Uploading music to BMW built-in hard drives?

Looking at a 2010 3 series which has the build in 8GB hard drive.
How do you upload the music? Does it have to be done one at a time by CD, or using a USB stick with hundreds of music files? Do they need to be a certain file format?
Does the hard drive only come with Sat Nav?
Thanks in advance.
Graeme

How do you upload the music?
Insert a CD into the drive and there is an option to copy the tracks to Disk.
The onboard Gracenote database will name the tracks for you. If it doesn't recognise a newer CD, visit a BMW dealer to have the database refreshed.
Does it have to be done one at a time by CD, or using a USB stick with hundreds of music files?
1 CD at a time from the drive is all I am aware of.
Do they need to be a certain file format?
Rips Original CDs only I would guess - I think it stores them as 128kbps WMA on the drive.
Does the hard drive only come with Sat Nav?
I think so. I have Sat Nav Pro.
Worth mentioning if you have a usb input or full ipod integration (I have ipod) you'll probably never use the hard drive.
I have probably got 10 CDs on there. My entire music collection is on a 160Gb ipod at higher quality then 128kbit.

Worth mentioning if you have a usb input or full ipod integration (I have ipod) you'll probably never use the hard drive.
I have probably got 10 CDs on there. My entire music collection is on a 160Gb ipod at higher quality then 128kbit.

Worth looking to see whether the 3 series you are after has a USB port in the glove compartment.
I have loaded over 800 tracks so far with this method, only another 24200 to go

USB in glovebox is needed - having it in the arm rest wont work for some reason.

If you have Pro Nav then it will have a Hardrive therefore there will be a USB in the Glovebox.
If you upload some CDs then upload from a USB it will wipe anything you have saved already!!!.
Best to upload all your music via a USB in the glovebox first then add new CDs when you get them.

Appeared to be a pointless and time consuming exercise to me.
Just plug in your Ipod. Easy to select your playlists and as a bonus the album artwork appears on the screen.
pp

How manageable is controlling the ipod through the Professional head unit rather than the Sat nav screen? I'm really not interested in Sat Nav, would rather put the money towards the Harman Kardon Hi-Fi.

If your speccing up a new car (f30) then it will have the i-drive screen in it which will clearly display your i-pod and is very easy to use with all artists, tracks etc. You can also Bluetooth music from your i-phone.
If its the E90 then the proffessional radio is a pixel display and much smaller, you can still search through artists etc and it will bring up your track (just a smaller display therefore not as much info is displayed about the track your listening too)
Go for the HK, its very good. The standard speakers are lacking. The Business Speaker upgrade is good but with HK you get the Logic 7 surround sound and its awesome.

It will be a E91, they are offering 20-25% of a new one just now.
I have the Logic 7 in my 550i and agree it's fantastic , couldn't go back to the original sounds system.

There are some good deals to be had on E91 as the new F31 is out soon.

Any cd's Ive copied on just then list out as track01, track 02, etc, no artists or title so not nearly as useful as the ipod integration.

You need to go into the option menu and 'update album info online' then your artists will appear

You only the the built in storage with pro nav (12.5gb)
You can upload music via cd/usb port in the glove box (this only uploads it will not play music from an ipod etc and if you dont have the usb and you do have pro nav this will still be in the glovebox)
The f30 integration is much better and works along the lines of the f10 system.
Yes we have some cracking deals on the remaining e90 series vehicles.