Recover files from old music players and cameras and decide what to do next

Digital music players and point-and-shoot cameras have largely been displaced by smartphones, yet many people still keep them tucked away. The New York Times offers steps to recover files trapped on those devices and guidance on whether to revive, repair, recycle or pass them along.

Most older devices require a USB cable to connect to a computer, though early iPods used FireWire, and some may need separate power cords. Manufacturers such as Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and Sony still host user guides, and repositories like Manuals Online or ManualsLib have digitized manuals.

If original cables are missing, retailers including Best Buy and Amazon sell replacements; newer computers may need a USB-C hub or adapter, and cheap “FireWire to USB” converters are typically fraudulent. Apple’s iPod was designed to copy music one way—from computer to device—so tracks never backed up elsewhere can be harder to recover.

To avoid erasing files, do not let iTunes, the Music app or Finder automatically sync with an older iPod; choose the option to “manually manage.” File-manager programs such as iExplorer, iMazing, Sharepod and TouchCopy (prices start at about $30) can display an iPod’s contents and copy music, playlists, videos and other items back to a PC or Mac.

Key Topics

Tech, Ipod, Usb-c, Firewire, Imazing, Ifixit