How to Transfer Music data from Flash Drive to your Cars Hard Drive

At first I had a hard time figuring this out even with the cars manual, but eventually learned how to do it.
I know a lot of people on here that has this feature that couldn't understand how so this post is to help them.

(Picture numbering sequence is left to right.)

1. First you obviously turn on your car and take the flash drive (pic 1)

2. MP3 music on it installed to the flash drive plug it in the USB slot located in the glove box (pic 2).
NOTE: make sure you insert the flash drive up-side down since this is the way BMW made the port, at least on mine.

3. Move your idrive to the main menu and select the CD / Multimedia and click it (pic 3).

4. Move your idrive knob to External Device and click it (pic 4).

5. Move your idrive knob to the USB symbol ( it will be greyed out, so don't worry ) and use the shortcut button "option" click it (pic 5).

6. Move your idrive knob to Import/export and click it (pic 6).

7. Move the idrive knob to Import Music (USB) and click it (pic 7).

8. The Transfer should start and when your done it will show 100% and you click the "ok" on the screen (pic 8).

9. Now hit menu button again and go to CD / Multimedia > Music collection and you will see your transfer called USB 1 (pic 9).

You can also transfer music from your CD to the car by inserting the CD as normal and clicking the option button and following my instruction above.

Wow, those iDrive screens look a lot cooler than the ones in my '05. They really have done some work there.

Thanks for the instructions and the photos. What's the capacity of the hard drive, and can you copy file folders as "albums"?

Thanks Kzang. you couldn't ask for better instruction than that with pictures no less. Just maybe you should rewrite that section of the manual for BMW. I'm going to change my flash drive over from the Console to the Glove Box. Its a little dangerus in the Console, it can get bang aroung pretty easy.Thanks again.
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by TAmes

Thanks for the instructions and the photos. What's the capacity of the hard drive, and can you copy file folders as "albums"?

I don't remember exactly, but just to give you an idea.. I have 700+ MP3 songs stored in the car's hard drive and the memory status says I still have 75% space available.

Not sure about the file folders, but if you click on the USB1 where you just transferred the music it will show what you have exactly on your Flash Drive. ( If you loaded folders in the Flash Drive it will show up as folders with the folder name.)

Is this feature standard on every 2010 5 series or is this some package deal? Or the value package adds it?

by the way I love your mpg

OK, so I've been checking out this forum and the e60 forum for a few days now, almost to the exclusion of getting any real work done - but don't fret, I'm sitting in Iraq and with the new Security Agreement that went into effect June 30th, there isn't a lot of work we CAN do over here...but I digress...

I was wondering if this only works on the 2010 5's or if it will work on a 2008 too? I just purchased, or put money down and am having my wife go check it out this weekend, a 2008 550i sport manual. I own a 2003 330XI currently, and she drives a 2005 X5.

Thanks for the great forums and information. I'm a music FREAK and hope that I can download to my iDrive in the 08 too!!

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by tashi

by the way I love your mpg

The mileage is not accurate, I just took a long 500 mile trip from NJ to NC recently. Its been 2 weeks since coming back from the trip and my mpg has been dropping from 28MPG to 23.5MPG as of today.

Originally Posted by bha7176

OK, so I've been checking out this forum and the e60 forum for a few days now, almost to the exclusion of getting any real work done - but don't fret, I'm sitting in Iraq and with the new Security Agreement that went into effect June 30th, there isn't a lot of work we CAN do over here...but I digress...

I was wondering if this only works on the 2010 5's or if it will work on a 2008 too? I just purchased, or put money down and am having my wife go check it out this weekend, a 2008 550i sport manual. I own a 2003 330XI currently, and she drives a 2005 X5.

Thanks for the great forums and information. I'm a music FREAK and hope that I can download to my iDrive in the 08 too!!

Thanks again.

I'm sorry but this is only for 2010 year cars.

Originally Posted by tashi

Is this feature standard on every 2010 5 series or is this some package deal? Or the value package adds it?

I'm pretty certain it is standard on all idrives.

This is standard for all 2010 5-Series WITH the navigation system. The 2010's without nav have the old (non hard drive) based i-Drives as I understand it. The older i-Drive cannot store music.

If you have a 2010 with Nav, you get the new hard drive based I-Drive with higher resolution screen, new interface, faster processor, and the ability to store MP3 files on the drive in the car.

Your right based on the attachment.

Three questions -

1) Can you import songs from an ipod?

2) Can it handle songs in the AAC (itunes) format?

3) Can you organize into playlists off the hard drive (or more generally, is there an organizational system at all)?

Thanks for the post - I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Originally Posted by AV550i

Three questions -

1) Can you import songs from an ipod?

2) Can it handle songs in the AAC (itunes) format?

3) Can you organize into playlists off the hard drive (or more generally, is there an organizational system at all)?

