Fabrice B.

Q: How to move iTunes syncing from Windows 7 to mac

Up to very recently, I was using an external hard drive and Windows 7 to sync my iPhone and iPad with iTunes. I can't do that anymore. Not only am I not able to use Windows 7 any longer but the external hard drive is now dead. However, I had a backup of all the files from that external hard drive. What I'd like to do, if possible, is to use a new hard drive to do the syncing with iTunes but from my Mac mini instead of Windows 7. What's the procedure to achieve what seems to me like a mission impossible? Thanks for your help.

Mac mini, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Jul 23, 2015 5:22 AM

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Q: How to move iTunes syncing from Windows 7 to mac

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  • by Limnos,Solvedanswer

    Limnos Limnos Jul 23, 2015 6:58 AM in response to Fabrice B.
    Level 9 (53,936 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 23, 2015 6:58 AM in response to Fabrice B.

    Not impossible by any means, but two main considerations here.

     

    A drive formatted for use with Windows won't work fully with a Mac without being reformatted.  You can read files to copy off but you can't write to the drive without reformatting or using special NTFS software.  If you go the reformat route you will have to store the files somewhere else temporarily while reformatting. You probably want to consider getting a new drive anyway since you now no longer have a backup.

     

    Second, it depends upon exactly which files are on the external drive.  If you had a complete iTunes folder on there, including the critical iTunes Library.itl file, you can start iTunes from that library (once you sort out the drive format issue) by holding down the option/alt key while starting iTunes and selecting the .itl file when iTunes asks you to select a library.  If you only had media on there you will need to recover the .itl and related files from the Windows computer and move them to the Mac, preferably putting them all together again.  See "portable" --> https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392

  • by Fabrice B.,

    Fabrice B. Fabrice B. Jul 23, 2015 9:25 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 23, 2015 9:25 AM in response to Limnos

    Thank you very much for that very useful answer.


    My old external hard drive was formatted with the FAT32 file system which can be used either with Windows of Mac. My new external hard drive has also been formatted the same way. So, I suppose that it should be all right for the first consideration. What do you think?

     

    As for the second consideration, inside my iTunes folder, and as you can see on the screenshot below, I have that critical iTunes Library.itl file you mentioned. However, I was just wondering if I had to keep all those same folders and files.


    2015-07-23 07.59.34 pm.png

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 23, 2015 11:57 AM in response to Fabrice B.
    Level 9 (53,936 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 23, 2015 11:57 AM in response to Fabrice B.

    Yes, as you will see below a complete library is everything in a "normal" iTunes folder just as a city library is a complete infrastructure centered around lending media. It is possible to store media separately, though not advisable unless you know exactly what you are doing because it can lead to difficulties when it is time to change drives.

     

    About iTunes library files - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201610 - Does not mention that a complete working library also includes other files and folders also in the iTunes folder.

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

     

    iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/message/26404702#26404702

  • by Fabrice B.,

    Fabrice B. Fabrice B. Jul 24, 2015 3:31 AM in response to Fabrice B.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2015 3:31 AM in response to Fabrice B.

    I've just synced my iPad followed by my iPhone and everything went well. I just had to validate the new computer on which the new syncing was done as well as authorizing the iPad and the iPhone to be synced on that new computer.

     

    Thank you very much for your help.