how do i back up itunes to perform pc os uprade

[xxcysxx]

hello everyone,
i need to do a complete wipe on my hard drive to and do a fresh install of windows 7 os upgrade. is there away i can backup itunes like copying the the directory structure of itunes and put it onto the new os install?

perhaps that is the simplest way to ask for my situation.

my pc have deepfreeze install so whenever i turn off all changes are wipe. but i have a fast ssd and i can reinstall itunes very quickly. and i seldomly have to connect my ipad to my pc at all. so no sense to uninstall or thaw deepfreeze just for itunes. but i would like to be able to back up my paid apps that i bought from itunes on another storage media so when i upgrade the ipad firmware i can reuse the apps that i paid for, just in case itune wouldn't let me download it again.

ipad 2 not jailbreak

 

[cherhall]

You can download apps however many times you like. However, I keep mine backed up just by copying the iTunes media folder onto an external drive. If you don't want all of the media, just the apps...then there is an app folder inside the media folder.

 

[xxcysxx]

So can i copy this app folder inside the media folder to another installation of iTunes and restore it to my original iPad again? The original iPad that I used to purchased the apps in the first place.

Basically it's the same computer and the same iPad every time. Just a new installation of iTunes every time.

Thanks for your help

 

[cherhall]

Your backup wouldn't be there, so you'd have to sync everything again, but yes, all your apps would be there to install again.

 

[twerppoet]

Safer to backup the entire iTunes folder. There are library files that refer to the other folders and files to keep iTunes organized. iTunes may not recognize all the files if you get the folder and library files out of sync.

Also, whenever iTunes has an update you'll want to restore the library and open it with the new iTunes. Sometimes iTunes needs to rebuild the library for compatibility. If you let that go by for too many version updates it may not be able to.