Finally possible to Sync iPhone on multiple computers
In the past in order to be able to sync your iPhone with multiple computers you always had to ?erase? one iTunes library and sync with another, no longer! Thanks to Andrew Grant at Shiny Things who create a step by step instruction for syncing your iPhone with multiple computers and giving you full manual control on how you want to organize your iPhone music between multiple iTunes libraries.
This is NOT for the faint hearted as it does involve tweaking of files, please proceed with caution and BACKUP everything, especially your ?iTunes Library? and ?iTunes Music Library.xml? files before proceeding. I have performed this and it works flawlessly but if for any reason your iTunes or your iPhone or your data becomes destroyed, I am NOT responsible. Now that we have gotten the disclaimer aside, let?s proceed with the fun stuff.
Make sure iTunes on BOTH computers are NOT running.
How to Sync iPhone with multiple computers
Step 1:
On the computer that already has an iPhone synced, (if you not synced your iPhone, please sync it once), locate your ?iTunes Library? and ?iTunes Music Library.xml? files, they should be located in either your ?User > Music > iTunes? on your Mac or ?My Music or Music > iTunes? on your PC
Step 2:
Open up the ?iTunes Music Library.xml? file, locate the <string> tag and copy the 16 digital string in between the <string> tags
Step 3:
Switch over to the other computer with the iTunes you want to sync your iPhone with and locate the ?iTunes Library? and ?iTunes Music Library.xml? again.
Step 4:
Open up the ?iTunes Music Library.xml? on the new computer and locate the <string> tags again, COPY the EXISTING 16 digital string, and place it somewhere for save keeping as we will need it later and REPLACE the EXISTING 16 digital string with the one you copied from your other ?iTunes Music Library.xml? file
Step 5:
Open up the ?iTunes Library? file, with a Hex Editor, I told you it is not for the faint hearted, come on it is easy, I assure you. If you don?t have a Hex Editor, you can either download HexEdit for the Mac or AptEdit or Free Hex Editor Neo for the PC
Step 6:
Use the Find and Replace command in the Hex Editor, I have only used HexEdit, but I am sure there is a Find and Replace command in both PC versions, now under the Find dialog, paste the EXISTING 16 digital string you kept for safe keeping and under the Replace dialog, paste the 16 digital string you COPIED from your other computer and hit return or enter. Save and close the file.
Step 7:
Startup iTunes on the other computer and hook up your iPhone to it and you are good to go!
If you need further help, just leave me comment.
Note: This even works for syncing with multiple accounts on the same computer.
Enjoy!