Who It's For: iPod owners that want to grab lots of music from a secondary computer so they can load it onto their iPods.

Requirements: any iPod.

Summary: Here's how you can use your iPod's "external drive" feature to grab music from another computer for playback on your own computer and iPod.

1. Enable use as external drive

In case you didn't know, there are other ways to manage your iPod aside from using iTunes. To start this tutorial, you'll need to become familiar with one method in particular: Windows itself. First, connect your iPod to your computer...the one you normally use. After iTunes starts up, right-click your iPod in iTunes' left column. Go to iPod options, and make sure the "Enable disk use" box is checked. On some iPods, this option is grayed-out, which means you're all set for Step 2.

2. Create a new folder on your iPod

Close iTunes, and open My Computer in Windows. There you should see your iPod among your other drives. In the picture to the right, it appears as the E drive. You can add files and create folders on your iPod's hard drive just as you would in your normal Windows environment. Double-click the iPod and you'll see its system folders. Go to File > New > Folder, and create a folder; we'll call ours "Music."

3. Drag and drop music

Next, simply drag and drop music from the computer to the Music folder on your iPod. The iPod now sees the music as data files, as opposed to music files, so it won't be able to play any of the songs...yet.

4. Move your Music folder from your iPod to the second computer

Connect your iPod to your primary computer: the one you use to manage your iPod with iTunes. Open My Computer again, double-click on the iPod, and find the Music folder you created in step 2. Cut and paste that folder onto your desktop, or wherever you like to keep your music. (If you copy or drag it instead, the unplayable folder will waste lots of space on your iPod. If you already dragged the Music folder from your iPod to your computer, just delete it on the iPod to free that space up.)

5. Import into iTunes

Open iTunes, and go to File > Add Folder to Library. Then select the Music folder you just copied onto your computer...not the Music folder on the iPod. (If you're unsure, disconnect the iPod so as not to select that one accidentally.) The licenses for your purchased music should still work, assuming you're using the same iTunes account on both computers.

6. Transfer music onto your iPod

If your music is set to keep your iPod autosynced, then you're all set. The new music will transfer over during the next sync, since it's in your iTunes library. However, if you sync your iPod manually, or only with a specific playlist, you'll need to load the songs yourself. Make the iTunes window smaller by clicking the "two boxes" icon at its upper right, and then drag the Music folder directly onto your iPod.