Adding very large folders to library

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Adding very large folders to library

I'm a long term digital music user, with over 30,000 tracks spread over different machines - various flavours of XP. I've decided to consolidate all music onto a Freecom NAS disk, and make all music available to all machines on the network. Adding small folders (<500 tracks) is ok and reasonably quick - when I added a folder with 3000 tracks, it took 24 hours+ to build the library, but did not add everything - probably 80%. I switched off keeping ITunes folder organised and copying music into ITunes folder, also no album art. When I tried to add really large folder (17,000 tracks), only 1500 tracks were added. I've never had this problem before building libraries - any ideas?

Many Thanks

Philff

ITunes 7.3.2.6, XP Pro SP2 fully updated, Freecom 400GB Nas drive, 100Mb wired Ethernet

Lenovo T60, Windows XP Pro, Freecom NAS

Posted on Sep 3, 2007 2:57 AM

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Answer 1

ed2345

Level 9

63,608 points

Sep 3, 2007 3:37 PM in response to philff

There is no documented limit on how many files can be added with "Add Folder to Library." However, people frequently report here on big adds that do not successfully run to completion. If 500 at a time is working for you, I suggest you keep going 500 at a time.

On the 24 hour issue, one thing that can seriously slow down the adds is if there are WMA files in the batch. As iTunes adds WMAs to the library, it converts them to your indicated import preference - one at a time.

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Answer 2

philff Author

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Sep 4, 2007 9:06 AM in response to ed2345

Thanks for this - I kind of thought that may well be one approach. I could be dim here, but can I load more than one folder at a time..? I guess I could restructure the directory and bunch folders together, but seems a lot of work..

I will though weed out WMA files and see how many I have - I've noticed that these can take a looong time to convert

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Answer 3

ed2345

Level 9

63,608 points

Sep 4, 2007 1:38 PM in response to philff

+can I load more than one folder at a time..?+

Hold the CTRL key while you select a few folders. Then drag them into the iTunes library. (You need to have iTunes open in "Music" view.) It is functionally equivalent to "Add Folder to Library," except that it gives you the option to select multiple folders before you start dragging.

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Answer 4

philff Author

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Sep 4, 2007 1:45 PM in response to ed2345

Thanks - utterly obvious (once you had pointed it out 🙂 ). Checked the big folder I'm trying to add... no WMA files. I'll try adding files in increments of 1000 and see where I get to

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Answer 5

ed2345

Level 9

63,608 points

Sep 4, 2007 2:42 PM in response to philff

Good luck!

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Answer 6

Sep 7, 2007 4:19 PM in response to philff

One other issue I've had moving files -- are file naming restrictions different on the NAS than on the source machine? Misnamed files will not copy.

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