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Q: ITunes Library on a NAS

Despair.

 

I want to run my entire iTunes Music Library from my NAS (Synology) to save space and to consolidate all my files in one secure place.

 

I do no want to use Home Share for the simple reason, you can't synch an iphone or ipod with the music in home share and nor can you keep the artwork for albums etc.

 

So.... I managed to do it. I reset the library, recreated it over painstaking hours, got all the artwork, backed up and synched my ipod to Itunes off the library on my NAS.

 

Then all of a sudden, after taking it offline for a while and using a local library while i did that, it has stopped working and won't reaccess the library folder on the NAS.


Why? For some reason it pulls in different data.

 

Is there a way of deleting the library file that causes all these problems and getting it to rebuild itself, or will that mean waiting hours and hours again while it rebuilds all the music files, even though they exist in the tree already.

 

And why does Apple make this so hard?

 

I really have had enough of trying to get this to work, it's so annoying. Any help appreciated.

 

Ade

MacBook, iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Jun 6, 2012 3:27 AM

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Q: ITunes Library on a NAS

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  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 21, 2015 1:29 AM in response to o0OBillO0o
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 21, 2015 1:29 AM in response to o0OBillO0o

    @

     

    You can't compare your solution with the effort and investment of purchasing a simple NAS. I have tried and used the Synology series (that do a great job alltogether) and the WD MyCloud series (that are really extremely easy to setup, even easier than the Synology, but has less functionalities). The config you have is about four times more expensive I'd say. Only the iSCSI licences is 89$, for each Apple computer that will access the NAS?  This may be a good professional solution, but not for a family network.

     

    The examples I provide are cheap, plug and play solutions for home networks, that available for anyone, easy to setup and to use.

     

    But stupid Itunes always loses the network drive. This is the error #1 that's at the core of so many issues. Also stupid Itunes always recreates a library when it sees one is missing. This is error source #2 (because after you eventually notice it you need to 'consolidate library', another major source of writing errors). The combination of these two errors gives us horror stories, just because stupid itunes always tries to proceed, regardless of the missing drive. One does not understand why Itunes is not designed to ask where is the missing drive while stopping all tasks, rather than trying to patch it up regardless of the missing drive and messing up the library consistency instead. This is obviously bad design.

     

    One can also reasonably wonder why Apple has not designed the Timecapsule (which is 'only' double the price of a comparable size NAS: Synology or WD MyCloud, but it is still 'affordable') to host the Itunes library. Also Apple does not specify anywhere that you are about to enter a world of pain and frustration if you start using a NAS with itunes. So please don't give forum users the wrong impression. Globally speaking the statement remains: using itunes with a (normal/basic/reasonably priced) NAS solution is a nightmare.

     

    BTW: After trial and error I have found that if you manually manage the files (i.e. store them at the appropriate location on the NAS yourself) and untick the box 'keep the library organised' you reduce risk errors, because you don't allow itunes to write to the NAS (except for writing some tags to the files such as cover art - but it will not create folders on the NAS and move files around). This mitigates a lot of issues, but is not a satisfying solution.

  • by duckndilly,

    duckndilly duckndilly Dec 21, 2015 3:15 AM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 21, 2015 3:15 AM in response to freezerman

    It's not an ideal solution for everyone and it comes at a price...

    I copied my entire music folder which includes iTunes to my ReadyNAS duo and run my Sonos speakers from there.

    I did it because I didn't want a PC on all the time.

    I now use Chronosync to update the NAS from the music folder on my Mac as and when needed. I have used free file sync programs equally successfully.

    I run two updates as required; one just for daily podcasts which takes a few seconds, and one for the whole music library which takes a few minutes.

    It has worked perfectly for years whether updated by Windows PC or latterly, the Mac.

    Itunes organises everything and Sonos plays it.

    a single Sonos speaker is £130 ish but they are really really good and I can wholeheartedly recommend them

  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 21, 2015 7:16 AM in response to duckndilly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 21, 2015 7:16 AM in response to duckndilly

    Thanks, but this is not a solution, quite even the contrary: in fact you duplicate your itunes library that resides on your PC.

  • by o0OBillO0o,

    o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o Dec 21, 2015 7:19 PM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 21, 2015 7:19 PM in response to freezerman

    What am I supposed to feel?

     

    iSCSI works with "Keep iTunes Organized". Are you familiar with using it?

  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 22, 2015 1:45 AM in response to o0OBillO0o
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 22, 2015 1:45 AM in response to o0OBillO0o

    "Keep itunes library organised" - as I describe in my previous post, is exactly where the problem resides. In fact if the NAS is not allowed to manage files and folders the risks of messing up the file structure (and the files themselves) are greatly reduced (at the cost of a little more personal effort for managing the library in its physical location).

    And I don't know how you are supposed to feel. Did I write anything that offends you?

    I simply noted that purchasing a third party app for each computer that needs to access the shared drive is expensive, and running your NAS from a 16 Gb RAM 6Tb system is way more expensive than a WD My Cloud solution at 2Tb, or a two bay Synology 2xx series. We are definitely not talking about the same budget, nor the same effort to setup (WDmYCloud is literally plug and play, requires no specific knowledge from the user, and is DLNA enabled...).

