Transferring iTunes library to new PC

jrar

Apologies if this question has been asked before - I've trawled through a lot of the posts on this site and couldn't find it so if you know the answer and/or have a link to aprevious similar question/discussion, I'd really appreciate your help.

I have an iPod classic with about 4000 tracks on it - I need to move my iTunes library to a new laptop that I bought (old one is giving up the ghost) so what's the quickest/easiest way of doing this without losing any of the music (esp. stuff rhat I bought from iTunes store)

I did try this before where someone had recommended using my iPod to "store" the library and then upload to my new PC - it took over a day for it to copy everything and then when I uploaded, all that appeared in the iTunes library on my new PC were tracks that I had copied from vinayl to digital using separate software, but nothing that I had originally bought or ripped on iTunes itself.

My other question is if I set up my iTunes library on the new laptop, how can my wife also upload hers so that we have separate playlists etc. and can synch our music/podcasts etc. totally separately without screwing up either of pour iPods ?

Any help greatly greatly appreciated as I really need to do this asap and I'd prefer to do it once, successfully, than end up faffing around and screwing things up (and possibly losing music that I've spent a lot of time setting up on iTunes !)

LSLFAN

iLounge below is a very good resource.

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/help/

Check out the Tutorials, specifically "Transferring your itunes Library".

Not sure about the second part of your question but iLounge might have a solution.

Best of luck.

jrar

Folks, thanks for your speedy responses and good advice - will check out doing this in the coming days and hopefully it turns out to be be as easy as you state !