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How do I sync my iPhone to iTunes on a new computer without losing everything? My old laptop's hardrive crashed and I just got it back. Now I want to sync my iPhone but it keeps telling me that it'll replace all my audio, but then I'd have no songs.

I just lost EVERYTHING on my computer. All I have left now are my songs and photos on my iPhone. Once I got my laptop back with a brand new hardrive, I was anxious to sync my phone up to iTunes. I felt that once I had all my things on my computer, I wouldn't have to worry so much about my phone getting stolen or broken or something. (My family has a bad history with accidentally washing our phones in our laundry...) I downloaded iTunes and waited an hour for the sync to back up my phone. Once that was done, I looked in my library expecting an extremely long and comforting list of songs to appear on the screen. However, there was absolutely nothing. I looked under the music tab on my phone and checked the Sync Music box only to be greeted with a scary window threatening to replace the songs on my iPhone with the songs in my library. That would be all fine and dandy IF I actually HAD songs in my library... HELP ME. I live on my music, for my music, and because of my music. Plus, I've purchased every last song on there and I would be very, very, very, very, very angry if all those 99 cent songs (which add up) were to disappear. I'd be very, very angry indeed. Oh and my artwork is all messed up on my recent purchases for some reason. Technology doesn't like me.

iPhone 4, Windows Vista

Posted on Aug 16, 2011 11:59 PM

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3 replies

Aug 17, 2011 1:23 AM in response to deborahfromwarrenville

1) ensure iTunes is authorized for your iTunes store account(s)


2) connect your device and right-click or control-click it in the iTunes Source list, then choose transfer purchases from the shortcut menu that appears.


User uploaded file


3) sync the device


iTunes will wipe the iPhone but, since you transferred your purchases in the previous step, your content will be in your library and you can re-populate the iPhone with it.


above works for purchases from the iTunes store. for everything else, check out this post by Zevoneer.

How do I sync my iPhone to iTunes on a new computer without losing everything? My old laptop's hardrive crashed and I just got it back. Now I want to sync my iPhone but it keeps telling me that it'll replace all my audio, but then I'd have no songs.

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