    Note also that there is no official Apple support for iSCSI. So is this a viable/durable solution? Just asking, not arguing

     

    BTW: there is a iSCSI tutorial for Synology users on a Mac. Good luck with the configuration! It takes a lot of geekyness to set up... I wouldn't try it myself

    found it here (pardon my French) https://www.synology.com/fr-fr/knowledgebase/tutorials/468

     

    PS: I've been a long time user of SCSI storage for my samplers and PCs in the mid nineties - and I was quite happy to see the industry move away from this very complex standard, and  chose USB instead. With these memories I would probably not be inclined to go towards a solution that has SCSI in its name. But that's only me...

  • by o0OBillO0o,

    o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o Dec 22, 2015 8:00 PM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 22, 2015 8:00 PM in response to freezerman

    HI- okay, it's clear to me now. Cost.

     

    Why not a 2TB local disk? USB, Thunderbolt? That's $80 USD (USB).

     

    enable homesharing and go.

     

    Even in French I was able to understand and would have no issues with setting up a synology NAS. I have faith in your geekiness and I feel that you could configure iSCSI as such.

  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 23, 2015 8:15 AM in response to o0OBillO0o
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2015 8:15 AM in response to o0OBillO0o

    I have tried Homesharing, but it not so good. First because it requires a 'master' PC to be on at all times. And that would be my Macbok, which often leaves the house as I travel... leaving family users stranded... The good point of the Synology NAS is that it is DLNA enabled, so the Video and Music contents (including the Itunes Music folder) are seamlessly available for all DLNA devices, such as android tablets, Video Streamer, HiFi etc. and ipods/macbooks around the house. Homesharing though wifi is also excruciatingly slow...

     

    I think that the Apple approach to DRM is one of the driving forces behind all the ******** we have to cope with as Itunes users. Itunes has progressively moved from being a cataloging tool for users media libraries (with lots of user controls to fine tune the catalog) to a push system for selling pre-formatted media content to users.

    See how many users are complaining with lost features with every new Itunes release. FYI I am sticking to Itunes 9 (with OSX 10,5,8) to manage the library, because it is much more flexible tha later versions.

  • by o0OBillO0o,

    o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o Dec 23, 2015 8:51 AM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 23, 2015 8:51 AM in response to freezerman

    What specifically are you talk about with lack of flexibility in iTunes?

     

    Also check to see if WD has a DAAP server as an app. It's an open source version of HomeSharing. I have used it on NetGear Routers and NAS drives. It's great. No computers have to be on.

  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 23, 2015 9:47 AM in response to o0OBillO0o
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2015 9:47 AM in response to o0OBillO0o

    By flexibility I mean library management tools.

    Such as managing genres, or embedding album art.

     

     

    I don't have the WD anymore. But the Synology gives us a mode called "Itunes support", which is supposedly designed for Mac users to host their Itunes media library on the NAS, from the synology users forum I have understoofd that it is using DAAP. Since I am not computer savvy I have not researched any further than that.

    This mode indeed allows to load the library in Itunes from any OSX/IOS device connected to my home network. But it is read-only (can't transfer files on an ipod for instance) and has limited options, for instance you can't see playlists, can't see ratings, etc. It is only a very basic music streamer. And quite slow too. WIth the limited options it gives us we are better off using DSaudio (the Synology free music streaming app for Synology NAS). It is not perfect but at least it is seamless.

    But thank you for trying to help.

  • by o0OBillO0o,

    o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o Dec 23, 2015 9:57 AM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 23, 2015 9:57 AM in response to freezerman

    I know about DSaudio. I understand  your concern about playlist and ratings with the DAAP server. Much of those pieces of information are part of the iTunes library, further It will take some savvy to understand how to implement those features AND the smart playlists under a DAAP server.  Short story, iTunes is the preferred  way.

    https://github.com/ejurgensen/forked-daapd

     

    I will give you flexibility when you are talking about using a Synology NAS - iTunes is inflexible. However a Mac Mini with a 2-12TB storage array connected via Thunderbolt is the "Apple answer" to what you seek.  Even a basic $499 MacMini stuffed with 400GB Music is going to work better then any third party vendor NAS.

     

    I'm not trying to be smug, but that's the construct that Apple has provided- and it works.

  • by freezerman,

    freezerman freezerman Dec 23, 2015 10:15 AM in response to o0OBillO0o
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2015 10:15 AM in response to o0OBillO0o

    In fact I have a mac mini. But if I store all media on a local (ThunderB) drive I don't get DLNA compatibility. This is a requirement of other devices around the home. In particular my HiFi system is DLNA enabled, but don't like Apple Homesharing at all. Then I shall resort to the second best solution of replicating/syncing the 'local' itunes media folder to a NAS as suggested by some user previously. And then we are now back to the start: Apple doesn't like that us customers move away from the brand...

    I am quite disappointed by all this.

  • by o0OBillO0o,

    o0OBillO0o o0OBillO0o Dec 23, 2015 10:59 AM in response to freezerman
    Level 1 (34 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 23, 2015 10:59 AM in response to freezerman

    Use a DLNA server app such as Logitech Media Server.

  • by ÖpfelUser,

    ÖpfelUser ÖpfelUser Jul 9, 2016 5:36 AM in response to thomasvdalen
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 9, 2016 5:36 AM in response to thomasvdalen

    I LOVE YOU

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