Technofriends

One of the most annoying feature of iTunes sync up is that it doesn’t by default allows you to maintain a sync with multiple computers. If you try syncing up an iPod with another version of iTunes installed on some other computer, you are welcomed by an error message stating that the iPod is infact synced with another iTunes library.

The truth of the times remains that we infact use multiple computers while at work or home and would like to sync up your iPod with these computers, without having to delete the already synced up music. This article will help you manage your music and sync up your iPod with multiple computers without having to delete the already synced up music.

iTunes stores your library information at two places i.e. one in an xml file and the other in a binary file. These files are located under your iTunes folder. The default location for this on your Windows machine is

C:\Documents and Settings\<user_id>\My Documents\My Music\iTunes

If you wish to move to a new computer, you can simply copy these two files to the new computer and iTunes wont give you any trouble later when you try to manage your music with the new computer. However, this is helpful only if you are moving to a new computer or you dont mind having the same library on both the computers. Remember, that you will still have to import all the music files.

However, in real life we are often gripped with situations where we have some music on one computer and some music on the other and we really don’t want to overwrite the two rather just manage both of them. In order to make things work for such a grippy situation, follow the steps mentioned below

The hack for managing music on two computers involves usage of a Hex Editor. You can download UltraEdit Hex Editor. Once you have downloaded and installed the Hex Editor, follow the steps outlined below

1.) Open up your second computer ( the one with which your iPod is not in sync) and backup the two files mentioned above. Backing up these files is important as you are going to be making changes to these files. With a backup in hand, you always can roll back the changes in case something goes wrong.

2.) Open up iTunes Music Library.xml located in the first computer. You can open it either using an XML Editor or a simple text editor like Notepad.

3.) Once you have the file open in front of you, search for the string “Library Persistent ID” and copy the 16 character Key value. You can note this key down in a seperate text file or on a paper. Once done, close the XML File. Don’t save any changes.

4.) Now head over to your second computer, and open the file iTunes Music Library.xml, search for the same “Library Persistent ID”. Here you will need to replace the key value from the first computer. This is the reason why i asked you to save the key value at the first place itself.

5.) Now while on the second computer, Open up the binary file iTunes Library.itl using the Hex Editor you downloaded earlier and search and replace for the Key value. Ensure that you do a search based on the Hex value and not the Ascii value. Save and close and you are now good to go.

Now you can easily Sync up your iPod with Multiple Computers and iPod won’t complain. You can repeat the steps above for multiple computers.

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