How to sync your iPod with more than one PC?

Normally it’s only possible to sync media on an iPod with one computer. If you try to use a second computer you get the warning below that “the iPod is synced with another iTunes library. Do you want to erase this iPod and sync with this iTunes library”?

However, I’ve found an easy fix for this on net somewhere.

Steps are identical for both PC & MAC.

Find iTunes folder in your “My Music” (XP) or “Music” (Vista) directory. On the Mac it is in your Music directory.
* For the editing part, I recommend UltraEdit on the PC and a combination of TextExit / HexEdit on the Mac. Any hex editor will do, and you only need to edit files on the second machine.
* I recommend you do not attempt to normal sync the same types of data on both machines.

Backup Your Library

On the machine you want to sync with, backup “iTunes Music Library.xml” and “iTunes Music Library” (Tunes Music Library.itl on PC) to a safe location. These are the files you will be modifying.
1) Find your iTunes Library ID

On the machine your iPod currently syncs with, open “iTunes Music Library.xml” with a text editor and find the entry between the tags, after “Library Persistent ID”.  Copy this entry and close this file.

2) Change your Library ID

iTunes stores your library information in two places. An XML file and a binary file. You now need to change the ID in both so they match your other library.

Make sure iTunes is not running.

On the machine you want to sync with open “iTunes Music Library.xml” in a text editor. Again, find the entry between the tags after “Library Persistent ID” and copy this entry exactly. This time you can use the clipboard if you wish.

When you have a copy, replace this entry with the one you copied in part 1. Make sure you do not change anything else, and the length of the entry is 16 characters/digits. Save this file and close it.

In the Hex Editor, open “iTunes Music Library” (Tunes Music Library.itl on PC).

Select “Find and Replace” from the Edit menu. Make sure “Hex” matching is selected (not ASCII). In “Find” enter the ID you took a note of in Part 1. In Replace, enter the ID you copied at the start of Part 2. Choose Replace All, there should be one match.

Save this file and close it.

How to create a iTunes Account without credit card

Apple sometimes pisses me off with their licensing, copyright and purchase policies. I bought a iPod Touch last month and downloaded iTunes. For getting album artwork, user is required to have the iTune account. This account can only be created if you are from a country where the iTune services are available. Above all, you need a credit card to create an account.

There is no way you can create an iTune account without this information…

I was wrong… apple provides a way to create the account… look for more details at: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534

Discard further reading…

1. Open Tunecore. navigate to the “Click here for code” button to get yourself a free iTunes Store redeem code.
2. Copy the code that is generated for you.
3. Start iTunes Store and then make sure that you are looking at the US iTunes store. if you are there, look at the top right corner of the iTunes Store and click the “Redeem” link.
4. Paste the code that you copied in step 2 into the text-box and then click the “Redeem” button.
5. You will be prompted to log in with your account but since you do not have one yet, click the “Create Account” option.
6. Click “Continue” and accept the “Terms of Service”.
7. You will now be able to create your iTunes Store account. complete the form with your email, password of your choice, security questions, your birthday. click “Continue”.
8. You will now be prompted for address information and a payment method. for the billing address, you can use any U.S. address.
9. Select “None” as the payment method and then click “Continue”.
10. Voila! You have just created a US iTunes Store account without a credit card. you can now use that to download all the free stuff on the US App Store and also the freebies like music and what not. these details can also be used on the app store application found on your iPhone 2.0 or iTouch 2.0.

So enjoy iTunes and make your library more colorful!