boabdo

Q: Moving iTunes Library to a New Mac

Hi all,

 

I am a mac user since 2006 and just got a new MacBook Pro with Yosemite OS. I'm facing lots of issues that are really annoying.

 

1- Moving my old iTunes library to the new machine is becoming a hassle. I've tried several methods with no success. It's as if I'm trying to fly a rocket. I followed exactly the steps on this link (How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Support) and it's not working. After I copy my iTunes library to the new machine, I open iTunes but it does not see it.

2- In the old OS (Snow Leopard) there was a folder in the left tab of any window with my name. I used that folder to put personal stuff. In the new OS there's no such a folder and, instead, there's a completely useless and unnecessary folder called "All my Folder" which shows every single file I have on my machine!

 

Apple OS was famous for being easy to use. Now, although I have an iPhone, iPad, and old Mac, I feel the new OS is unnecessarily complicated.

 

I hope I can get some help on the above.

 

Thanks!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), iPad 4th Gen, iPhone 5S

Posted on Sep 5, 2015 12:55 AM

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Q: Moving iTunes Library to a New Mac

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  • by Cunnla,

    Cunnla Cunnla Sep 5, 2015 2:24 AM in response to boabdo
    Level 4 (2,023 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 5, 2015 2:24 AM in response to boabdo

    Hold down the Option key when you open iTunes then select Choose Library.

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 5, 2015 5:40 AM in response to Cunnla
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 5, 2015 5:40 AM in response to Cunnla

    Thanks but it didn't work

  • by Cunnla,

    Cunnla Cunnla Sep 5, 2015 5:43 AM in response to boabdo
    Level 4 (2,023 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 5, 2015 5:43 AM in response to boabdo

    Have you tried Migration Assistant to move your stuff to your new Mac? Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 5, 2015 11:06 AM in response to Cunnla
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 5, 2015 11:06 AM in response to Cunnla

    Sure I did. The problem with it is that it copies everything from the old machine (applications, add-on etc..) which is inconvinient. For example, I have Parelles Desktop on the old machine and it gets copies to the new one which is something I don't want. And I don't remember seeing an option that allows me to choose exactly what migrate to the new machine. That's why I decided to go with the manual migration.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 6, 2015 1:24 PM in response to boabdo
    Level 9 (73,966 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 6, 2015 1:24 PM in response to boabdo

    Clarification questions - is the iTune Library on the new computer? Is the problem now iTunes can't open it?

     

    If you can screen share between the 2 computers, can you copy the library that way?

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 7, 2015 5:30 AM in response to boabdo
    Level 9 (50,788 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2015 5:30 AM in response to boabdo

    boabdo wrote:

     

    Sure I did. The problem with it is that it copies everything from the old machine (applications, add-on etc..)

    From the Migration Assistant, you can choose to just Migrate individual Users, or just Apps, or both. From Startup Assistant, I'm not sure if that is an Option.

     

    You should just copy the iTunes folder from the old Mac to the new Mac, then use the Option key start to choose that copied Library.

    If you have done those things, what happens when you open iTunes? Or, when you try to select the copied Library?

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 7, 2015 8:45 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 7, 2015 8:45 PM in response to Eric Root

    Yes the iTunes library is on the new computer and iTunes does not see/open it. I followed the steps described in the link (How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Support) but didn't work.

     

    I didn't get your point about "screen share between the 2 computer".

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 7, 2015 8:56 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 7, 2015 8:56 PM in response to Barney-15E

    I'll check again if Migration Assistant gives the option of migrating individual items. As for your note about copying iTunes folder to the new Mac, this is exactly what I did. And I use the Option key when starting iTunes and I get a prompting screen to choose a library. I choose the library but nothing happens (iTunes acts as if there's no library and still gives me the option to "search for media".

     

    I've had this stupid Mac for almost a month now and still can't use to sync my iPhone & iPad because of this.

     

    I guess the best solution is to take it to a Mac Store.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 8, 2015 4:18 AM in response to boabdo
    Level 9 (50,788 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 8, 2015 4:18 AM in response to boabdo

    boabdo wrote:

     

    I'll check again if Migration Assistant gives the option of migrating individual items.

    It doesn't migrate individual items. It will migrate individual user accounts, all Applications, or any combination of Users and all Applications.

     

    In the previous setup, was all your music stored in the iTunes folder, or did you have it someplace else and iTunes set to not copy it to the library?

     

    You might see if this will help: http://www.mcelhearn.com/how-to-rebuild-your-itunes-library/

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 8, 2015 12:49 PM in response to boabdo
    Level 9 (73,966 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 8, 2015 12:49 PM in response to boabdo

    Try iTunes/Preferences/Advanced and set the Library location there.

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 11, 2015 5:51 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 11, 2015 5:51 AM in response to Eric Root

    I have done that already... Didn't work. Thanks anyway!

  • by boabdo,

    boabdo boabdo Sep 11, 2015 5:56 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 11, 2015 5:56 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Yes you're right. I tried it another time and it doesn't migrate individual items!

     

    I copied all my library to the iTunes folder as per the instructions in the Apple Support link. iTunes was not able to see it.

     

    I tried to re-build my library following the steps in the link in your post but had a error message that iTunes was not able to find the required tracks. Nevertheless, few items were moved to iTunes library like the Videos and Apple Keynotes.

  • by boabdo,Solvedanswer

    boabdo boabdo Sep 12, 2015 2:16 PM in response to boabdo
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 2:16 PM in response to boabdo

    I found the solution. The issue is in the different folder structures between the old iTunes library from the old machine and new one. In the old iTunes library there's a folder called "iTunes Music" while in the new iTunes folder it's called "iTunes Media". The trick is to copy/replace all the other files (other than iTunes Music) to iTunes folder (i.e. apps, library.xml etc...) in the new machine then copy/replace the content of the "iTunes Music" from the old iTunes library to the "iTunes Media" folder in the new machine.