Why can't i get new music on my iPod classic?

melda4824 wrote:

I got my current laptop about 3 years ago and transferred everything from my iPod to the new computer when i first plugged it in.

Perhaps that's when the Sync message problem began. It's a common issue, we see it often here.

This might seem to be a long, complicated post, but it really isn't.

melda4824 wrote:

... i see a folder named "previous iTunes libraries" which seems to have all my songs in it. Am i ok to sync then, even if that gets rid of my 'old library' music? i should be able to put it back on using that computer folder right?

Whoa, hang on. That's not how iTunes works.

I too have a folder named Previous iTunes Libraries. Don't worry too much about that, except - do not delete it (I'll come back to this later).

It's what is listed in iTunes that matters. Basically, iTunes is a database, that keeps a list of all the music that you have "told it about" (added to iTunes) and knows where it was located when you added it. So providing that iTunes itself lists and plays the songs, a Sync with the iPod should be okay.

Note my comment about playing the songs. As I previously stated, iTunes keeps a record of the location of the music file when you added it to iTunes. But if the file is subsequently moved, renamed or deleted (or in your case, not copied onto the new computer*), iTunes will not be able to find that file when it needs it. The result is that when you try to play such a song, an exclamation mark appears next to the song title and it does not play. It also cannot be added to an iPod.

Hopefully, you already know whether the songs can be played in your iTunes Library (I'm sure you don't want to check each and every one now). But if you do have any songs with exclamation marks next to the title, you need to remedy that before your Sync.

Once you are happy that your iTunes Library is sound, it looks as though you will be ready to Sync the iPod with it. It will probably take a while and sometimes iTunes can struggle to put everything onto an iPod in one Sync. Your Library may be borderline, but for large libraries, it is recommended to Sync a bit at a time. This can be achieved by choosing to Sync selected playlists, artists, albums and genres and selecting just a few each time. The option is on the Device/Settings/Music pane - see below.

This screenshot is looking at the iPod's settings for music. If you select Sync Music > selected playlists, artists, albums and genres in point (3.), then the panels in (4.) appear and the best option is to choose a few genres each time. At the next Sync, choose another few genres to add to the ones already on the iPod. Keep doing this until everything is on your iPod (assuming that every song has a genre allocated to it, which it should).

Finally, the Previous iTunes Libraries folder. The folder will have two important things in it:

1. back ups of the database as it was at an earlier time. The best recommendation is don't touch it, just let iTunes manage this (unless there is a specific reason to change anything)
2. some of your music (as noted below). In theory, all your music should be in one iTunes Media folder, but on my computer, the Previous iTunes Libraries folder also contains some of albums. I'm not clear why this should be so, but the folder has a sub-folder in it named iTunes Media and a further sub-folder named Music, which has several albums in it, that are a part of my Library.

So the golden rule is - do not delete, move or rename the Previous iTunes Libraries folder. But do remember to copy it to your next computer.

So where is all your music located?

The location of music can vary, according to several different past events. Basically, your music could be in any and all of the following (as mine is):

• Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Automatically add to iTunes/...
• Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/...
• Music/iTunes/iTunes Previous Libraries/iTunes Media/Music/...

... and the ones that everyone seems to overlook - that digital music purchased from somewhere other than iTunes Store:

• Music/Amazon MP3/...
• Music/Purchased MP3/...

You should check whether the options for syncing are set the way you think. Possibly, your iPod is set to Manaually Manage, in which case, nothing gets automatically added to the the iPod (whereas, if you choose Sync, the work is done for you). Alternatively, although you have chosen Sync, the sub-options have chosen may not suit your needs.

Start by connecting the iPod to iTunes and look on the Settings/Device/Summary pane, as shown below:

1. Make sure that Manually Manage music and videos is not ticked. If it is, that's the problem
2. Also note whether the Sync only ticked songs and videos is ticked. This can be ticked, but it means that any song in your Library that is not ticked will not be put onto the iPod. (From your description, I don't think this is why you have a problem)

Next, switch to the Settings/Music pane (1.), underneath the Summary one shown above (do not choose the On My Device/Music option):

• Make sure the Sync Music button (2.) is ticked
• In (3.), above, you can select either Entire music library or Selected playlists, artists, albums and genres - BUT note the difference:
  • Entire music library will sync all ticked songs in your iTunes Library to your iPod (in which case, section (4.) will not be visible
  • Selected playlists, artists, albums and genres will Sync only the items chosen in section (4.). You have to then choose the items you want on your iPod.

    (If you make changes here at this time, click on the Sync button in the lower right corner in order for those changes to take effect. If you made no changes, the automatic Sync should take care of everything for you)

• If you have chosen Selected playlists, albums, artists and genres, you need to make sure that any music you want on the iPod is included in one of these selections. Otherwise, it will not be added to the iPod.

The message you had;

"Are you sure you want to remove existing music, movies, and TV shows from this iPod and sync with this iTunes library?

... means that your iTunes recognises that the content on your iPod was not put on there by the current iTunes Library that you're trying to Sync with.

This is either because

1. it isn't the same library - that is, you're now using a different computer - or
2. that the operating system of the computer (i.e. Windows) has been re-loaded, making iTunes think this is a different computer. Have you had a new motherboard put into the computer for example?

So the question is: is your current iTunes Library the same as the old library. That is;

1. did you move everything from the old computer to the new one or
2. did you reload all the old music onto the same computer after its operating system was re-loaded?

If you allow a Sync to take place now, all the old content on the iPod will be removed and only what is in the current library will be put onto the iPod. The message specifically tells you that.

Music, movies, and TV shows synced to 'Amanda's iPod' from other iTunes libraries will be removed and items will be synced from this iTunes library.

Therefore, if the music in the current library is the same as the old library, a Sync will simply remove everything and then put it all back on. But if the Library is different, only what is in the new library will get put onto the iPod.

If the new (current) Library does not have all your music in it, do you have access to the old Library, as a backup for example or through access to the hard drive from your old computer?

It's thought that the reason that Apple designed it this way was to pacify the music business, who didn't like the concept of the iPod when it first came out as they thought it would be too easy for people to copy music off of a friend's iPod.

melda4824 wrote:

Thank you for the quick response. #1 and 2 weren't not the issue.

I didn't dare click the Sync Music button because it gives me this message (sorry i couldn't get a screenshot to work): "Are you sure you want to remove existing music, movies, and TV shows from this iPod and sync with this iTunes library?

See Recover media from an iPod. Once everything is in your library, and ideally backed up too, you can afford to replace the contents of the device with the contents of your library.

tt2

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2