Solved Where To Put iTunes

[dustywoodworker]

One of my kids has decided that I need iTunes on my computer because my wife has expressed an interest in an iPod.

My question is this: Is there any great risk of loading iTunes and the associated music files on my C: drive along with the Windows 7 OS?

She (and I) loaded iTunes today and it wasn't until we were all done that I realized we had used C drive. I did not notice that we were given a choice but maybe that is because she is faster on the keyboard than I.

We only loaded 300MB so if I need to uninstall and redo to avoid the OS it is no big issue.

Space on the HDs is also not an issue. I have 100GB of free space on C drive and probably 60GB free on D drive.

 

[cluberti]

Usually I recommend programs on the OS volume, and user data on another disk or volume (just in case you need to reinstall Windows, for some reason - you're going to need to reinstall programs anyway, but no need to have to restore or recover data unnecessarily).

Just be aware that installing iTunes brings along with it a decent amount of Apple cruftware (apple updater, bonjour, potentially quicktime and it's updater, etc), that are not needed to actually run iTunes. You really only actually need iTunes and their removable devices (aka i-devices) service, but Apple seems to think you also need all of the other nonsense.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Here is a good guide to installing only the necessary components. The method works well for version 10.5 also.

10.5 does NOT use Quicktime, so you can omit the steps in this guide that refer to Quicktime.

The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware | ZDNet

Here is a guide on how to uninstall ALL remnants of I-Tunes if it gets cranky:

Removing and reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows Vista or Windows 7

Bonjour is a particularly nasty critter to get rid of. You may have to go to a command prompt and/or turn off your anti-malware application.

I took a look at version 10.5 today and did not stay with it. It (and some earlier versions) insist on examining all files in your library for gapless playback. This is time-consuming and cannot be turned off. I have no interest in gapless playback. My antique version 4.9 from about 2004 has a switch to turn this off entirely, but Apple has apparently decided I have to have gapless playback.

 

[noobvious]

I have no interest in gapless playback. My antique version 4.9 from about 2004 has a switch to turn this off entirely, but Apple has apparently decided I have to have gapless playback.

Gapless playback is a very popular feature.....I for one am glad it is there. It varies from person to person....some people have no music in their collection that even requires it. I never use iTunes as my media player on the computer, but I want my iPods to do gapless.

I do see what you mean about the time it takes to do the analysis though.....it wasn't a big deal for me because I don't have all of my music in my iTunes library, but if it was all in there I probably would have had to let it run over night.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

....some people have no music in their collection that even requires it.

I do see what you mean about the time it takes to do the analysis though.....I probably would have had to let it run over night.

I am one of those with no such files. I have no "albums"---only single mp3s that I typically play in shuffle mode.

I reload my entire library (22,000 songs currently) every few weeks and would have to let the gapless playback evaluation run for hours every time.

The old version with the defeatable gapless playback loads all 22,000 songs in 6 minutes.

Why they would remove the switch to defeat the analysis is beyond me. This is progress?

 

[dustywoodworker]

....some people have no music in their collection that even requires it.

I do see what you mean about the time it takes to do the analysis though.....I probably would have had to let it run over night.

I am one of those with no such files. I have no "albums"---only single mp3s that I typically play in shuffle mode.

I reload my entire library (22,000 songs currently) every few weeks and would have to let the gapless playback evaluation run for hours every time.

The old version with the defeatable gapless playback loads all 22,000 songs in 6 minutes.

Why they would remove the switch to defeat the analysis is beyond me. This is progress?

WOW, 22,000 songs. I don't think I'll ever have that much.

Out of curiosity, how much storage space is consumed by 22,000 recordings? I only have 40GB set aside for music. I have more free HD space but didn't think I would need it for music.

 

[noobvious]

....some people have no music in their collection that even requires it.

I do see what you mean about the time it takes to do the analysis though.....I probably would have had to let it run over night.

I am one of those with no such files. I have no "albums"---only single mp3s that I typically play in shuffle mode.

I reload my entire library (22,000 songs currently) every few weeks and would have to let the gapless playback evaluation run for hours every time.

The old version with the defeatable gapless playback loads all 22,000 songs in 6 minutes.

Why they would remove the switch to defeat the analysis is beyond me. This is progress?

Why do you reload them every few weeks?

