Backing up Media and other Files 

Do you have a collection of digital pictures on your computer? Ubuntu allows you to work with many different kinds of image files. But beware! Some photo managers in Windows like to store your photos in unconventional formats. Conventional formats that are known to work in Ubuntu include: .jpeg, .jps, .png, .psd, and .tiff. Ubuntu also supports many RAW image formats.

Perhaps you’ve been using iTunes to purchase and/or manage your music and video files. With the notable exception of iTunes Plus audio files, anything that you’ve purchased from the iTunes Store is “locked” or “protected” by digital rights management (DRM). Until you unlock them, these files will only play in iTunes.

The best settings for burning your iTunes Store audio files to audio CDs.

 “DVD Jon” Johansen and his colleagues have just released a new freeware program for Windows called doubleTwist that seems able to convert iTunes Store audio files into unlocked MP3s. You can also unlock your iTunes Store audio tracks for free without any additional software by burning them to conventional audio CDs. Then import those CDs into iTunes using the format and quality settings of your choice. AAC at a setting of 256 kilobits per second should approximate the quality of your iTunes Store audio files. Once you’ve imported your unlocked tracks, use the kind column in iTunes to find and delete the original iTunes Store files from your hard drive.

 You should be able to unlock your iTunes Store video files using a shareware program called Tunebite. While I sadly haven’t been able to locate any freeware programs that are currently capable of unlocking iTunes Store video files, doubleTwist may eventually gain that ability.

Regarding any podcasts that you may have in your collection, I recommend that you delete them from your iTunes library and re-subscribe to them once you’ve installed Ubuntu.

Lastly, be sure to de-authorize your computer from your iTunes Store account using the Advanced menu in iTunes.

There are a few other items that you should be careful to remember as you create your backups. Again, don’t forget to research the Linux compatibility of your files and programs. These additional items include:

• Data from financial programs, such as income tax preparation software
• Files that are located on other partitions or hard drives
• Files from other user accounts on your computer 

You’re now ready to obtain the Ubuntu Linux LiveCD!