[Creebe]

I got an IPOD nano 2nd generation and I'm a PC user. However I will get a MacBook this Christmas and I need to upload my songs to the new computer. Is there anyway to do that?

[sandbag1]

Did you read the "sticky" at the top of this forum?

[mdawson]

The sticky at the top of the forum is about transferring music from an iPod to a computer. Creebes post seems to indicate that his library is on his current Wintel PC.
There are two easy ways to get an iTunes music collection off of a PC and onto a Mac; in fact the process works for any computer-to-computer transfer regardless of the platform of either the source or target system. The simplest technique is to copy the iTunes folder from the PC onto an external hard drive then copy the same files into the iTunes folder on the Mac. The key components that will be necessary are the Album Artwork and iTunes Music folders, as well as the two support files for the iTunes library database iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml.
Of note here is that on the Mac the iTunes Library file does not require and extension and I am not sure if iTunes for the Mac will properly recognize a Windows generated iTunes Library file. I have an external drive that I keep a copy of my music library on for using at work and the first time I used it on my lab PC, I figured out that adding the .itl extension was required to get my library structure on the PC (e.g., playlists, folders, etc.), but once I did so, I could not link the library to Macs anymore. I believe that you can rebuild your library from the XML file, but I have never had to do so; hopefully someone with experience in that area can chime in on that note.
If you do not have an external drive available, you can create a computer-to-computer network between your Mac and PC. I have not had to do this in quite some time, but once you get your MacBook you will be able to find instructions for Connecting to Windows computers and servers from your Mac in Mac help. You will need an Ethernet cable to connect the two computers. Once you create the computer-to-computer network you would need to transfer the same files over the network from the iTunes folder on the PC to the iTunes folder on the Mac.

[sandbag1]

I assumed upload means getting them from his Nano to his new Mac. Transfer would be the term I'd use to get them from a PC to a Mac.
Probably should never assume however. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[mdawson]

Accuracy of terminology varies depending on the technical knowledge of the poster, so I can definitely see your point. Given that Creebe gave no indication that the music was no longer on the Wintel PC, I assumed that he would be transferring the music collection from the computer which could technically be an upload if he works from the Windows side; upload/download simply refers to which side of the transfer one is on. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[albloom]

Yes, do read that sticky. Several responses relate to loading
a Windows iPod into a Mac.
But do not forget -- Protected WMA files from Microsoft or
buy.com or whatever cannot be handled on the Mac side.
Convert them to (unprotected) MP3s on the PC side:
web page

[mdawson]

Anything file format that iTunes does not support on the Mac is not supported on Windows. If a Windows user attempts to import .wma files on their hard drives into iTunes, the import process will automatically convert .wma files into AAC or MP3 depending on the import settings. Protected .wma files cannot be imported into iTunes. Beyond the ability to convert .wma files to standard, open formats, .wma is in no way supported in Windows, just as such files are completely unsupported in iTunes for the Mac; .wma support on the Mac does not exist so Apple so no need for the feature.
Therefore any concern about getting .wma files off of an iPod is non sequitur as there is no way to get them onto an iPod in the first place.