Windows XP I-Tunes is rubbish

[floppybootstomp]

I have the 30Gb video I-Pod, it has about 250 albums and about 8 movies on it, there's around 9Gb of hard disk space left.

As most of you know, your I-Pod will mirror what's saved on your hard drive on your computer in your I-Tunes saved data folder.

Also as most of you know, unless you don't mind having hundreds of disorganised files, you have to put all albums or compilations into 'Playlists'

Compiling playlists takes some considerable time, particularly if you want to put CD albums by various artists into a playlist, you have to search all through your music list in I-Tunes to drag and drop those files into a playlist.

When you connect your I-Pod to your computer, most of us choose to auto-update. However, if your playlists are lost on your computer, they will be lost on your I-Pod as well.

I recently done a fresh install of Win XP on my computer after swapping motherboard and case. This meant I lost all my I-Tunes playlists. I didn't actually lose all my m4a music files as I'd saved those on another hard disk.

I felt secure though, that I could restore my playlists cos I-Tunes backup said I could backup to DVD and that all music files and playlists would be saved and restored.

It took me four DVD's to backup my stuff, I installed latest version of I-Tunes onto my fresh install of Win XPand fed the first backup DVD into my DVD drive (and just by way of mentioning, I-Tunes won't recognise a SATA optical drive, only a PATA drive - more crap).

It took 40 minutes but all four DVD's loaded their m4a files into my designated I-Tunes storage folder.

But....... playlists were NOT restored

There's a folder showing on the left hand side of the I-Tunes screen saying 'Restored I-Tunes playlists', but clicking on it shows a blank screen, right clicking on it and selecting 'show' (or similar) also shows nothing.

It takes a helluva lotta time to create 220-odd playlists and it would appear that every time we decide to wipe our hard drive for whatever reason, if we use I-Tunes and an I-Pod, we have to do it again.

I am going to say right now that I-Tunes is completely and utterly the ****tiest piece of crap software I have ever ever used.

Why doesn't this software give an option to automatically create a playlist when you insert a CD?

Typical Apple crap.

Yes, I'm incensed, really, really annoyed.

And while we're at it, my I-pod does not:

1) Allow me to change the battery myself unless i search the web and invalidate the warranty opening the thing up.
2) Does not have radio as standard.
3) Does not have a voice recorder as standard
4) Scratches really easily

As good as the I-Pod sounds, as good as it looks, I've got the pox with it.

Mostly because of I-Tunes crap software.

I'm seriously considering selling this thing and maybe getting a Creative Zen or something.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! Yes, I'm annoyed

 

[AbsoluteKevster]

Have to agree with everything you've written fella!!
I own a 20gb Creative Zen - Never had a problem with it - Nice intuitive interface.

Girlfriend owns the same Eye-Prod as you!
Amount of sh1t I've suffered cos this goes missing or that goes missing cos of the poxy synchronisation process.... even just the basics gave me a nasty headache!

I empathise mate. :-/

 

[V_R]

I've never liked I Tunes and this aint helped me change my mind....

 

[crazylegs]

I have never owned an Ipod and probably never will...

But I sympathise with you Flopp's because I used to own a Sony 4gb Mp3 player and I'm telling you now that there Sonicstage software is the single most crappiest, s**ttiest piece of software that I have ever used and to be honest I can't see Apples I-Tunes beating it in the worst software stakes, I may be wrong on that one, but I doubt it very much...I won't go into detail here but I don't think you would believe me if I told you what it can and can't do with your music collection..

Oh! and the reason I don't own the Sony Mp3 anymore...








keep going down

















I threw it from a great height from the top of a very high multi storey car park onto concrete far below and it shattered into a thousand pieces...

And yes I felt a whole lot better..I can tell ya...

 

[TriplexDread]

Yes we know. I dont even own one!

I have the Creative Zen 30gig model about 3years old now. Never failed me!


Go Go Go Creative

 

[muckshifter]

I sing to myself ... saving the playlist is easy.

