Q: Locating files

OK, it worked. Do I still leave the Music and .iTunes preferences playlist in the Media file ?

Everything going to plan,where do I go from here ?

Hmm, your artist folders have popped up a level. They should be inside the Music folder. Use File > Library > Organize > Library > Rearrange Files.

tt2

OK but looking back at some of the previous screen shots I think they were already in the media file. Will try sort it out in the morning.

The most recent screenshot shows, for example:

G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\The Beach Boys

when it should be:

G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\The Beach Boys.

This suggests you need to use the Reorganize files... option so that all music goes into the Music folder as with other media types.

tt2

Good morning. Reorganized files as you advised and everything seems to be working OK. The new music file created now holds all the music files and nothing else which I believe is what we wanted. The content of the other music file is shown in one of the screen shots shown below. Is it now just a simple case of deleting that old music file and everything is finished or do we have to back up anything with SyncToy ?

How do you have two different folders in the same folder with the same name? That shouldn't be possible. Can you rename the Music folder in the last image as, say, NOT Music. Why does it seem that it has just been created? What are you showing in advanced preferences for the media folder? This should read G:\iTunes\iTunes Media.

Delete the older of the two .xml files in the first image. This is actually called iTunes Library.xml.xml which is why it wasn't overwritten when iTunes updated iTunes Library.xml.

tt2

Sorry I don't know the answer to your question but have deleted the iTunes Library.xml.xml as you advised and have attached updated screenshots.

Hope this helps. iTunes still working OK.

Great. Then I guess you can delete Not Music without any adverse effects.

tt2

Is there anything else left to do ? Do I finally have a split library that's portable.

If so there's just one other thing. I have noticed when windows performs a back up which is stored also on G:\ the back up fails because it tries to back up the music files, do you know how I can remedy this.

The library is no longer split and is portable. You should perform a backup with SyncToy to a different drive, otherwise you're not protected against a drive failure..

I don't use the Windows backup tool. What is it backing up, and where to?

tt2

My windows back up backs up the computer to the external hard drive on G:\   It used to back up to D:\ but as that is not used any more I deleted everything on it so it is a free drive, maybe suitable for SyncToy ?  but then windows will back up SyncToy to D:\ will it not ?

On a different note one thing I noticed on iTunes is my secure link to iTunes has failed and when I click on Help next to it, it does not respond.

Windows backup is now OK. Just had to manually adjust the settings.

Will D:\ still to OK for SyncToy ? Just connectivity to iTunes store to sort out now.

Regards, Alex

SyncToy works by cloning one set of folders to another. A key feature of the way it operates is that you can preview what is going to be updated. This can be used to tell if you something unexpected has happened to the source copy, before you let it replicate the changes on the target. Useful if a bunch of data has been deleted or updated unexpectedly. You can then choose to cancel and manually restore the files from the backup if you think something is wrong, or let it proceed.

A disadvantage of the set & forget automatic backup is that as with Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, at which point it may be too late to recover it.

Not sure about the secure link issue offhand. Smacks of firewall. Does it go away if you reboot both computer and router? What other symptoms do you have? Are you not able to access the iTunes Store?

tt2

Yes, you should be able to use the steps given in Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy to clone G:\iTunes to a new empty folder at D:\iTunes, after which the two folders can be kept in sync using SyncToy from time to time.

tt2

Sorry was busy yesterday and was unable to contact you. Have now got SyncToy working as well as the Windows back up. Windows back up works now since I instructed it not to back up Music. It is also now instructed not to back up drive D which is where SyncToy is. As all the music was on G it could not back it up on the same drive.

There were three settings for SyncToy, synchronize, echo, or contribute. Am I still able to change these and which one do you recommend ?

Secure link to iTunes store failed still showing even after reboot but iTunes store working OK, as is iTunes itself.

Just a minor problem and that is when the computer starts the page for drive G appears. Can't seem to stop it happening. Thought you may have some idea if not, will contact windows forum.

Also if I click on the windows music symbol now it opens up the music folder in iTunes, doesn't seen to be any adverse effects. Is that OK ? Not likely to use windows media player anyway, maybe just for video.

Regards, Alex    PS. Anyway I can repay you for your help ?