How to Use a Backup Disk for an iPod
- 1). Connect your iPod to your computer and launch iTunes. Right-click on your iPod and select "Back Up" to create a new backup of your settings. In iTunes, open the "Preferences" and select "Devices" to view the date of your latest backup.
- 2). Connect your backup disk (like an external hard drive or USB drive) to your computer. Find your iPod's backup files by selecting your username in the Finder. Open the "Library," "Application support," "Mobilesync" and "Backup" folders to find your iPod's files. Click and drag these files to your backup disk to make an extra copy of your settings.
- 3). Copy your iTunes music library to your backup disk. The library can be found by opening the "Music" folder in your home directory. If there is no library, then iTunes isn't set to automatically add files to its library. Instead, open the folder in which you saved your music and drag the files to your backup drive to copy them.
- 4). Look for third-party applications if you're having trouble managing a backup disk. Several companies make programs that allow you to create and copy backups with just a few clicks.
- 5). Update the external backup disk every month. ITunes continues to make new versions of your backup, but it will not automatically transfer these new files to your external disk.