Thread: Moving music

I lost my hard rive on my iMac. I want to transfer my music from my ipad to the new hardrive but it says I will lose my music on my ipad. Anyway around this?

Try this.


Click on the on the iTunes Store button on the right (if you are in Library mode) and sign in with your Apple ID. In the Store menu choose Authorize this Computer.

Now plug in your iPad.

Since you have been using your iPad for a while, the first thing iTunes is going to want to to is help you re-initialize it. I doubt you'll want to do that. The initial dialog when you plug the iPad in will probably give you the option to Erase or Transfer Purchases. Chose the second. If it does not offer you the Transfer Purchases option cancel the dialog and go to the View Menu to enable the Sidebar (if it isn't already visible). Find your iPad under the Devices list in the sidebar, right click it, and choose Transfer Purchases.

This can take quite a while, depending on how much iStore content you have on the iPad.

After the transfer is done, go through all your sync settings and make them the way you want. Pay close attention to the App section and make sure all your apps have checkmarks next to them. If they don't, they will be de-installed on your next sync.

To get a better idea of how to use iTunes (and other good info) get the iPad User Guide from either Apple's site or in the iBooks Store. Both are free.


This will only work with iStore purchased content. I you have music that was imported into iTunes then synced you will need a different method to recover it.

Thanks I'll give it a shot.

No problem. Please let us know how it goes.