iPod Access for Windows v2.3
by Findley Designs, Inc.
http://www.findleydesigns.com

Overview
iPod Access for Windows brings to Windows users what Mac users have been raving about: the ability to freely transfer files from an iPod back to a computer. Need to move songs from one computer to another? Lost all your iTunes music due to a computer failure? iPod Access is the answer. Unlike some other iPod applications on the market today iPod Access utilizes the iPod database to display song information. Using this database enables song listings to be displayed instantly, playlists to be viewed and songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store to be displayed properly. Version 2.0 also adds the ability to add songs directly into iTunes and clone playlists back into iTunes.
With a simplified user interface including song filtering by Artist/Album or Composer/Album you can find the songs you need to copy and even listen to them directly in the main window. When copying songs iPod Access can organize songs into Artist/Album folders or Composer/Album folders and change the file names if desired. iPod Access also provides one button full sequential music backups. By pressing "Backup" in the toolbar you can speed up the process of regular backups. iPod Access will by default only copy new songs added to your iPod so you don't have to remember what you have added.

Requirements:
• Windows XP or Windows 2000
• Quicktime v6 or higher
• Windows formatted iPod (or Mac formatted iPod with optional MacOpener)
• iPod Software v1.2 or higher
• iTunes v4.7 or higher
• Windows Script Engine (wscript.exe)

Before you start
For iPod Access to properly access your iPod you iPod must first be set to "Manual Update" mode. If you are not sure your iPod is set this way:

- Start iTunes.
 - Connect the iPod. With iTunes in front, immediately hold down the keys shift-control-alt. When the iPod appears in iTunes source column, wait five seconds, then release the keys. This will skip the automatic iPod update.
 - Set the iPod preferences to "Manually manage songs and playlists". This disables the automatic iPod update. To open the iPod preferences, select the iPod within iTunes source column, then click onto the upcoming iPod icon at the right bottom of the iTunes window (the left icon).

Copy Songs from iPod to iTunes
To copy songs from an iPod into itUnes first make sure that the iPod is is set in "Manual Update" mode as described above then complete the following steps:

- Connect the iPod.
- Launch iPod Access.
- Select the songs form the lower window to copy.
- Press the "Add to iTunes" button in the Toolbar above.

If the above steps don’t add the selected songs to iTunes try changing the value of the “Use Alternate Script Engine” in the iPod Access preferences.

Using a Macintosh formatted iPod
In order to use Macintosh formatted iPods with your Windows machine a utility to read Mac drives must be installed. Findley Designs recommends MacOpener® from Dataviz. A free 15 day trial can be downloaded from within the iPod Access (under the help menu) or from http://www.findleydesigns.com.

Troubleshooting
1) You might have a corrupted download and should download a new copy: http://www.ipodaccess.com/

2) You need to set your iPod to manually update. This is done from within iTunes by selecting the first button in the lower right of the window. This is described above in "Before You Start".

3) Your iPod must be set to "Enable Disk Mode" mode.  This is done from within iTunes by selecting the first button in the lower right of the window.

4) Turn on the "Remove Special Characters" option in the iPod Access settings.

5) If you are missing songs after a backup it is possible that the file names are the same and each song is being replaced with another. To fix this issue open the preferences or press the "Settings" button in the iPod Access toolbar and under the file renaming section in the lower right of the window select either "ID number - Song Name" or "Song Name - Artist - ID number". These setting will rename each file with its unique ID number ensuring all files get transfered. Beacsue ID numbers change alot this setting will make using the "Backup" option difficult with multiple backups but will insure all files get copied.

6) Confirm that the "Copy Files to iTunes Music Folder when adding to Library" option is checked in the Advanced tab of the preferences of iTunes.

7) You have the most recent version of iTunes: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

8) There can also be an issue if you are trying to copy to a firewire/usb drive that is connected to the same port as your iPod. The iPod needs a certain amount of power from the firewire/usb port and some drives (especially drives without extra power connectors) will eat up most of it. If this is the case try connecting your iPod directly to the computer without the drive and try to copy a couple songs.

9) If you have an web camera for the same reason as above it should be unplugged.

10) Try plugging the iPod directly into your computer (bypass the dock.)

11) If you are using iPod Access for Windows and you are seeing a message like "There is no disk in the drive.  Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk1\DR4" this is a Microsoft bug and info can be found to fix it at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B330137 .

If the solution suggested on the Microsoft page will not help your situation you can pre-select the iPod Drive letter to eliminate this bug. To select your iPod drive letter run the “Assign iPod Drive Letter” utility located in the Start Menu folder for iPod Access.

12) If you are using iPod Access for Windows and your iPod cannot be found and you have completed all the above steps then turn on "Use Old iPod Searching" in the iPod Access preferences.

13) If you are using iPod Access for Windows and the application will not open or seems to stay minimized then the preferences file has probably been corrupted. To delete this preference file use the “Delete Preference File” utility located in the Start Menu folder for iPod Access.

14) If you are using iPod Access for Windows and both the “Add to iTunes” and “Clone” buttons do not seem to be operating then try changing the value of the “Use Alternate Script Engine” in the iPod Access preferences.

15) Reinstall Quicktime.

New Versions
In the preferences there is a setting for "Auto check for new versions". When this setting is enabled every time you are connected to the internet and you open iPod Access the program will download a small text file from the Findley Designs web site. This file will contain the current version and what has been changed. Using this information iPod Access will let you know whether a new version is available and what the improvements are. No information from your computer is ever sent or collected by Findley Designs. This option has been included at the request of many users who want to know immediately when a new version is available. If you would like you can turn this option off.

Purchase
The Unregistered version of iPod Access has the following limitations:

• Only 5 songs may be copied at a time
• The Backup function is disabled
• The Recover Songs function is disabled
• Playlist Cloning into iTunes is Disabled
• Only 5 songs may be added to iTunes at a time

iPod Access for Windows can be purchased for $14.99 USD from within the application or at http://www.findleydesigns.com/

© 2005 Findley Designs. Inc. All rights reserved.