How to load iTunes music on hard drive

I have an 550xi that I just received last night and I would like to transfer my iTunes music collection to its hard drive. I know that I have to do this via the USB connection in the glove box. Does the import process require the music files to be in a specific directory on the memory stick? Does it adhere to the iTunes subdirectory structure - Artist\Album\Song?

Can I create a Playlist in iTunes, export it to the memory stick & import it?

I didn't see anything in the manual about this.


Thanks

Your best bet is to just drag-and-drop folders in the file structure that you want to see on your car, onto a USB stick.

So I have like 40 folders on an 8GB stick, all of which are the band's name. In each folder are more folders, with the Album name. In each of those Album folders are MP3 files.

I spent probably three hours manually arranging this, but it's worth it to have the files listed correctly.

Sync it to an iPod and then plug the iPod into the glovebox USB port, then import

Originally Posted by NCSUAlum

Your best bet is to just drag-and-drop folders in the file structure that you want to see on your car, onto a USB stick.

So I have like 40 folders on an 8GB stick, all of which are the band's name. In each folder are more folders, with the Album name. In each of those Album folders are MP3 files.

I spent probably three hours manually arranging this, but it's worth it to have the files listed correctly.

Does the file structure automatically keep the album art?

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Sync it to an iPod and then plug the iPod into the glovebox USB port, then import

I don't have an iPod, just an iPhone. However, for all intents and purposes, an iPhone really doubles as an iPod.

Will it work?

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Sync it to an iPod and then plug the iPod into the glovebox USB port, then import

Hmmm, have you really done this.

Last I knew that wouldn't work. Needed a flash/thumb drive.

Originally Posted by Stealth.Pilot

Does the file structure automatically keep the album art?

So long as the metadata attached to the MP3s in those files includes album art (load them into any MP3 playing software to check), then yes, it'll stick.

Just drag the iTunes folder to your hard drive. This can take a while if you have a lot of items. When the transfer is complete, your iTunes Library will have been successfully copied to your hard drive.

Suggest this thread which has much information on using music options in the F10
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...939&highlight=

Ok, I've played with this a little bit this morning and have a few questions - big surprise.

As a test, I copied four songs from iTunes library to a memory stick. I placed the songs in directory named "Rock" on the memory stick.
Ran the import process and they loaded fine.
My Music Collection option has a folder named "USB 1" and under this folder is "Rock" with my music.
Back on my laptop, I deleted the four songs under the "Rock" directory.
I then added a complete album to the memory stick under the "Rock" directory.
I ran the load process in the car again and I now have a "USB 1" & USB 2" folder under "Music Collection". Both have a "Rock" folder. "USB 1" has the four sounds I initially added & "USB 2" has the album that I added during the second import.

How do I organize the music once it's loaded on the hard drive? How would I move the four songs from "USB 1" to "Rock" folder under "USB 2"?

Will the system continue to add USB folders for each import that I execute?

Originally Posted by jjscott

How do I organize the music once it's loaded on the hard drive? How would I move the four songs from "USB 1" to "Rock" folder under "USB 2"?

Will the system continue to add USB folders for each import that I execute?

I think you can only delete. You need to make the full folder structure on the USB Stick and load it in and delete old ones.

Has this worked for anyone - plugged the iPhone into the usb in the front glove box - did not seem to get recognized or load the music.

Thanks,

Originally Posted by longisland11554

Has this worked for anyone - plugged the iPhone into the usb in the front glove box - did not seem to get recognized or load the music.

Thanks,

It's not supported. Neither is an external hard drive or a iPod. See page 208 in the on-line manual.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Sync it to an iPod and then plug the iPod into the glovebox USB port, then import

This will only work if the iPod was originally set up using iTunes on Windows. Mac users are out of luck.

Originally Posted by jjscott

I have an 550xi that I just received last night and I would like to transfer my iTunes music collection to its hard drive. I know that I have to do this via the USB connection in the glove box. Does the import process require the music files to be in a specific directory on the memory stick? Does it adhere to the iTunes subdirectory structure - Artist\Album\Song?

Can I create a Playlist in iTunes, export it to the memory stick & import it?

I didn't see anything in the manual about this.


Thanks

Folder structure won't matter so long as the each track is appropriately tagged with genre, artist, album and track name correctly. Album art embedded in the track will be ignored. The internal hard drive is not compatible with album art.

Originally Posted by Erregend

I think you can only delete. You need to make the full folder structure on the USB Stick and load it in and delete old ones.

This means I have to maintain an entire copy of each main level (Rock, Jazz, R&B, etc) collection so I can add to it in the future and then reload the entire collection even if I just want to add one song.

Is this correct?

One would think that I should only have to add NEW songs to the USB stick provided they are added to the cooresponding folder (Rock, Jazz, R&B, etc) on the cars hard drive.

Originally Posted by Erregend

I think you can only delete. You need to make the full folder structure on the USB Stick and load it in and delete old ones.

+1. You can only import a new, total collection, and delete the old one. You can edit the name, for example, mine is "IPOD 1".

Originally Posted by jjscott

This means I have to maintain an entire copy of each main level (Rock, Jazz, R&B, etc) collection so I can add to it in the future and then reload the entire collection even if I just want to add one song.

Is this correct?

One would think that I should only have to add NEW songs to the USB stick provided they are added to the cooresponding folder (Rock, Jazz, R&B, etc) on the cars hard drive.

See my reply above -- you cannot add to an existing collection. You could create separate collections on different thumb drive import "iterations" and import each one separately. You could then label one "Rock", etc. and then you would specifically choose the collection you want to hear. If you subsequently want to update your Rock collection, you would need to re-import the total rock collection and delete the old one. I update my single ipod import every month or so as I collect new tracks.

Originally Posted by markl53

See my reply above -- you cannot add to an existing collection. You could create separate collections on different thumb drive import "iterations" and import each one separately. You could then label one "Rock", etc. and then you would specifically choose the collection you want to hear. If you subsequently want to update your Rock collection, you would need to re-import the total rock collection and delete the old one. I update my single ipod import every month or so as I collect new tracks.

Got it. That's what I figured.

Thanks

Originally Posted by markl53

+1. You can only import a new, total collection, and delete the old one. You can edit the name, for example, mine is "IPOD 1".

I'm being extremely picky here, but for a "gold star", how do you switch between upper & lower case when changing the name?

Originally Posted by jjscott

I'm being extremely picky here, but for a "gold star", how do you switch between upper & lower case when changing the name?

I would like a gold star (), but I don't see a way to get lower case. There is a position on the letter "dial" to switch to numbers and symbols, but not lower case that I have found.

Originally Posted by markl53

I would like a gold star (), but I don't see a way to get lower case. There is a position on the letter "dial" to switch to numbers and symbols, but not lower case that I have found.

That's what I found as well. Thanks for trying.

Gold Star - Denied!