Is exactly the same machine, same spec exactly?
You may be able to simply swap that hard drives over, I would call the manufacturer's tech line and ask advice so warranty is not invalidated, they would probably talk you through it.
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Cheddar, yes its exactly the same machine but being brutally honest, I wouldn't know a hard drive if it hit me in the face though it certainly sounds as if it would be the easiest way!!!
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Is there any way to avoid having to go through the whole itunes sync set up again,
Don't think so.
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Can't face setting up playlists all over again!!!! :-(
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The playlists are in iTunes. So they too will re-sync along with the music. It just will take time to sync. So if you have a 160Gb iPod full of music.... leave it overnight.
I recently took my iPod back to factory state and all music, videos, playlists and applications synchronised back on without a hitch. Apart from taking longer than USB2 should. Firewire would be quicker but I don't have a Firewire 800 to iPod cable.
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Rob when I got this laptop, and connected the ipod it recognised that it was different machine.
So I had to copy the music from the external HDD to new laptop, and reconnect ipod. It then wiped the ipod before then loading it up with the music again but during that process, I lost all the playlists?
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I was assuming you'd do as the other's suggest and clone the machine first or swap the disk. Otherwise you are back to square one. Sorry for confusion.
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Yeah I will certainly give the clone a serious look.
As I said, I have done the Samsung Recovery Disk which claims that if my laptop ever loses everything for whatever reason, then I can use that to get it back to the stage it was at when saved. Not sure if this would be the same principal as cloning? It may well have security info within it to only allow it to be linked to current computer.
On another note, I assume Samsung or Amazon will fix my keyboard and sell it on as reconditioned or whatever. Will they be able to wipe everything?
I remember my first laptop was bought as a reconditioned from Ebuyer and this had someone else's name on it ie user and I could not find a way of removing it. I assume if there was, it would have been done before it was sold?
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I would wipe the machine using a freeware tool before returning it. Assuming you don't swap disks.
How does the Samsung Recovery thing work? Does it backup to an external disk? That might work for rebuilding the new one. No harm in trying as you can always rebuild the new one quickly from supplied disks.
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Yeah backs up to my External HDD. I might try that first.
When you access the recovery program, and select "Restore" you get the option of
"You can restore Windows file, user data, or the entire c: drive "
Won't do any harm to start with that?
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Bobby, there are many programs you can use to wipe a disk, here's one I've used - and it's free www.killdisk.com/ to US DODD standards.
Now, briefly, how iTunes works.... The iTunes library (usually iTunes) holds the database (.itl) file, and a much larger file which it can use for recovery, together with any associated files (e.g. album art). The itl file is the database which holds playlists, and other information, such as file names, MP3 tag info, playback volume etc etc.
The music files themselves (mp3s) are referenced in the database by absolute drive letter. This brings the benefit that you can have your music spread across different drives, but it also means that iTunes will always look for a particular file on a particular disk. If the file is not found when you come to play it, you will get the chance to search for it, which (if successful) will repair the database setting.
You should regularly backup the whole iTunes library onto a memory stick or something. And if you can get a copy of it now, here is how to set up iTunes on your new computer without losing playlists.
When you get the new computer up and running, install iTunes then replace the iTunes library with your old copy. IF the music is in the same location (e.g. mine is all on an external drive, lettered M), then it will find your music, and your playlists should be intact.
If you are using an external drive, it is conceivable that it may get a different drive letter from what it previously had. If it does that, you can use diskmgmt.msc from the Start/Run menu to change the drive letter.
Just for info, my iTunes library is on my external hard drive. Simply, that means I can put the drive on any computer and make it the same drive letter as it's used to being, then use my iTunes as though it was on my computer - complete with all playlists etc. The way to do this is to close down iTunes and copy your iTunes library to your external drive, then rename the iTunes library on C drive. When you restart iTiunes it will force a prompt that your iTunes library is missing, then you can Browse to the new one which, so long as it is online when you start iTunes, will become the default iTunes library. (If you subsequently get the prompt that the library is missing, you've probably forgotten to power up your external drive!)
Regarding iPod sync, I would have thought that the info on which iPods sync with the database (for that is what it is doing, it isn't syncing with the computer) would be held in iTunes. I believe it recognises your iPod by the name you have given it, so if you manage to get the above going, I don't think you would need to re-sync your iPod.
Hope that helps - mail me for more if needed (use the Report button, the other mods will ignore the generated email)
Edited by smokie on 07/10/2009 at 00:04
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Excellent info Smokie, thanks for taking the time to type all that. Once I am doing the ipod / itunes bit I may give you a shout!
Cheers
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Would using a programme other than iTunes to transfer media get round this 'feature' ? For example I use Mediamonkey ( as recommended here some time back) to add tunes to my daughter's iPod withoput the whole synchronisation charade.
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Sure thing Bobby.