 

[psd99]

1) Allow me to change the battery myself unless i search the web and invalidate the warranty opening the thing up.
2) Does not have radio as standard.
3) Does not have a voice recorder as standard
4) Scratches really easily

As good as the I-Pod sounds, as good as it looks, I've got the pox with it.

Mostly because of I-Tunes crap software.

I'm seriously considering selling this thing and maybe getting a Creative Zen or something.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! Yes, I'm annoyed

Flopps you grumpy bugger!!!

I am sure it is not that bad. But I did struggle to create playlists on my ipod so I chucked all the files I wanted on it and they are very disorganised. I find this ipod and itunes business difficult to cope with.

I used to like Itunes over WMP10 but WMP11 kicks a***!

1. Changing the battery isnt all that hard you can even open the thing up without anyone noticing.
The hardest part is taking out the new battery I beleive it is solderd up in there. I had to short circuit my battery recently as the ipod crashed.

2. I wish it had a radio as standard too.

3. I'm not too bothered about recording my lovely voice.


4. Get yourself a cheap and cheerfull cover, my ipod's got one. The protection is suffice enough.

 

[floppybootstomp]

PSD99: I've edited your post so the quote works

Yes, I am a grumpy bugger, but only because I-Tunes is rubbish.

I'm intrigued as to why you had to short circuit a failing battery when straightforwward removal/replacement would have sufficed.

I know it's easy to replace an I-Pod battery but according to Apple 'officially' (their category) you shouldn't, you should pay them around £80.00 to do it for you. Rip-off.

I have one of those gel covers for my I-Pod but it looked so damn ugly and made the thing bigger as well.

The only thing that tempts me to stay with the I-Pod is - as I mentioned - it looks and sounds great. I also like the matching black I-Home clock radio as well, nice piece of kit. And I also have docking stations to two Hi Fis ystems in my living room and kitchen.

Decisions, decisions.....

It will take me a good three to four hours to re-create those playlists but unlike yourself I can't stand disorganisation, that's just me.

And CL: Yes, a friend of mine had that Sony mp3 player and software, I have to say they were less than impressed with it.

So what does the Creative Zen use then? Just Generic folders and a third party player for playback on the computer?

 

[psd99]

Well to remove the battery like I said it was soldered into the battery. Did not like the idea of taking this out.
My ipod had crashed and the screen was totally still. Somehow needed to turn it off. £80 for that? What a rip off.

Do you use the thing on the move as well?
If so you should get one of those arm bands, I got one of them and it is brilliant if you are on the move.

The other point I wanted to make to you is that I feel itunes is a good bit of software for playing media from the computer. I found the search function most impressive but totally confused with the ipod and itunes combination functions. I think it is difficult.

 

[chelseafc2005]

Sorry to hear about your problems with Itunes.

When I re-formatted i used this from apple

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93763

Not sure if you have already read that but it worked for me before

edit: or you could use a program like this
http://sourceforge.net/projects/free-ilm/
that will export all your playlists to one place where you can back them up.
its free aswell

 

[floppybootstomp]

I felt I had to update this thread.

I updated the firmware on my NEC DVDRW and also updated to latest version of I-Tunes.

I was then able to burn 4 x backup DVD's.

I used these DVD's to transfer all my playlists and music (m4a files) folder to my HTPC where they were all recreated perfectly.

The only anomaly is that all the old playlists are dependent on an entry on the left hand side panel in I-Tunes named 'backup from 'whenever'' and are listed at the top. All new playlists are listed below the restored ones but I can live with that.

The restored library synced perfectly with the I-Pod. I had to log in to the I-Store and activate the HTPC with Apple online to allow it to load my purchased games but it did all work.

So you could say I'm a happy bunny

Recreating around 250 playlists (mostly albums) is not much fun so I'm glad this worked.

I'm only wondering what the original glitch was - I-Tunes software or SATA optical drive firmware?

 

[psd99]

wey hey Flopps isn't always grumpy!

I knew it.

 

[Adywebb]

I recently transferred to a new PC and used THIS tutorial for transferring all my iTunes music and playlists and it worked perfectly