Yeah I've tried solving this - it's not easy, but here it is.
You guys all seem to be on Windows so I have no idea if this will work for you, but on Mac, you can copy your itunes preferences and libray XML file from one machine to the other, then it will work. It will require you to reimport any media you have on the other machine, but the copied libray and/or prefs seem to contain the actual permissions to browse a device.
- copy user/library/preferences/itunes.plist from the old machine to same location on the other machine
- copy user/music/itunes/iTunes Music Library.xml from the old machineto the same location on the other machine
Followins steps all appy on the destination machine:
- Open iTunes on the other machine. You'll probably have loads of missing media (with the ! icon) so just select all and delete - say "remove" not "delete".
- Drag the folder "user/music/itunes/iTunes Media into the iTunes window to reimport the songs, movies etc. in your library.
Now it should be possible to connect your iphone/ipod to the other machine and browse.
What really befuddles me is what on earth posessed Apple to enforce the restriction in the first place? If I can't copy the songs off my iPhone/iPod to other machines, fair enough, I get it.
But WHY on earth does this restriction still apply to machines after I have Authorized to iTunes Store?
Why is "manually manage music and media" set in a file on the machine, instead of on the device itself?
- If I am allowed "import purchases" from the device to a computer it should be obvious to the computer that I am also, at least, allowed to browse the device.
- And - just because I can't copy songs of the portable device, why should there be any reason to prevent me from using a column browser to locate and play that music FROM the device?
- Why can't I even resize the columns, or sort by artist, album, genre etc? This restriction is pointless and most people who encounter this will think it's a bug/error and that reflects negatively on Apple. If I can use "auto-size columns" then why the **** can't I manually size them?
