Let's try this again. Here's a more concise version of my earlier post that has to replies as of yet:

If all my music for Banshee is currently on my Windows partition, will rebuilding the database on my ipod in order to enable it to sync with Banshee make my ipod un-syncable on Windows? Also will it copy over the music to the Linux partition? If so, I don't have room for all my music on the Linux partition, so I won't bother syncing until I can devote my whole HD to Linux.

Since the newer versions of iTunes lock the database to prevent other programs from using it, letting Banshee rebuild the database will probably result in iTunes not being able to read it. The next time you want to add music to it in Windows you will probably have to let iTunes rebuild the database again and resync itself, so you might want to wait until you are ready to move all of your music collection to Linux.

I am pretty sure that is what will happen; I stopped downloading the iTunes updates once I heard about the new policy so I am not able to test it.

Eric

Thanks for the reply, EricGod48.

If it happens that I'd only be able to use my iPod with Linux after I let Banshee rebuild the database, that might be fine with me, because I have podcasts working and everything I want. The thing I am concerned about is what happens to the music files on my hard drive? Do they stay where they are on my Windows partition or does Banshee copy everything over to the Linux partition in the database rebuilding process?

I don't use Banshee so I don't know what will happen, but let me get this strait.

You have two partitions setup on your computer, one for windows and one for linux. Windows is the largest partition and is where your music is stored. In linux Banshee is your media player, and you have it setup so that it reads and plays from the music folder or whatever on your windows partition? Is that correct?

If that is the case then it should not try to move your music to the linux partition. All it is going to do is rebuild the database on your ipod, not on your computer; it can already read the database on your computer. What I think it will do on your ipod is erase the current database setup and re-index the files on the ipod so that it knows what is there. In theory it shouldn't do anything to the music files themselves. However, once it does that if you plug your ipod in under windows, iTunes will probably give you an error saying something to the effect of the database on your ipod is corrupted. If you don't want to use iTunes anymore, just ignore it.

Again, I just want to stress this is what I think will happen; I've never been in this situation myself.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes.

Eric

OK, yes, that is exactly my situation! I guess I will just have to back up my music and try it.

Thanks again!

Shaun