Two iPods, One Computer? Zero Problems

If your house is anything like mine, you have probably evolved into a multiple iPod family. I can't understand why everyone (my wife) can't just live with my taste in music, but evidently she can't.

So for the holiday season, we purchased a second iPod.

As I started to sync up the new iPod, it dawned on me that I was putting all of my music onto it. This was not what I intended to do.

I have iTunes set to only sync up songs that are selected. I realized that I could probably uncheck all the songs that I didn't want to load, but what a hassle. If I were to then sync my original iPod back up, I would need to go through the select/unselect process all over again? No thanks.

After doing a little research, I was able to determine there are actually a few different ways I could meet my objective, one of which was exactly what I wanted.

1. Create separate user accounts on my computer. Each user account could then have its own library.

   This is not a bad solution, however, not ideal. I don't really want to have to log on and off as different users each time I want to sync up my iPod. Let's keep going.

2. Create separate playlists and set your iPod to only sync up from that playlist.

   This is a better solution. This way will save some steps for music we share. And we each have control over our own music. However, is there a still better way?

3. Create a separate iTunes library for each iPod.

   This sounds like exactly what we want. How do we do it?

Follow these steps, and you will be off to iPod independence and happiness!

NOTE: It is important that you create a new library. Do not just make a copy of your existing iTunes Library file. If iTunes is open, quit it.

1. If iTunes is open, quit it
2. Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
   Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
3. In the dialog that appears, do the following:
4. Click Create Library
5. Name and save the alternate library file. iTunes opens with your brand new library file.
6. Open iTunes Preferences
7. Click the Advanced tab and then click the General tab
8. De-select Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library checkbox if it is selected and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from creating duplicate copies of your existing media files in the new library folder.
9. Add the specific media files you want on your iPod to iTunes either by dragging them into iTunes or using the Add to Library option in the File menu
10. Once you have the iTunes Library just how you want it, connect and sync iPod
11. Once the sync is complete, quit iTunes
12. Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
    Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
13. Click Choose library
14. Choose your original iTunes Library and click Choose (Mac Users) or Open (Windows Users). You can now switch back and forth between the different libraries for different iPods.