I need help. My old PC died. When I try to connect my ipad to the new PC with the new iTunes library, I get asked to download and install version 4.2, but then get prompted to backup my purchases. How do I do that, as obviously my old iTunes library is not there. am I not likely to lose all my stuff on My iPad. I have bought a lot of books and apps, and there are 10 gb pictures too. I am rather not that techno-savvy and would benefit from some advice. I bought copytrans to backup the iPad, but that does not save my pictures or purchases.

With your iPad connected to iTunes, go to the Files menu in iTunes and select Transfer Purchases From (your iPad name).

Also, right click on your iPad in the Device list and do a Backup. You can do the Purchase Transfer from there as well.

Now check to make sure the songs, media, whatever all ended up on iTunes.

Now you should be good to go for upgrade and syncing with your new computer.

Don't forget to go to the Store menu in iTunes and Authorize your computer, or you won't be able to use iTunes to play any of your DRM content, if you have any. And click on the account link in the upper right of iTunes (on the computer still) and sign in to your iTunes account.

Many thanks twerppoet. I should have thought about that.

It's easy to overlook. Nothing in iTunes exactly shouts 'do this!'

thanks for advice above. How long should it take to backup an ipad. After downloading 4.2, itunes are backing up the ipad and the bar has moved about 3/4th only after nearly 36 plus hours. Is that what I should expect?

Depends on how much data it has to backup. If you've never done it before, and you have many GB of data, it could take quite a long time.

Still, people have reported slow backups before. It could be having problems.

If it is still making progress, then I would leave it alone, annoying as that is. If not then abort the sync. You can do that on the iPad or in iTunes. Don't just unplug it if you have any choise.

Before you start another backup, make sure your computer isn't going to time out and go into sleep mode during the sync. You can change that in Energy Saver preferences on a Mac, and somewhere in Window's control panels. I've had similar problems caused by this in the past.

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If it is still making progress, then I would leave it alone, annoying as that is. If not then abort the sync. You can do that on the iPad or in iTunes. Don't just unplug it if you have any choise.


Thanks again. It has not made any progress overnight. Last few cms remain on the bar. I tried fiddling all buttons on iTunes and iPad, but don't seem to find any way to 'pause' the sync. My worry is that if I were to unplug, all the last 48 plus hours work will go bankrupt.

Sorry for troubling you, but just one more suggestion will be appreciated.

Thanks a million.

When the iPad is syncing it should go to the lock screen and say 'Sync in Progress at the top. The unlock slider will say 'slide to cancel' instead of the normal 'slide to unlock'. Using the slider should cancel the sync.

In iTunes it should say it's syncing in the LED looking box at the top. There is a small x to the right in the box. When you click on this it should cancel the sync.

If neither of these is working then the sync has already failed. Before you just unplug the iPad, you can try quitting iTunes. If all else fails, you'll just have to unplug the iPad.

The good news is that any files that were actually copied should be fine and will not need to sync again. The Backup though, I'm just not sure. It may or may not have to start from the beginning.

Before you try the backup again, make sure you computer won't go to sleep.

I'm afraid that's all the advice I can give. I just don't know enough to go further. You may have to call Apple support and see if they have an answer.

That was great. Many thanks again.