iTune Application Sync with two PC's

[peled]

This should be a simple question regarding installing a new application into the iPAD.

I have PC #1 through which I synced all my Application - works fine.

I downloaded from iTune Store a new Application into my PC #2.
This is now the only application on PC #2.
I connect my Fully loaded iPAD into PC#2 and go to the Sync Command.
I am getting a warning that all my applications on the iPAD will be erased.

So what is it ?
A false warning ?
There should be a simple way to add applications from other computers.

Should I continue and iTune will just install that single application on PC#2 .

I hate that iTune...

 

[Pocobear]

You must be logged on to the same account on both computers. No it not a false warning, it will erase everything and just put the app on the iPad that you have on that PC. Why are you using 2 PC's anyway, for only one iPad? You can add apps directly to the iPad from within the "App Store" app on your iPad, you don't need a PC to do it. When you sync back to PC#1 the app you downloaded on the iPad will sync back to iTunes on PC#1 and it it doesn't, in iTunes. click on FILE, upper left hand corner, then click on "Transfer Purchases from iPad" and they will sync.

 

[peled]

Thanks for the answer.
Reason I have 2 PC's is that one is my DeskTop Windows 7 at home, The other one is my LapTop. On Both PC's I sign in with the same USER/Password.
Any Way of syncing both PC's ?

I still not get it. It is true that most of the time I sync my App with PC #1 .
Now what will I do if Say PC #1 is dead.
If I start working with PC #2 which it's iTune is almost empty, I am heading into a problem.

By the way one of the trick s I am using is downloading Applications through iTune into my PC#2.
Then I copy the "ipa" files to PC#1 and Sync.

I am sorry to say that I still didn't figure out the easy way to download and install directly from the store on my iPAD.

 

[Pocobear]

Look on the iPad screen for an app that is blue and has "App Store" written under it, tap on it, the iTunes store comes up, on the bottom left, tap on "Featured", you will now see a page with Apples suggested apps on it. Now. if you know the name of an app that you want, tap on the box in the top right corner where you see the little magnifying glass icon, this is the search box, the keyboard will come up. Type in the name or category of the app or type of app you want to download. For example type "photo" in to see photo apps; type in "games" to see game apps; type in "Netflix" to see the Netflix app. To clear the text from the search box tap the X in the corner of the search box. Once you have found an app you want, click on the purchase / free box and it will ask if you really want to do this, tap "yes", your app will then download to your iPad.

And, please download and read the manual, the link is below in the signature box. It will really help you out.

 

[peled]

Thanks Pocobear.
I did follow your advice. Even downloaded few free Apps, just to test it out . Works fine.
Still trying to figure out the problem with syncing a new clean pc''s iTune after the original is dead. Nothing in the book or in Google.
This forum seems to be my only hope to understand.
I wander why there is no simple answer to such a simple question .
Seems that the Apple world is some what different from the Windows

 

[Pocobear]

If you can get both computers to talk to each other, then go the following web site and follow the article's guide to transferring iTunes with all of your music, apps, etc. to your PC#2 computer that doesn't have the music. This will make them duplicates of each other. So, be sure that PC#1 has everything you want to keep on it, before you transfer everything to PC#2.

"http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to-a-new-hard-drive/#" (remove the quotes first) or just click below.

Transferring your iTunes Library | iLounge Article

 

[peled]

Good Idea.
I did just that following the excellent reference you pointed out.
I Just copy the all 1Gig iTune Directory ( I sync only the applications).
It worked great.
Coming from the Windows world I yet again realized why they call "jailBreak" the cracking of the IOS. It is a true Jail. No wander so few in the world are using the MaC computers.


Here is the part of the artical I Used:


If you’re simply looking to move your iTunes library to an entirely new computer, the process is actually quite a bit simpler than relocating the content, provided certain conditions are met:

You are moving your iTunes library between two computers using the same operating system and iTunes version; and
You plan to store the iTunes library database and content in the same relative locations on the new computer
If this is the case, then transferring your iTunes library to a new computer is quite simple: Just copy the entire iTunes folder and all sub-folders from your “Music” (Mac) or “My Music” (Windows) folder on your old computer to the corresponding folder on the new computer.

If you have changed your iTunes Media Folder location from the default, simply make sure you copy that to the corresponding location on the new computer as well. In other words, if you have your iTunes Media folder set to D:Music then you must copy it to D:Music on the new computer—remember that iTunes stores the full path to each music file in your library, so your music files must be in the same place on the new computer in order for iTunes to find them.