 

[noobvious]

WOW, 22,000 songs. I don't think I'll ever have that much.

Out of curiosity, how much storage space is consumed by 22,000 recordings? I only have 40GB set aside for music. I have more free HD space but didn't think I would need it for music.

I have roughly 14,500, and that takes up about 117GB. Of course, I have some of these also on my hard drive in lossless FLAC format, which takes up another 129GB....lol.

 

[dustywoodworker]

WOW, 22,000 songs. I don't think I'll ever have that much.

Out of curiosity, how much storage space is consumed by 22,000 recordings? I only have 40GB set aside for music. I have more free HD space but didn't think I would need it for music.

I have roughly 14,500, and that takes up about 117GB. Of course, I have some of these also on my hard drive in lossless FLAC format, which takes up another 129GB....lol.

You are far more serious about this than I have time left to become.

I am 73 and have just recently gotten interested in what makes my computer work. It'll be a while before I can accumulate that much music (late I like). I suppose I could do it if I went on a down loading spree but then I can't afford to do that.

Thanks for your response though.

 

[noobvious]

You are far more serious about this than I have time left to become.

I am 73 and have just recently gotten interested in what makes my computer work. It'll be a while before I can accumulate that much music (late I like). I suppose I could do it if I went on a down loading spree but then I can't afford to do that.

Thanks for your response though.

I needed a non-destructive hobby after I gave up all my bad habits a few years back, and music and MP3 players became that hobby. As daunting as the size of my collection may sound to you, in reality, about half of the music is stuff I rarely listen to. I just can't bring myself to delete it though.
The 40GB you've set aside is enough space for you to have quite a bit of music that you like.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Audio Card, ENM232-6VIA

I have an Encore audio card. It was in the computer when I received it (meaning I did not choose it).

I am attempting to set my computer up so that I can transfer some of my oldies from cassette to CD or HDD.

Just today I got everything set up so that I could see and record music that was playing on my radio and/or from a cassette player in the radio.

I thought I had resolved all of my problems; having gotten all the variables set where Audasity was playing and recording as I wanted.

I was so frustrated when I returned (after shutting down) to find that the optional settings (that we so frustrating to get) had been lost.

I'll get it back but can anyone tell me how to save the settings so that I don't have to repeat this every time I turn off the computer.

If I had the spare change for a real audio board- that audio board and its software would be gone.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Noobvious:

I reloaded every few weeks because I acquire new mp3s nearly every day and could not figure out a better way to get my new mp3s into my playlists and library. I don't give I-Tunes any control over my library other than simple playback.

It's irrelevant now anyway. I just switched to Media Monkey and like it at least as well as I-Tunes. It doesn't use Quicktime and I have found a skin I like. No issues about gapless playback.

Dustywoodworker:

22,000 mp3s takes up about 91 gigabytes. You can figure about 250 high quality songs per GB, so your 40 GB should handle about 10,000 songs.

What settings did you lose? I'm not sure I understand what happened. Are you referring to Audacity?? I really like it and haven't lost any settings.

You should not need any software other than Audacity to transfer material from CD, cassette, or vinyl to the PC. My sound card is built into the motherboard and works well, so I have no need to use a separate card.

 

[noobvious]

Noobvious:

I reloaded every few weeks because I acquire new mp3s nearly every day and could not figure out a better way to get my new mp3s into my playlists and library. I don't give I-Tunes any control over my library other than simple playback.

It's irrelevant now anyway. I just switched to Media Monkey and like it at least as well as I-Tunes. It doesn't use Quicktime and I have found a skin I like. No issues about gapless playback.

Good call on Mediamonkey....I've used it for quite a while now. I never would have bothered with iTunes if I didn't have iPods.

 

[beauparc]

While it is correct to say that Quicktime is not needed with iTunes 10.5, may I suggest a bit of caution with that.

Let me quickly explain why.......

After upgrading my iPad to IOS 5 I found that I could not sync the device through iTunes. I tried everything I could think of, and found on the internet, but nothing worked. Sync would get as far as importing photos and then iTunes would crash. I even went so far as to take the iPad back to "as new" but still nothing.

Eventually, in desperation, I reinstalled Quicktime and everything worked correctly.

I have no idea why this should have worked because Quicktime has nothing to do with photos - in theory

Just beware.....

