Steve Alexander: Keeping iPod out of sync from iTunes

Q During a recovery of my computer, I lost my iTunes library of 1,300 songs. I have been told that if I plug my iPod into my computer, the songs on the iPod will be wiped out, too. Is that true? What should I do?

ROBERT DUDA, BROOKLYN CENTER

A You're right to be concerned, but there are some steps you can take to protect the music on your iPod.

If you've set iTunes to automatically sync (synchronize) your iPod with your iTunes song collection, and your iTunes library is empty, then don't attach your iPod to the PC yet.

Why? Your iPod's music will be deleted as a result of the automatic syncing between iTunes and the iPod. This process begins almost immediately after you've connected your iPod to the PC, so you won't have time to prevent it.

If you didn't activate the automatic sync feature, and instead opted for syncing music manually, your iPod songs won't be affected when you connect the iPod to your PC.

If you're not sure which iTunes option you're using, you can check without connecting your iPod to the PC. In iTunes, go to Edit, then Preferences, and then click the Devices tab. Check the box next to "Prevent iPods and iPhones from syncing automatically."

Before you reload iTunes with the missing 1,300 songs, consider this: While you can import them to iTunes from CDs or a backup hard drive, it's a slow process. First check to see if the missing songs are still on your PC, even though they're absent from iTunes. (Search your hard drive for one of the song titles, and if you find it, note which file folder it's in.) If the songs are still on your PC, you can quickly import them into the iTunes music library again.

Once your library is repopulated with songs, the same syncing rules will apply: If automatic sync is enabled, every song in your iTunes library will be copied to the iPod, and every iPod song that's not in the library will be deleted. If manual sync is enabled, no songs will change on the iPod unless you add or delete them.

Q I have an online account with a credit union. Recently, the lock symbol that indicates a secure connection is missing from my browser. Should I be concerned?

DICK NEVALA, ROBBINSDALE

A Rather than look for a lock symbol, look at the Web address at the top of your browser. If it begins "https://", you've got a secure connection. If it says only "http://", the connection is not secure and you should contact your credit union before conducting any more banking business online. An unsecure connection could mean you're viewing a fake credit union page rather than the real one.