Yet another ipod and itunes question

[Cockeye]

Ok, have the majority of the music in my itunes library recorded in default format because I didn't bother to change it to MP3.

Will it mess up my itunes library if I just go to my itunes folder and delete the music before re-ripping it in MP3 format?

Secondly, only having a Nano I regularly have to delete and reload. Trouble is, everytime I do this it doesn't seem to actually get rid of everything. Is there a way to actually format my ipod so I can put on what I want from scratch every time?

[Cockeye]

No-one? :(

[mjr]

You could create a Smart Playlist and search on the "Kind" field. This would allow you to find all unprotected AAC files for example. Once they show up in the playlist, you select them all from there and delete from within iTunes.

I think :)

[Cockeye]

So it is not possible to just delete them using windows in the folder? Will that bugger up itunes?

[mjr]

Not bugger it up exactly, but I'd expect you'd be left with a lot of dead links to tunes that no longer exist in the library. Other option would be to backup your music and start again with a new library, importing just what you want. As I say, with the Smart Playlist you could easily identify all unprotected AACs and delete them from iTunes and the disk in one shot.

[RobDickinson]

I linked to some tunes across a network in itunes (self managed music) still lists them if theres no network...

You'll have to delete them from the itunes library and the hdd, or delete them all from itunes and reimport/list the ones you want.

[Cockeye]

OK, cool
will do it from within itunes then.

Thanks for that

Now, what about formatting my ipod? Any hints and tips on that?

[simion_levi]

Nah, do it all in Windows :D

See this (http://www.thedvdforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=416995&highlight=itunes+library) thread for the itunes library updater program, does exactly what it says on the tin! (i.e. refreshes itunes library from the folders you select)