iTunes and restoring operating system

[bitslice]

I'm about to restore the OS on a Toshiba (pfft) laptop (...not mine)

But it's got iTunes on it
(mostly ripped CD's but some iTunes stuff)

what is the procedure for backing up the iTunes data ?
(I'm currently copying the "My Documents" folder to another PC)

I've done "export library" to get a "library.xml" file
and I've "deauthorised" the laptop

what now ?

Thanks
.

 

[M0KUJ1N]

personally I would consolidate library and then take a complete copy of the My Documents/My Music/iTunes folder but thats just me

iTunes 7 appears to have a "Back up to disc" function but it only covers CDs and DVDs as backup options

 

[BillytheImpaler]

iTunes 7 appears to have a "Back up to disc" function but it only covers CDs and DVDs as backup options

Might it be possible to point it to a virtual drive that would make images from the data?

 

[M0KUJ1N]

It might be possible but surely its less hassle and faff to initiate a straightforward copy command via the OS itself? Or am I horribly old-fashioned?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

It might be possible but surely its less hassle and faff to initiate a straightforward copy command via the OS itself? Or am I horribly old-fashioned?

That's what I'd try as my first option. It will have you authenticate the stuff downloaded form the iTunes store the first time you play it. I think you're allowed only 5 authentications before it ceases to work.

 

[bitslice]

Thanks for the pointers guys
It turned out like you all said:

I made a copy of the "iTunes" folder (onto another PC)
Restored the Laptop
Reloaded iTunes
Copied that folder back into the correct posistion in "My Music"
iTunes then saw and accepted all the tracks.
---job done



unfortunately... (sigh)

The reason it all bombed out was a result from uninstalling an expired copy of Norton SC (IE would drop out with an error)
The Toshiba restore disk just reinstalls Norton (pffft), so I removed Norton again before handing the Laptop back (saying I'll load free AVG later...)
The laptop owner then REINSTALLS Norton, saying "I don't mind paying £20 if it works..blah, blah"

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh !!!

bloomin' users



.

 

[PinkPig]

That's what I'd try as my first option. It will have you authenticate the stuff downloaded form the iTunes store the first time you play it. I think you're allowed only 5 authentications before it ceases to work.

It's 5 computers at once - but if you just reformat, then iTunes will normally realise it's the same computer and not count it against the 5 again. To be completely sure (or if you are getting rid of a computer or changing it) you can "deauthorise" the computer in iTunes, which stops it from playing protected files or counting against your five computers. Finally, if you use up all of your 5 authorisations, then a "Deauthorise all" option will appear - you can use it no more than once a year, but it lets you reset the computer limit. So iTunes is actually fairly flexible, it's much more pleasant than "5 authentications".