How to use multiple iPods with one computer i

How to use multiple iPods with one computer


Summary
Do you want to use more than one iPod with the same computer? You can! In fact there are a couple of different ways you can do it.

Products Affected
iPod, iTunes 7 for Windows, iTunes 7 for Mac, Windows

Method One
If you share your computer with other people, one solution is to maintain separate user accounts on the computer for each person. This is useful especially if each user has different tastes in music; users can maintain separate, personalized iTunes music libraries and can customize their iPods accordingly.

Mac OS X users:
See "Mac OS X: How to Share a Computer with Other Users" to learn how to set up additional user accounts.

Windows users:
Look in your computer's Help documentation to learn how to set up additional user accounts. To locate this information, do the following:

Click the Start Menu, and then click Help or Help and Support.
Enter new user in the Search field.
Press Return.
If you create multiple user accounts on one computer but want the same music to be available in iTunes for all users, see "iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer."

Method Two
You may use multiple iPods on a computer without the need to create multiple user accounts. To do this, you can set iTunes to update each iPod with only certain playlists. This method allows you to put all your music on, say, your iPod and keep your iPod shuffle updated with only your workout music. Here's how to do this with iTunes 7:

Create a new iTunes playlist for each iPod that contains all the music that you want to send to that particular iPod. Learn more about how to create playlists here.
Learn how to Sync your iPod, read the iPod Tutorial Steps section.
Note: iTunes for Windows does not support having multiple iPods connected simultaneously.

Method Three
Create a separate iTunes library for each iPod Note: It is important that you make a new iTunes Library file. Do not just make a copy of your existing iTunes Library file. If iTunes is open, quit it.

Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
In the dialog that appears, do the following:
Click Create Library.
Name and save the alternate library file. iTunes opens with your brand new library file.
Open iTunes Preferences.
Click the Advanced tab and then click the General tab.
De-select Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library checkbox if it is selected and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from creating duplicate copies of your existing media files in the new library folder.
Add the specific media files you want on your iPod to iTunes either by dragging them into iTunes or using the Add to Library option in the File menu.
Once you have the iTunes LIbrary just how you want it, connect and sync iPod.
Once the sync is complete, quit iTunes.
Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
Click Choose library.
Choose your original iTunes Library and click Choose (Mac Users) or Open (Windows Users). You can now switch back and forth between the different libraries for different iPods.

source : http://support.apple.com