Lee247

My faithful old laptop keeps getting "blue screen".
Unfortunately, almost all of my music collection, and it is quite large, is in iTunes on that lappy.

Have I lost it all, or is there some way on my new laptop, I can get at that music collection. If I download iTunes to my new one, will I be able to access my collection. I'd be gutted if I lost it all

Sorry, I am hopeless at explaining stuff. Any help gratefully received. Thanks

Will

Lee, will the old Laptop come on at all?

Markus

Lee,
First up, reboot and as soon as machine powers on, hammer the F8 key. you should get a Windows boot selection menu. Select "Safe Mode" from it and see if the machine boots up at all. Then reboot it, let it boot normally, see if it blue screens, if so, something isn't too happy.

My next step would be to power the machine off, pull out the hard drive (how easy that is depends on the model, but could require taking the machine apart) and pop it into an external hard drive enclosure and hook it up to another machine. At this point it'll appear as though it's an external hard drive and you'll be able to copy files off.

If you can copy the music folder(s) from it then iTunes on the other computer should be able to pick it up. I can provide detailed instructions if you need them, and if you have a search on here (advanced search for itunes and username Funkii Munkii) you should pull up something I wrote about getting it all sorted out.

Lee247

Thanks MI and Markus

The lappy boots up fine. I actually managed to do 50% of a scan yesterday, before it went blue. Lasted about 45 minutes.
It seems to be over heating. It suddenly makes a loud whirring noise then off it goes. Then it won't do anything. Tries to switch itself back on, but goes blue immediately.
Hope that makes sense.

Markus, the thought of trying to take it to bits terrifies me

Markus

Any chance of a make and model number? I can then do a quick search and see if it's easy to pull the drive from, or if you'd need to pop somewhere and get them to do it (ideally not PC world, but if that's the only place local to you then so be it)

Will

If Lee can get the laptop on for 45 minutes, then couldnt Lee just lob her music files on to a cd or a USB memory stick from Windows: Documents & Settings > [your username] > My Documents > My Music > iTunes > iTunes Music. And then pop it into the new laptop and import them in to iTunes? Like:Open iTunes > Choose File > Add to Library... Select the iTunes Music folder in your recordable media in the dialog box?

Lee247

Presario F600 is what it says on the bottom. On the top, Compaq.

Oh and it's Vista. It's not really that old, but well used and I am quite attached to it

Would love to think it could be saved, but if not. I really want to save my music.

I didn't realise I could copy out of iTunes, MI

Will

You can download items once when you purchase them from the iTunes Store. To use purchased items on a different computer, just copy the items and authorize that computer. You can authorize up to five computers to use your purchased items.1 If you will no longer be using the computer you originally downloaded your purchases to, make sure to deauthorize your computer.

Once you've found the files for your purchased items, use any of the following methods to copy them to another computer.


Burn a data CD or DVD with the song files

Burn your purchased items to a data CD or DVD. Once you've burned the disc, insert it into another computer and import the items into iTunes. For information on how to back up your media in iTunes

To authorize a computer to play purchases using your Apple Account

1. Select a song, video, or audiobook you've purchased (in your library or the Purchased playlist).
2. Click the Play button.

If the computer is already authorized, the item plays. If the computer has not yet been authorized, iTunes asks you to enter the Apple ID and password you used to purchase the song.

Remember to deauthorize your computer before you sell it, give it away, or get your computer serviced.

To deauthorize a computer

1. Open iTunes.
2. Choose Store > Deauthorize Computer (In earlier versions of iTunes, access this option from the Advanced menu).
3. Select "Deauthorize Computer for Apple Account" and enter your Apple ID and password.

Make sure you deauthorize your computer before you upgrade your RAM, hard disk or other system components, or reinstall Windows. If you do not deauthorize your computer before you upgrade these components, one computer may use multiple authorizations.
__________________

Will

You can download items once when you purchase them from the iTunes Store. To use purchased items on a different computer, just copy the items and authorize that computer. You can authorize up to five computers to use your purchased items.1 If you will no longer be using the computer you originally downloaded your purchases to, make sure to deauthorize your computer.

Once you've found the files for your purchased items, use any of the following methods to copy them to another computer.


Burn a data CD or DVD with the song files

Burn your purchased items to a data CD or DVD. Once you've burned the disc, insert it into another computer and import the items into iTunes. For information on how to back up your media in iTunes

To authorize a computer to play purchases using your Apple Account

1. Select a song, video, or audiobook you've purchased (in your library or the Purchased playlist).
2. Click the Play button.

If the computer is already authorized, the item plays. If the computer has not yet been authorized, iTunes asks you to enter the Apple ID and password you used to purchase the song.

Remember to deauthorize your computer before you sell it, give it away, or get your computer serviced.

To deauthorize a computer

1. Open iTunes.
2. Choose Store > Deauthorize Computer (In earlier versions of iTunes, access this option from the Advanced menu).
3. Select "Deauthorize Computer for Apple Account" and enter your Apple ID and password.

Make sure you deauthorize your computer before you upgrade your RAM, hard disk or other system components, or reinstall Windows. If you do not deauthorize your computer before you upgrade these components, one computer may use multiple authorizations.
__________________

Lee247

Were you making sure I understood the first time, MI

Thanks. I will give that a go, after work

Will

Copy and paste hun

Lee247

I couldn't do a thing, MI. It went blue after I logged in. Left a message for my computer fixer upper to come and take a look

JPL

Lee, haven't you got an iPod as well? Seeing as you have iTunes I'd presume you do. If you have then you can copy all the data from that to a new laptop, (you have to buy a cheap program to do it for you I believe).

Lee247

Sorry to hark this back up

I had to get a new hard drive. Thought I had lost all my songs. I told itunes what happened and I am delighted to say, the sent me an email with full instructions of how to get my songs back from them, for free.

It worked, they are all home, safe and sound. Thanks itunes