I don't know if other programs avoid the sync, I suspect they do, in that they probably allow you to access the iPod as just another disk drive, and use something like a copy/paste to write the files.
iTunes, and in particular iTunes sync, used to be horrible at most things, but they have improved it no end, and added some really good features. The iTunes sync only moves those music files which need to be added/updated, and you can choose which playlists you sync, as opposed to sync'ing the whole of your music library, which is how it used to work (but once music libraries outgrew iPod capacities it was a flawed design)
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Just done a quick check with Mediamonkey and I can transfer tracks both ways PC <-> iPod without synchronising i.,e. there are tracks on the iPod that aren't on the PC and vice-versa.
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Returning Laptop - How do I wipe it? >>
The only secure method is to smash the hard drive in to bits beyond repair, but you can't do that!.
So IMO the next best method is to secure wipe it, eg. using a program such as this free "eraser" by Heidi:
eraser.heidi.ie/
and select the Gutmann 35 passes option for a high level of wiping, or lower levels if you are happy with those and do not want the process to take too long.
Oh, finally, I have backed up everything using Samsung Recovery to my EHDD, can I then load that onto a new laptop from there or will it recognise its different laptops? >>
I suggest that: you first make a clone/image of your old laptop drive and also of your new laptop drive. Then you can restore the image from the old laptop to the new laptop. If the laptops are by the same manufacturer and have similar hardware, then there should be no problem with the factory preactivated Vista operating system as it will stay preactivated on the new laptop even if it has been imaged across from the old laptop.
If it goes wrong, you can still restore your new laptop to the factory state from the image you have made.
I suggest that you use a cloning/imaging[*] program, such as one of these two free ones:
Driveimage www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
"Restore images to the same or a different drive"
FAQ - www.runtime.org/driveimage_faq.htm
HDClone www.miray.de/products/sat.hdclone.html#versions
"The Free Edition of HDClone clones an entire hard disk to another, larger medium. Use it for migrating an existing installation to a new hard disk or for rescuing data."
[*] cloning/imaging = www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.sh...l
Edited by jbif on 06/10/2009 at 21:47
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>> Returning Laptop - How do I wipe it? >> The only secure method is to smash the hard drive in to bits beyond repair but you can't do that!. So IMO the next best method is to secure wipe it>>
As I say the OP may be able to simply swap that hard drives over, even more secure!
I would call the manufacturer's tech line and ask advice so warranty is not invalidated and be talked through it.
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Thanks for the advice jbif, I will try have a look at these.
Laptop, well netbook, is running XP, not Vista, not sure if that makes a difference?
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Laptop, well netbook, is running XP, not Vista, not sure if that makes a difference? >>
You can relax about that, as on XP it should be easier to clone across two machines without the need for re-activating XP (if most of the hardware of the two netbooks is similar).
[ With Vista, Microsoft introduced hardware OEM certificates linking Vista licences to the BIOS to make pirating difficult. However, as ever, pirates have found ways of getting round that! ]
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>>..Amazon are sending me a new laptop,,>>
This would appear to be yet another example of the superb after sales customer service from Amazon.
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Yes would second that.
I originally asked if I could simply take it in somewhere to fix the keyboard whilst I waited (and watched). But the nearest Samsung repair was Walsall, not handy for Glasgow!
And their phone line just played a recorded message saying that due to the issue with the digital changeover last week they were tied up fully with this and you would need to call back later!
So Amazon send me the new one, and give me 30 days to switch things over and return the old one!
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You mention you have a Samsung Netbook. Is it the NC10? If it is I would advise against swapping the hard disk over as its not straight forward.
In a normal laptop, you normally just remove one screw and it slides out the side of the laptop. The Samsung NC10 requires removing the whole back cover.
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VR6, its the slightly bigger version, the NC20.
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I have a NC10, thats why I know.
Having a quick google shows that the NC20 is a little different, and the hard disk is easy to access. The second picture down on the following website shows the hard disk under the panel on the underside.
techreport.com/articles.x/16773/4
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So you reckon I could just undo a few screws there, how is the hard drive connected? Is it really as simple as that (if Amazon give me the go ahead to do - or how would they know?
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And further to that link, when I bought the netbook I also bought the 2GB RAM to go with it but have never got round to installing it - maybe just as well as it could maybe have invalidated the warranty.
Netbook is working fine with 1GB, don't know what noticeable difference I would see with 2GB RAM?
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Hard drives are normally very easy to remove and install. Looks like you just pull and lift it out of the caddy. The connectors are on the short side of the disk, and are standard 'multi plug' type.
Not sure if you'll see a big difference with 2GB ram, but you can always try it.
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I've just had the RAM on a four year old PC increased from 512 to 1gig and after being frustrated at how slow a brand new laptop running Vista on 2gig of memory was I had another 2gig installed. Both are running much better.
Doubling what you have won't make things worse.
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