You’ve probably read about issues with synchronizing your iPod to more than one computer, however it’s important to note that iTunes associates your iPod with a library database and not a physical machine. This means that once you’ve copied your iTunes library database over to your new computer, you can continue syncing your iPod, iPhone or Apple TV to it in the same way as you did previously.
To actually copy the files between computers you can use any file transfer method you normally would for any other type of data, including an external hard drive or USB memory key, a home network between the two computers, or burning your iTunes data to CDs or DVDs.

 

[chowdown]

Peled, thanks for asking. Pocobear, thanks for answering.

Peled, you asked the same question that I've been thinking about for the last two weeks: what will I do if my main computer dies/gets stolen etc?

So having read this thread, I guess the answer is: keep an up-to-date backup (usb drive) of my iTunes folder. When I need to sync to another computer, just copy the iTunes folder into the Music (mac) or My Music (win) folder of the new computer, and then I should be ready to sync.

Pocobear (or anyone else), have I got that right?

Also, looking at the iTunes > iTunes Music > Books folder, I notice that although all of the books that I've received from the iTunes store are there, none of the (very many) pdfs that I've added are there.

What happens to all the pdfs that are on my iPad in iBooks, GoodReader and other apps when I go to sync my iPad with a new computer? Same question for all the other types of file that I've added to (or created on) the iPad, eg, .txt, .doc, xls, .wav, .jpg, .mid?

Any help with these questions would be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[peled]

Well . Time and again I repeat stating "Never Ever defined the iPAD to SYNC books and PDF"
You can keep your eBooks (ePUB) books and PDF Magazines or book in a special folder that you may name it iBOOK.
You can always get that folder select all your books . Paste them in your iTune LIB.
Once they are in the LIB, Select them and copy to the Device .
Once it is on your device, go ahead and delete all of them from iTune LIB.

Simple .

I download every day at least 10 PDF Magazines, just copy to my iPAD in the method mentioned above, and forget about them. I even delete it from my PC.

Now another problem that needs to be investigate is, 2 iPAD to be Synced with one PC and you do not want to share application. Now go figure...

 

[Spongebob]

So if I use a program that already syncs all files in My Music folder, between my main computer and my laptop, I will be able to sync with both computers? I already use a program to sync my Itunes folder to my NAS.

 

[peled]

Yep.
After copying the all itune folder from my PC into the LapTop, I downloaded an Application into the LAPTOP and synced the application ( NASA-FREE). Came up fine syncing it with 2 more updated progies.
You will also be able to see that you now have on your APP lib all the Applications that came from the other PC.

 

[Pocobear]

Happy Holidays,

Everyone should have a backup of their computer. Get a USB drive that's equal too or greater the the size of your hard drive. Many come with a backup program, if not there are many available, even some that are free. A simple and free way, is to use a program called Easeus Todo Backup, and backup at least once a week. It will even make a backup you can boot from, if your hard dirve crashes. As far as the pdf's go in iBooks, I just don't know, they just disappear, so I use Dropbox (free for 2gb) and Goodreader. I put all my pdf's into Dropbox and when I need one I download it to my iPad if it's disappeared. It's usually there in Goodreader anyway, but at least you know that a copy is always available whenever you need it.

SpoongeBob,

It seems like every NAS manufacturer does things a little different from each other software wise, so you just have to try and see what yours will be capable of. Make a plan and then call the manufacture and ask if it will work, if not, how could it be done. It sounds like you should be able to sync both computers, but?

 

[peled]

If the ITune directory on both computer is identical, then I assume you can sync your device on either one of them.
BUT !!!
As I said. Never ever sync music, books and picture. Just copy them.

 

[Spongebob]

I already have a backup plan going. It syncs my Itunes music to my NAS. My question is what exactly do I have to have duplicated on both computers to do this sync. The Itunes folder that includes the library files or the subfolder of music? It is not the end of the world if I don't do this as my NAS also shows up in Itunes and I can stream it in Itunes.

 

[peled]

According to my philosophy. Your Music folder in iTune should be empty. Unless you do sync you music to iTune.
Even after buying music from the store, I would still copy the music from the iTune Music folder, and put it aside, to be copied later, to say another iTune on another computer.