Why can't I drag purchased music to my ipod?

[vi5]

I just bought a few songs from the itunes store and when I go to drag them to load them to my ipod, it doesn't do it. It pretty much just shows that sign that is a circle with a line through it. I though itunes files were able to be transferred to be played on your ipod. I've had mine for over a year but haven't bought much music so I guess I never actually tried before.

[ralps]

1. When you plug in your iPod into your computer it should automatically

load the songs on to your iPod. Do all your songs have a check mark beside them?:shrug: :hi:

[vi5]

2. I don't have it set up to load automatically...

I have 90 gbs of music on my computer but only a 40 gb ipod.

But that shouldn't be affecting it since it's only purchased music that it won't let me drag. I know there's limited computers you can play those songs on but I thought it would at least let me drag it to my ipod.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Check to see how your iPod updates itself...

(This applies to the Windows version - I can't speak for the Apple version)

-Go to Edit->Preferences

-Click on the iPod tab

-Under the Music tab, select Automatically update all songs and playlists. And make sure the box next to Only update checked songs is unchecked.

-Click OK

Unfortunately, you can't drag and drop music from iTunes directly into your iPod, however you can create playlists with "drag and drop" (when your iPod updates, it will also update the playlists you create).

Happy podding!:hi:

[vi5]

4. Will that change what I have on my ipod...

As mentioned above, I have way more music than would fit on my ipod and I don't want it to automatically put stuff on there that I don't want so therein lies the rub.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Under the same iPod menu, you can cherrypick what playlists...

...you want to update. Instead of selecting Automatically update all playlists and songs, select Automatically update selected playlists only. If you select Purchased Music, then it'll only update the songs in your Purchased Music playlist. You can create and select additional playlists, as well.:thumbsup:

[vi5]

7. Thanks...I did that but I screwed something up...

I did this and only checked "Purchased Music" but for some reason it ended up clearing out my ipod completely. So now I have to manually re-load 40 gbs of music. Oh well. A good opportunity to clean out some stuff that was on there that I didn't really listen to.

I guess the issue was that everything in and out of my ipod is checked so.....

[ralps]

6. Just check what you want to put on. Make sure that In your iPod

preferences the box next to "Only update checked songs" is checked. I know it will take a while to go through, I need to do that myself with some AAR shows that are a couple of months old.:hi: :hug:

[Squeech]

8. Related question

Everything you get from itunes is in the ipod (proprietary) format, right? What machines will play that format? I don't have an ipod, and I don't plan to get one. Which computer (media) players will play them? What other formats can they be ripped to conveniently? Any formats that a conventional CD player will play?

Basically, is it worth my while, as something of a luddite, to redeem the Pepsi bottlecap offer of free tunes?

[vi5]

9. It is designed for the Itunes player.....

...which you can download. That is what I use and would likely use even if I didn't have an Ipod. It is the best set up and formatted computer media player I've seen. But I think there are downloads you can get from both Winamp and Music Match Jukebox that will allow you to play them.

When you download the file it is an .M4P format extension. You can only play it on limited computers/machines.

What I usually do if I want more flexibility is to use Itunes to burn the songs to disc and then re-import them as mp3's or my preferred format.