You can sync your iPhone on TWO different machines. Just did the steps below and it works a treat ...

Here's a rough step-by-step: (please remember to backup your original "iTunes Music Library.xml" and "iTunes Library"

1. Open with textedit the "iTunes Music Library.xml" file in /Music/iTunes/

2. Look for a line that looks like:
Library Persistent IDYour 16 digit string here

3. Copy the 16 digit string to a safe spot.

4. Go to your second machine and open the "iTunes Music Library.xml". Change the string to the one from your first machine.

5. Now, on the second machine, open the "itunes Library" file in a hex editor then find the 16 digit string and replace it with the string from your first machine.

That's it. You should be able to manual sync your iPhone of both machines. Works for me

Robbo

Does this mean you can load different music from both machines and not wipe out the library each time?

I currently sync with two machines. At work I sync contacts/calendar, and at home I sync all my music/videos/podcasts/photos. That works fine with no fiddling around.

I do this too.

Would be interested to see if you could load different music from both machines and not wipe out the library using the original posters method.

Keeps us updated RadioDog.

I don't have any music at work anyway and I wouldn't really want to so it's kind of a moot point for me. But it would be nice to have the ability, though I have a feeling it would be fraught with danger. Having to resync your library is a real pain on the iphone, it's just so slow!

I'm doing the same. Still, interested to hear if there are other options...

So you can't simply "manually manage music" on the iPhone...?

i was doing this until going to 2.0 and setting up exchange sync and mobileme. Now I only need to plug in to one computer and only to copy music

this is not really for this thread but seeing as there seems to be syncing experts on this thread can you heLP ME? If I change info in address book on my macbook, it doesn't change on my iphone when i do a sync. I have checked the info tab in itunes and all seems correct. This has only happened since downloading the new update....any ideas?

Will give this a try.

I'm going O/S soon and will be bringing an iBook with me. I was planning on wiping the thing and syncing the iphone with the iBook while travelling but this seems to be a better solution.

I do know that you can sync it to different libraries holding down the option key when opening iTunes.

I do this as wee. One of the pleasant surprises for me... No need for mobile me or activesync

I didn't know that... is there a windows equivalent for this (my work machine is one XP)

I believe it works the same for PC but hold down shift instead.

Saw this on Tekzilla with Veronica's tips the other day.

excellent - thanks

My problem is when I'm away I'm usually syncing my music to my macbook pro, but at home I sync my music to our networked WD drive - all our computers access the iTunes library form this drive so the syncing music from mulitple computers issue isn't a problem. Obviously while away I can't access this drive and if I download a new track that I want on my iPhone it will wipe everything else off in the process.
I might have to give this a go...

I'm pretty sure you can only manually manage the music sync'ed to one machine. As soon as you manage from a second mac, it cleans out your library and starts with its own.

Glad it works for someone else. I haven't had any issues thus far ... but then again I haven't upgraded to 2.1 or iTunes8.