A. There are a lot of things to like about iTunes. But when it comes to transferring music, it can be a hassle. You can transfer your library to a different machine. But most people need a little help doing it. If you do it incorrectly, you'll wind up with a real mess.

It is best to use an external hard drive to transfer your library. That is the easiest way to move a large amount of music. But you can also transfer your library over your network.

Before you get started, I recommend upgrading to the latest iTunes on both machines. This will ensure that the process goes smoothly. And, things will be easier when you synchronize your iPod.

To upgrade iTunes, open the program. Click Help>>Check for Updates. Follow the prompts to update iTunes. If you have the latest version, you'll get a message telling you that. Of course, you may not have installed iTunes on your laptop yet. In that case, click here for the latest version of iTunes.