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iTunes match for two libraries on one computer

Whenever I try to enable iTunes Match in the latest iTunes beta, it says "This computer is already associated with an Apple ID." I cannot proceed with scanning my library. In the other account, with their Apple ID, it works.


There are two user accounts on our Mac. Does this mean that iTunes Match is linked to the device itself, and not the unique Apple IDs/user accounts? This means in a family that shares a computer, with unique and separate iTunes libraries within each user account, only one person in the family can use iTunes Match (but strangely, both can pay for it).


Any ideas?

Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Nov 5, 2011 10:28 AM

Reply
25 replies

Nov 14, 2011 9:10 PM in response to floridaproject

I'm also stuck in this situation. I made a seperate library for my girlfriend on my home computer just to backup and update her phone to iOS 5. I've since logged back in using my library and iTunes account. I signed up for match on my work computer and it worked great. But now from my home computer I'm getting the same message as you are. I have to wait another 59 days to use match on my home computer!

Nov 16, 2011 6:32 AM in response to Gallowaystx

I'm also finding that Automatic Downloads have the same restrictions.


I reached out to Apple's paid support staff (where you pay by incident, though I requested an exemption), but they only responded with a templates email containing knowledge base articles. They did not at all address my specific question.


It seems to use iTunes Match in my household, I need to buy an extra computer. Surely this is not how the cloud is intended to work. In no way am I stealing or sharing music, everything is in separate accounts and Apple IDs, and I'm paying for Match twice! Yet I still can't use it.

Nov 20, 2011 6:56 PM in response to floridaproject

I wonder if the following would work...


For both accounts and itunes libraries, use the same apple id. This should work on the same machine.


Unfortunately, that means the libraries between the two accounts would 'merge' oncd match does its thing and be the same under that one id in the cloud.


For purchases, one of the accounts would have to sign in with their ID in the apple store which would log them out of match. Logging out of match means you only have access to the files you have downloaded from the cloud or where already in the library. I think your purchased music would be fine and once downloaded to the library, when you log back into match would be picked up and placed in the iCloud library.


From what I can guess, you would have to be stuck with one shared library and this may not be what you want.


They didn't really make match to be a shared among accounts and instead locked it to the machine - probably because of the music licenses. With purchased/drm music and video thouugh, they can be shared across 5 appleid's. Very confusing. You have 10 devices on one id for match and auto/redownload of purcahses and you have 5 appleid's you can share content with.


I've got 4 machines, 5 apple id's, and one match account so far. Only two machines are using match so far (mine and a server), and just using homesharing for the others for now. Maybe when I'm bored I'll try to see if there is a way to activate match on all the other machines and also work with the other non-match Apple ID's. In a way, home sharing may be easier for the users of those ID's to pull from the master library matched from the server.

Nov 20, 2011 9:09 PM in response to tmksnyder

It does work but depending upon the size of the library and the devices connecting to iCloud, it is not a viable solution for me. Since I was the first to sign up for iTunes Match on our shared Mini, my husband is "locked" out. He signed in with my Apple ID on his iPhone, but it took, 30-45 minutes for the Music app to determine what was in the cloud and what wasn't. Since he will have to continuously go back and forth between IDs (since all his apps are under his ID), just trying to quickly grab a song or 2 from the Match account will take way too long.

Nov 28, 2011 7:03 AM in response to floridaproject

If there are multiple iTunes accounts on one computer, only one iTunes account needs to subscribe to iTunes Match. It will backed up all other purchases from other account that is appearing on that computer the time the iTunes Match is set up. However if you are going to redownload the matched songs, you need to use the account that is subscribed to iTunes Match on your devices. You can only have one account set up with your iTunes Match with auto downloads, and you can only change it once every 90 days.

Mar 4, 2012 8:50 AM in response to floridaproject

Anyone have an update on this issue? I hope Apple is listening because I am having the same problem. My wife and I both have Apple IDs, and two accounts on our home iMac.


We both have two separate music libraries and merging them is not an option. Let's just say we both love different music : )


Perhaps this is a RIAA issue - they forced Apple to associate iTunes Match with a one per MAC address system. But this is not very user friendly.


I imagine there are a lot of families like us - with a main family computer, and individual laptops, iPhones, iPads.


So having iTunes Match work per user, not per machine seems like a much better solution.


Thanks.

Mar 4, 2012 9:19 AM in response to jayhaynes

jayhaynes wrote:


So having iTunes Match work per user, not per machine seems like a much better solution.

Indeed it is. But that's not how it works. At this time it not possible to have more than one iTunes Match account associated with the same MAC address. You can submit your polite feedback to Apple at this web page: http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

Mar 12, 2012 2:48 PM in response to floridaproject

Hi all, this is a really bad problem for me. My girlfriend and I recently moved in together. We each have our own iphone and ipad. I have an apple TV associated with my itunes account. But we only have one PC (a Dell, unfortunately) for the time being. I created a new user account on the laptop, set everything up, and authorized my itunes account no problem, but when I try to switch on itunes match, it gives me the same run around about how this computer is aready associated with another apple ID. Here's the thing: I am the only one who has subscribed to itunes match. She has not. Her library is less my 3BG of music. Mine is nearly 100GB of music, movies, and TV shows. Could someone PLEASE help!

iTunes match for two libraries on one computer

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