Transfer iPod music to laptop

What they've told is correct, as far as it goes. If the music on your iPod came from someone else, then you have no right to keep it or make a copy into your iTunes Library. That isn't something Apple made up, it's how the music industry works (it's the same with written works [books] etc.).

So the big question is: where did the music on your iPod come from? If it is yours (in other words, you paid a legitimate source for it), then the next question is; is it in your iTunes Library? If it is, copy from that library onto your phone. If you no longer have that library, did you make a backup that you could use? If not, then you will have to obtain the music from the source you obtained it from in the first place:

• from a CD (compact disc) that you purchased, use iTunes to make a new copy into your current iTunes Library
• online purchases from the iTunes Store - log into your iTunes Store account and look for your purchases under your account detail. Then download them again
• online purchases from Amazon, Bandcamp etc. - sign in to your account with that outlet and look for under your account for your purchases and download them again
• other online sources, such as an artist's website - return to that site and hope that you can download them again

See Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community. Recovery can be achieved with Windows Explorer, iTunes, and some additional scripts if you want to reclaim playlists and stats. Ideally you backup the library in future rather than relying on the device.

tt2

To recover media from an iPod touch:

1. Make sure that iTunes is not running
2. Download, install and run iFunbox
3. Connect your iPod to USB, unlocking when connected to allow access
4. In iFunbox drill down into Raw File System > iTunes_Control > Music
5. Press Ctrl-A to select all then the Copy to PC button
6. Browse to the Automatically Add to iTunes folder inside your iTunes Media folder and click Open
7. When the copying has finished go back to the user tip Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community, and follow the remainder of the instructions from the bit just below the third image that begins:

Next you need to unhide the hidden folders or iTunes will discard them...

Just checked this on a Mac rather than Windows and the files came over without being hidden so you may not need that step after all. When you open iTunes it should import all the songs that were on your iPod, organizing them according to their metadata. If metadata is missing and the songs show up as Unknown Artist/Unknown Album then let me know as I have a method for fixing that. Otherwise you can move on to recovering playlists and stats if you wish.

tt2

Disk mode allows you to use an iPod classic like any other external drive so you can explore the contents in Windows Explorer and copy files from it.

Putting an iPod classic into disk mode:

Hold MENU+SELECT (centre button) on the iPod for about 6 seconds until it resets, then switch to PLAY+SELECT as soon as the Apple logo appears, again for about 6 seconds to put the machine in disk mode. Hold MENU+SELECT on the iPod for about 6 seconds to reset the device back to normal when done.

If you have an iPod touch rather than a classic then you can use iFunbox to access the file system on the device and copy the same set of F00-F## folders that are described in the Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community user tip.

tt2

It really isn't that hard. Put the device in disk mode, display the hidden files and folders on the device, copy them somewhere else, unhide the hidden files, run iTunes to absorb the files into the library, use my scripts to recover playlists, ratings and playcounts if you want to. Start at the beginning. Follow one step at a time. Ask for help if you need it.

tt2

Workaround posted above. If you backup your data you don't need to recover it from devices that were explicitly designed to make copying difficult in order to get music producers on board with the digital music revolution.

tt2