Sync iPhone 4s to external hard drive

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Sync iPhone 4s to external hard drive

I do not have an iPhone yet, but am planning on purchasing a 4s in the next week or two. I have a large mp3 library I keep on an external hard drive so I don't fill up my laptop hard drive. I've read several discussions about using external hard drives with iPhones and iTunes in general, but i haven't seen any that specifically mention the iPhone 4s with the latest version of iTunes. I currently have an Android and use WinAmp to sync my mp3's, it's somewhat cumbersome, but works...when the phone is willing to operate, so I don't use iTunes at the moment. I want to make sure I can utilize my full mp3 library and not have issues syncing the iPhone 4s to the external hard drive. Does anyone do this currently? What steps did you have to do beyond the normal iTunes setup on a windows based laptop? I've used iTunes in the past and have even setup multiple libraries, so I'm familiar enough with the program to use it.

iPhone 4S, Windows Vista

Posted on Dec 26, 2011 10:59 AM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

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Dec 26, 2011 11:04 AM in response to SonOfMI

You actually would not be syncing the iPhone to the external drive. You can set up and use an external drive to hold your iTunes library. That is what I do. However, when you sync the iPhone, you are copying the music over to the storage of the iPhone. Besides the normal iTunes setup, all you need to do is point iTunes to the external drive for the location of the library, and that is done in the original setup. When when you sync the iPhone, it will copy from that location. iTunes has to be using that library at the time.

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Answer 2

SonOfMI Author

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Dec 26, 2011 11:20 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

That sounds simple enough, thanks for answering Chris. I'm thinking it would be best to download and install iTunes first, setting it up to work with my external hard drive in the process. Once that is done, then sync the iPhone 4s. Is that right? Or would it be better to do it all at once when i get the 4s?

This may be a simple process and I am over-complicating it, so if that's the case I apologize. I haven't synced an Apple device before.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Dec 26, 2011 11:29 AM in response to SonOfMI

Your best bet is to download iTunes and then add the music to the library. Have it all set up with your iTunes account, etc, before you connect the iPhone. I also recommend going into preferences>Devices and then checking the box that says, prevent iPods, iPhones and iPad from syncing automatically. That way whenever you connect the device, it does not try to sync automatically, thereforer making changes you did not intend to make. This way you have a little more control over what is going on with the device.

You will go into preferences>advanced to change the location of your iTunes library, and since you mentioned working with iTunes before, you should have no trouble setting the library to use your external drive. Good luck.

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