Backup All iTunes Purchase [56K Warning]

[Charan]

Hi guys,
Here is my "FIRST EVER" tutorial. Sorry I could not post in thumbnails as I was not able to upload images anywhere (Imageshack,PhotoBucket,Flicker....)

Backing up and restoring purchases made on iTunes.

The songs that you purchase from iTunes store are all protected content.
The music files that are download are "Protected AAC Audio Files" with extension .m4p .


The Video files are "Protected MPEG-4 Video Files" with extension .m4v.


And games have extension of .ipg . These games are only playable on a 5th gen iPod and cannot be played on computer.


Once you purchase all your purchase are visible in the "Purchased" Folder in STORES section.



Now for the Backup.

Got File>Backup to Disc


Now iTunes will ask for whether to backup the entire library or only iTunes purchased content.
Choose "Backup only iTunes Store Purchases".



Insert a Blank CD and press OK.
Now iTunes starts to backup all your purchase.


Once the burning is complete Its done . Now you have backedup all your purchase. You get the following prompt.


Now suppose your system crashes, lost all your data and you have to reinstall everything. Now what to do?
Just popin you CD and restore all the purchased content. . Now if you insert the disc back you will be prompted if you want to restore the backup.


Now my PC is working fine right now, so I recreated the scenario by de-authorising my computer.


So now whenever I try to play the purchased music I get a prompt.


I will not be able to play the file until I authorize my computer with my original account with which the music was purchased.

Once you authorise you computer with your iTunes account you will be able to play all your purchased content.


The Backup files have exactly the same size as the original file size.


This was a really long process. But there is a quick and dirty way also. Just burn all the purchased content on to a CD/DVD/HDD. When you want to restore the content just add the files to the library and authorize your computer. And you are done. But you may not retain the Rating/Play count/Last played etc etc.

PS Trivia:I posted this tutorial about a Windows application by Apple at Digit Forum using Mozilla Firefox which is not my favourite browser (Opera Rulz) using a computer which is running on a linux installation.

[Vishal Gupta]

Very nice and detailed tutorial.

[iMav]

can we only backup to a removable media?

[infra_red_dude]

i suppose u can. thats what he said. simply copy the files but come extra info may not be preserved.

[Charan]

Originally Posted by iMav

can we only backup to a removable media?

Yes any media,But you have to manually add the file to the library when restoring and then authorize the PC.