is syncing with the device. In a similar fashion, photos taken from the iPhone will only sync one way, from the device to the computer.
The one exception is Applications. Applications can be removed from the iPhone without connecting to iTunes.

Computer to iPhone/iPod touch (One-Way Sync)
▪ Audio/Video content
▪ Photos
▪ Applications

Purchased content syncing
▪ If purchased content is synced to your iPhone or iPod touch is not found on your computer the next time you sync, iTunes will offer to transfer these items back to your computer. Your computer must be authorized to use your iTunes Store account for this feature to work.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#app-store.syncing-purchased-applications
http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#itunes-store.syncing-purchased-content