xavier234

Q: Relink to itunes folder

Hello, I changed computer, I use W10. I backed up iTunes folder on an external drive, inside are all the sub-folders including the ones containing the music, the apps, the books, total 38Gb. I like this folder there because I do not have generally enough space on the C drive of my computer to store too much there. I downloaded the last version of itunes 12.4.3.1.. No apps are showing in My apps and all musics showing are good to download.. But I don't want to download 38Gb when everything is in a folder on a drive. What's the way to go. I am online searching for 2 hours and nothing does. I must have missed something... I went to preferences-advanced options and browsed to change the itunes media location but still, nothing in itunes. Thanks for any help. I know this is probably a frequently asked question. Sorry again, 2hours and I don't find any answer.....

Xavier

Windows 10

Posted on Sep 7, 2016 5:21 AM

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Q: Relink to itunes folder

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  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 7, 2016 7:05 AM in response to xavier234
    Level 10 (85,293 points)
    iPod
    Sep 7, 2016 7:05 AM in response to xavier234

    If you backed up the entire iTunes folder, and you library was in the standard layout with all media inside the iTunes Media folder, then you should be able to press and hold down shift as you launch iTunes and keep holding until you see an option to choose or create a library. Click choose and browse to the iTunes folder on the external drive. Select the iTunes Library.itl file inside it and the library should open as before with all your content and playlists in place.

     

    See Make a split library portable and Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy for further advice.

     

    If the library opens and shows your content, but then fills with exclamation marks when you try to play anything, post back and I can walk you through the steps to repair it.

     

    tt2

  • by xavier234,

    xavier234 xavier234 Sep 7, 2016 10:49 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 7, 2016 10:49 AM in response to turingtest2

    Thank you very much! Unfortunately there is no such file in my iTunes folder. So when Itunes created asked me to create a new library, I did it there naming it iTunes 1

    F:\iTunes\iTunes 1\iTunes Media

     

    Then I cut and pasted the folders with all the data, music etc inside the new ''iTunes Media'' folder.

    But still nothing appears in Itunes...

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Sep 7, 2016 11:19 AM in response to xavier234
    Level 10 (85,293 points)
    iPod
    Sep 7, 2016 11:19 AM in response to xavier234

    The core of an iTunes library is the iTunes Library.itl database file. The .itl extension may not always be visible. If you don't have the file on the external drive now can you go back to the original computer? Putting your media files in the media folder won't make iTunes detect them. You can add them to a new library, but you lose ratings, play counts, playlists etc.

     

    tt2