Upgraded to Win 7, iTunes started over

[Mes]

I finally bit the bullet, started using Windows 7 on one of my 500GB partitions. Now tri-booting XP, Ubuntu & Win 7. So many issues moving from XP ... but that's another story. At least my data is on separate partitions. Win7 was not too happy, but I know how to force compliance .

My question is about iTunes. Specifically store folders and backups.

I tried, but couldn't get iTunes to recognize anything from the old XP system (both iTunes version are the same). I had 150+ apps but could only transfer those that were loaded on the iPhone (about 50). Guess I should of installed everything on the iPhone first because now I must manually download the remaining 100+ apps again. Also I had to start from scratch and import music, videos, picts, ringtones, everything from my alternate backups into the iTunes crazy structure. Plus all the backups of all my iPhones are gone . (They are available, but iTunes doesn't see 'em). And the first sync erased everything from the iPhone and reloaded everything again!! Another 2 hours wasted.

Did I miss something? Or is this typical Apples .b.u.l.l ??

I suspect this is normal, Apples anti-piracy prevention measures at it's best. But it s..u..c..k..s.. big time.

One more reason Apple continues to rub me the wrong way ..and.. the major reason I waited so long to migrate to Windows 7

[Cowboy]

Yeah thats normal just go back in and individually download the apps one by one again

[Simon]

Were you not able to just copy all your apps from the itunes folder on your xp partition to the one on the windows 7 and then authorize itunes?

[Cowboy]

Mine didnt let me when i switched for pc to mac

[Simon]

Thats weird. I have done it from a mac to mac. Guess windows is just weird that way.

[Mes]

--------------------- SOLUTION FOUND ----------------------

It's so easy, can't believe I didn't try it.

Open iTunes and open the Apps tab. From a windows explorer, find the 'original' location where iTunes stored the apps (in my case, it was: EMy Documents\My Music\iTunes\Mobile Application, select all apps (ctrl-A), left (or right) hold-click and drag into iTunes Apps tab. That's it .

It doesn't work to drag into the new iTunes Mobile Application directory. Note: If you had 2 computers and both were authorized using the same iTunes ID, Apple Sharing would allow copying between all computers (max 5)

Mes

---Original Post Follows---

Were you not able to just copy all your apps from the itunes folder on your xp partition to the one on the windows 7 and then authorize itunes?

They were in the correct iTunes folder but ignored. What's even worse, all my music and video are mine (from CD, DVD's, etc) imported months/years ago. Neither copying nor changing the Library location had any effect. iTunes wouldn't see a darn thing that was already there. They had to be imported by iTunes to be recognized.

Since they we not on my iPhone, maybe I'll wait awhile (or never) to download those unused (and maybe unwanted) AppleStore apps (haha). The music and videos were locally stored. It just burns me Apple doesn't/won't play nice.

Just thought of something. I started over (but on the same disk with separate data partitions) with Win 7. Never upgraded to the dreaded Vista. Possibly, had I upgraded to Vista, the upgraded again to Win 7 maybe I might have retained everything. Maybe....

In hind-sight, after 4 or 5 years a good house cleaning was due anyway