The Computer Blog

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Mac iPod on a WinXP PC…

A couple of weeks ago, I said I wanted to see if a Windows XP computer running MacDrive, an application that lets a PC see Mac disks, could work with the new iTunes for Windows and a Mac formatted iPod. Well, folks, I’m here to tell you it works like a champ. I finally got a chance to try it tonight when I stumbled on my “lost” copy of MacDrive 5. I loaded the software up; and during the installation process, it asked me if I wanted to download an update. I answered I did. The update downloaded just fine but the installation routine hung because it needed to update files being used by the Update Wizard. I worked around that by closing the Wizard and leaving the Setup routine running. When the installation finished, I was surprised by another window that let me know that MacDrive could configure iTunes to work with a Mac formatted iPod, and it asked me if I wanted to let it do that. Of course, I answered “yes”. The window disappeared., and I rebooted the PC and fetched my iPod.

It took a few seconds for the PC to recognize the iPod and figure out what to do with it, but about 15 seconds or so after I had attached the iPod, iTunes launched with my iPod firmly in tow, just like I was on one of my Macs. I played Alanis Morisette’s “Thank You”, and it sounded great! Well, at least as well as it could with the speakers I currently have on my Windows PC. Might have to buy better speakers if I’m going to play my iPod on it…

I have one of the second generation Firewire iPod's, by the way. I'm not sure if one of the newer ones will work.

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