Thanks for the post - I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

1) I never tried, but I doubt it since the manual said nothing of this sort.

2) Again never tried

3) I've tried doing this within the idrive but couldn't find out too. So its best to organize your folders / playlist on your PC and transfer to your flash drive first.

Also any new songs transferred to the hard drive after the initial transfer will create a new folder called USB 2 and so on.
I forgot to mention there is a feature that you can play the top 50 songs ( 50 songs you listen to most ) and I couldn't figure out how to set a song on repeat like you could on the old idrive.

Just bumping this thread since a lot more people are taking delivery of their 2010 cars.

Thank you Kzang for this great post. I don't have my car yet (maybe this week?) but this was very much on my mind. I have about 3,000 songs in ACC (Itunes) format and I hoping to be able to upload the entire lot. I have a portable hard drive with a USB interface and will try this shortly after getting the car.

It should be interesting to see what the quality is like with the Individual Audio System with Dirac Live (845 watts and 16 speakers).

I throughly tested a Lexus GS with a Mark Levinson system and was disappointed. My IS 350 with a base audo (still 13 speakers and sub-woofer) has at least as good a system.

Looking forward to playing with the system once I get the car.

Originally Posted by Bright535

Thank you Kzang for this great post. I don't have my car yet (maybe this week?) but this was very much on my mind. I have about 3,000 songs in ACC (Itunes) format and I hoping to be able to upload the entire lot. I have a portable hard drive with a USB interface and will try this shortly after getting the car.

It should be interesting to see what the quality is like with the Individual Audio System with Dirac Live (845 watts and 16 speakers).

I throughly tested a Lexus GS with a Mark Levinson system and was disappointed. My IS 350 with a base audo (still 13 speakers and sub-woofer) has at least as good a system.

Looking forward to playing with the system once I get the car.

...it doesn't work for songs in AAC format - it was the first thing I tried since I have a bunch of music in my iTunes as well.

Originally Posted by AV550i

...it doesn't work for songs in AAC format - it was the first thing I tried since I have a bunch of music in my iTunes as well.

Actually, I believe I remember reading somewhere that it DOES accept the DRM free itunes songs - but not the DRM protected ones. Thus, if you have the unprotected AAC songs, I think your fine. If you have protected ones, you can upgrade them to the higher bitrate, DRM free versions on itunes. I could be wrong here, but I think I remember reading that somewhere.

I'll be able to to test this out tomorrow night - as I pick up my 2010 535i tomorrow! Just arrived at the dealer from my ED.

EDIT: Looking at the 2009 3-series manual, it does say that nonprotected (DRM free) AAC files can be stored.

Originally Posted by skierdoc

If you have protected ones, you can upgrade them to the higher bitrate, DRM free versions on itunes. I could be wrong here, but I think I remember reading that somewhere.

I'll be able to to test this out tomorrow night - as I pick up my 2010 535i tomorrow! Just arrived at the dealer from my ED.

EDIT: Looking at the 2009 3-series manual, it does say that nonprotected (DRM free) AAC files can be stored.

Let me know what you find out - by the DRM protected versions, I'm assuming you're referring to the songs purchased through iTunes?

I'd love to get my entire itunes collection on the hard drive and stop using my iPod, if possible.

Originally Posted by AV550i

Let me know what you find out - by the DRM protected versions, I'm assuming you're referring to the songs purchased through iTunes?

I'd love to get my entire itunes collection on the hard drive and stop using my iPod, if possible.

You CAN definitely import music from your ipod with the ipod adapter (included with the special offer and Nav system on 2010 models). I'm not sure about the AAC format though versus MP3 format. Just be prepared that importing a large catalog of sings will probably take an hour or more to import.

Originally Posted by skierdoc

EDIT: Looking at the 2009 3-series manual, it does say that nonprotected (DRM free) AAC files can be stored.

Itunes allows you to convert your entire library to nonprotected (DRM free) for a modest cost. I converted my entire library and therefore hope this will work.

Yes - Itunes allows you to convert your entire itunes library (or selected songs) to the DRM free unprotected AAC format which can be used on the iDrive. Thus - yes you can convert previously purchased iTunes songs to the DRM free versions. Additionally, any new songs purchased on itunes are automatically DRM free unprotected AAC format. An added bonus is that the DRM free version is a higher bitrate, and thus higher quality version.

Two things, I tried it with protected Itunes songs, and it just does not see the song in the folder.

Second - While it plays music off my thumb drive, when I try to import the songs to the hard drive it says "No USB device connected". However, I can import from a CD, but it would be much easier to import from a thumb drive.

Also, I think the hard drive is 12Gb

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UPDATE

You need to put the thumb drive in the USB port in the glove box, not the arm rest. I guess I should pay more attention to the message on the screen :-)