Questions with backing-up iTunes

[daphatgrant]

I have a co-workers comp that's spy-wared and virused out the ass so running iTunes backup utility is out of the question. My question is, is backing up iTunes as easy as copying over the entire folder out of the program files directory?

I wish I knew more about iTunes but I don't use it and am a bit concerned about ruining $100's of dollars worth of music.

Thanks for the help in advance it is much appreciated .

 

[Joe Average]

In my experience of having to back up client machines with adware/spyware/malware/virus infestations, there were two options:

- Do what Apple suggests for backups, incredibly complicated really, or...
- Copy the entire iTunes directory someplace (meaning where the music is, not the iTunes program folder)

I've never had any issues with copying the entire folder meaning from the topmost root directory and down to another location. That's necessary to keep all the variables, the .xml configuration files, etc. It's also a good idea to copy the iTunes folder inside Application Data from Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data if anything exists there, most likely just some more .xml config files, etc.

As long as you back up everything in those folders and put them back when the new install is done, when you reinstall a clean copy of iTunes it should automagically pick up the config files and just reload everything right off the bat like it was already there to begin with.

Good luck, regardless...