 

[dustywoodworker]

Noobvious:

I reloaded every few weeks because I acquire new mp3s nearly every day and could not figure out a better way to get my new mp3s into my playlists and library. I don't give I-Tunes any control over my library other than simple playback.

It's irrelevant now anyway. I just switched to Media Monkey and like it at least as well as I-Tunes. It doesn't use Quicktime and I have found a skin I like. No issues about gapless playback.

Dustywoodworker:

22,000 mp3s takes up about 91 gigabytes. You can figure about 250 high quality songs per GB, so your 40 GB should handle about 10,000 songs.

What settings did you lose? I'm not sure I understand what happened. Are you referring to Audacity?? I really like it and haven't lost any settings.

You should not need any software other than Audacity to transfer material from CD, cassette, or vinyl to the PC. My sound card is built into the motherboard and works well, so I have no need to use a separate card.

Thanks for the very quick response.

I do not believe that I have any problems with Audacity. It is there and seems to be responding as it should (with no inputs apparently).

After playing with it a little bit, it seems that my problems are all with the Envy 24 HF Audio Deck; furthermore, it works. I don't have a problem until I turn everything off and then come back. At that point, I have no input to Audacity until I go back to the Audio Deck and select them.

I would like to not need to do that. Maybe what I am asking for is unrealistic?????

 

[ignatzatsonic]

After playing with it a little bit, it seems that my problems are all with the Envy 24 HF Audio Deck; furthermore, it works. I don't have a problem until I turn everything off and then come back. At that point, I have no input to Audacity until I go back to the Audio Deck and select them.

I would like to not need to do that. Maybe what I am asking for is unrealistic?????

I'm not exactly sure what Envy Audio Deck is.

Why do you have to use it??

All I use is my sound card and Audacity.

 

[dustywoodworker]

After playing with it a little bit, it seems that my problems are all with the Envy 24 HF Audio Deck; furthermore, it works. I don't have a problem until I turn everything off and then come back. At that point, I have no input to Audacity until I go back to the Audio Deck and select them.

I would like to not need to do that. Maybe what I am asking for is unrealistic?????

I'm not exactly sure what Envy Audio Deck is.

Why do you have to use it??

All I use is my sound card and Audacity.

I am going to take a shot at answering this.

I think Audio Deck is to my 3rd party Audio Card (Envo) as WMP is to the on board (MOBO)audio card. The Envo audio card was there when I got the computer (a gift to the old guy).

How would you recommend I convert cassette tapes to either HDD files or CDs?

Maybe I am going about this the hard way.

This problem is NOT related to the hardware detailed in "My System Specs"

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I think Audio Deck is to my 3rd party Audio Card (Envo) as WMP is to the on board (MOBO)audio card. The Envo audio card was there when I got the computer (a gift to the old guy).

How would you recommend I convert cassette tapes to either HDD files or CDs?

Maybe I am going about this the hard way.

Audio Deck would certainly appear optional to me. There are substitutes for WMP too for that matter.

You can use Audacity to get cassettes onto the HDD in WAV file format. Once they are on the HDD, you can burn them to CD if you need to play back by CD--such as in a car. You can play back on your PC directly from your hard drive.

You first have to be able to simply play your cassettes from your regular cassette deck through your PC (speakers). This is normally done through standard RCA type cables from your PC to your home stereo system or cassette deck.

Have you gotten to where you can at least listen to cassettes played back on your cassette deck through the PC?

Audacity can then "capture" (to the PC) anything you are hearing.

Here is a tutorial from Audacity that might make some sense to you:

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Transferring_tapes_and_records_to_computer_or_CD

 

[dustywoodworker]

Thanks for that link to the Audacity tutorials. They will be very helpful . Like every thing that I get involved with these days, I have a lot of studying to do.

I for my original problem, I am considering it resolved. I just have to go into the Audio Deck each time an enable the inputs that are needed (the Line In signals). This is not ideal but the best I can do with this audio deck.

While working on this, I find that I have still another problem. I get an error message (c00d11b1) every time I attempt to activate Windows Media Player. The computer that this occurs on is running XP SP2.

 

[cluberti]

That's a DRM error:
Windows Media Player error c00d11b1 solved | David Strom's Web Informant