Not having an easy time switching music files..any iTune experts?

Hi,

I thought I was almost done moving files from old Dell to new Mac. Tuesday I used four recommendations for programs that would convert my wma files so I could move them into iTunes. The first three just couldn't seem to convert the files. The last one I thought converted them. I loaded them onto a flash drive and moved them to the Mac. I selected 'Add to the Library' and selected the folder on the desktop holding what I just moved over and highlighted all of them, but it only imported a portion of them. I don't know why.

Then when I tried to play songs that I thought it imported, I got a message, 'iTunes cannot find this file' on a couple of hundred of them. Some have imported ok, and I don't know why some have and some haven't. Not to mention the quality of the songs it converted was poor. I had a Beatles song that was off my own CD and the same song imported from my old Dell, after converting and the difference is very noticeable. Plus repeated efforts to make the move has created duplicates and iTunes although it will list duplicates for you, doesn't seem to allow you a way to remove them easily. Having to single click on 200 hundred songs to delete...?

I think I am getting burned out with all things computer at this point. Working at this too long. It took me a very long time to collect my music files from albums that were hard to find. I am sure that is true for a large majority of people switching from a WinPC to a MAC so why is this not easier? I have spent hours/days working on this and still don't seem to have it right.

There has to be an easier, sure fire way for me to get all my old windows media files from the win pc I was using to the iTunes program? Apple support has been no help. They suggest I download Flip4Mac to allow me to 'play' music on QuickPlayer??? So then I would have part of my music on iTunes and part on QuickPlayer?

At this point, I would like to throw out iTunes and import a Windows Media Player, which I was very happy with, but I hear they have discontinued a version for Mac. Can anyone direct me to where I can go to resolve the 'music files issues'. I am willing to start over again from the beginning if I have to, with a solution that will really work. At this point my desktop on both computers have too many folders with too many music files in one state of format or another and my head is spinning and my eyes are crossing.

Maybe there is a good audio/video help forum that specializes in this that someone knows of?

thanks very much! adam

 

Erm...you are aware that iTunes can import Windows Media Audio files (wma) by default right? It automatically converts them to the AAC format, which is a very high quality codec.

Flip4Mac is for Window Media Video files (wmv). You do not need that for audio files.

I would recommend you to just empty your entire iTunes library right now, and just re-import everything using iTunes only (File>Import). It might take quite some time, as iTunes has to re-encode a number of your music files, but you should have no issues afterwards.

There is no need to overcomplicate things and look for 3rd party software. If you encounter errors or problems, post them on this forum.

 

Well...this is where it gets very confusing. I had an Apple Tech tell me that no it doesn't. I've had people suggest I could install iTunes for windows on my old Dell and convert them that way, which may be true but I tried that and my old Dell does not have Service Pak 2 for XP on it so the iTunes won't install. I tried moving my unconverted files to the Mac and getting iTunes to convert them but could not figure out how to and everything I tried didn't work. I called Apple and that was when they suggested I download the Flip4Mac and play them on QuickPlayer.

And I did post the problems I was having on another post that was not specifically about this problem so that is why I posted this today.

You can see a link below, where Apple suggests all you have to do is drag the wma file into iTunes and it converts...BUT...they then qualify that, with 'unless it is a protected wma file' and iTunes will not convert that. That was the first thing I tried when my library was empty and it didn't work.

Here are a sample of some of the Apple Support documents I have looked for information about converting music files ...no mention of converting an wma file.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304721
http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/
http://www.lifeafterpc.com/?s=wma+files

Here is a page that suggests you can convert wma files, but they specify unprotected wma files. I thought all wma files are protected? That is the problem with needing to convert them correct? A wma file is by nature a proprietary format, is that right? I had my Windows Media player set to convert everything I downloaded into it to wma until about 4 months before I stopped using it so most everything is in that format. How do you know whether it is a 'protected' wma file? None of my wma files converted, so I am assuming that they are all protected? I have no idea why they would be. They were imported into the WMPLayer off CDs.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/hottips/#convertingwma

Notice the very very small paragraph devoted to informing you about where you stand with wma files. It is supposed to be so simple, just drag the file over to the iTunes...didn't work and nothing else I tried did. Plus, they make no suggestion for what you are supposed to do if it doesn't convert them.



adam

 

iTunes has NEVER imported .wmas correctly for me, for every version since 5.something when I started using it. It would convert the first 2-3 correctly and the rest just vanished into thin air.

 

Hi....

update...called Apple again, since Budding seemed so sure iTunes would be a solution for me. Turns out everything I thought was true...is. Pretty much we decided after going all over it again, that either I could download iTunes for windows to my old Dell and that would convert the files, or I could use a third party software to do it. As I said before, due to not having Service Pack 2 on the Dell, itunes is not an option.

He felt I should just delete the files that itunes is no longer finding and import them again. So that is what I hope to do tomorrow. I did spend quite a bit of time organizing the folder/files on my desktop today and imported more tracks from the CDs I have in the house, so I could reduce the amount I had to move from the old computer and have better quality too. I winnowed it down to 600 more music files I need to import and I think I have the converted copies of them on the old desktop, but I am really wanting to do them over again with a new program before moving them and trying to import them.

I just wish I had a better third party software to make the conversions. Everything so far has had some problem or drawback. If anyone has a really good converter that really keeps the quality, and will really work with iTunes when finished, I would be very happy to hear about it.

thanks...
adam

 

If you imported the music from CDs, they should NOT be protected wma files and should import properly directly into Itunes on your mac. However itunes on the mac will convert them to aac. Try importing one wma file at a time ..then do two..then 3...see if its a specific file screwing it up or if it wont even do one file. I thought protected WMA files were only from purchased online sources.

 

Fant....that's a good idea about trying one file at a time to see where the problem is...thanks! I am repeating moving the already supposedly converted files again this morning. will update later

 

Well, I don't know what I did differently, but I seem to be converting files fine now with the dBpoweramp program. I changed some of the settings to get better quality conversions and now they are excellent! I have about 90% of my files converted and moved. Pretty time consuming though. Phew!


thanks for all the help!
adam

 

Have you tried Switch?

( http://www.nch.com.au/index.html under 'Download', 'Switch Audio Converter')

EDIT: Sorry, redundant post.

 

Just install SP2 on your Dell, then iTunes. Seriously its 4 years old now, it works for the most part.

 

I agree. Have you ever done something called a "Windows Update?"