If you’re like me, you like to keep iTunes running all the time, probably because you have your iPod hooked up to it and you are downloading podcasts regularly. There is a problem, however. If iTunes is running all the time, then your backup program cannot back up your library database–because the library is in use.

NOTE WELL: this method will not back up the music files in your library. It will only backup the database of the music library that contains your playlists, etc.
I use Syncback for backups of misc. small folders and files (not full system backups or Windows registry backups). You’ll see that I merely backup the database (the XML file, etc.) in my iTunes folder in the graphic below. I assume that you know how to configure Syncback in general. Lifehacker has a great article on how to do this here.
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1. I downloaded and unzipped PsKill from Microsoft here. (It will work on XP Home). Then I copied PsKill into the root of my C: drive, my Windows folder, and my windows\system32 folder (because I was too lazy to figure out where it would need to go for the code in my batch file).

2. I then created a batch file that will force iTunes to close. I named it “iTunes killer.bat;” Create a batch file and copy/paste this into it:
pskill iTunes.exe

3. Then in your Syncback profile in expert mode under the “programs” tab, select iTunes killer.bat to run before the profile does. Thus the batch file will force iTunes to close before the backup profile is run. Then you can select iTunes to run after the backup is completed:

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4. Then set yourself a schedule under the “misc” tab

5. Now, with iTunes running, run your new backup profile under the main Syncback window to test it. iTunes should close, the profile should run, and then iTunes should start up again. You’re all done.

The one danger is that iTunes might be updating a Podcast or something when your backup profile runs. I guess you’d have to re-download the Podcast….

-Agent Spanky

For corrections and friendly amendments, email Spanky at spankymcgee@soupytrumpet.com