iTunes not successfully locating music files on new PC

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Level 1

15 points

iTunes not successfully locating music files on new PC

I am having an ongoing problem trying to copy music over to a new computer.

I believe I have successfully copied all the information on to the (disk enabled) iPod, and, in turn I have succesfully dragged and dropped it in to the 'My Music' folder on the new PC. If I double click on the iTunes folder on the new PC I can clearly see all of the artists in sub-folders, along with various other data files.

Now, when I open up iTunes on the new PC it shows a completely empty library. If I check under Edit - Preferences - Advanced I can see the path is as follows -:

C:\Documents and Settings\Ed\My Documents\My Music\iTunes.

This is, I believe, the 'correct' folder, so I am not sure what is wrong. Double clicking this folder shows heaps of music/files etc, but pointing the iTunes software to this folder it does not seem to be able to locate the music.

Is there something basic I am doing wrong here ?

Thanks

Dell Dimension 4600, Windows XP

Posted on Jan 10, 2008 1:06 PM

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Answer 1

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Jan 10, 2008 1:19 PM in response to Ed Porter

iTunes will not recognize tracks in folders automatically. Setting the preference in the Advanced preferences just sets where new tracks you import from CD or purchase from the iTunes Store are saved. You have to use the "Add Folder to Library" command and point it at the folder containing your tracks to get them into the iTunes library listing.

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Answer 2

Ed Porter Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 10, 2008 1:37 PM in response to varjak paw

Thanks Dave - that solved that part of the problem - but another problem (which I had been trying to solve by re-doing the whole thing) has now resurfaced.... grrr !

And that is that no ratings/playcounts/playlist information has been copied over. I had already posted on here seeing if there was a 'quick-fix' to this problem. Yes, I know if it had all gone 'properly' then the information should show up in the new library, but it clearly hasn't gone 100% correctly so i wonder if there is anyway I can now recover that information without needing to repeat the entire process.

(I have already done it twice, with 60gB of files so I'd really prefer not to do it attempt it for a 3rd time - especially given my lack of success thus far !).

Thanks for your help
Ed

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Answer 3

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Jan 10, 2008 1:45 PM in response to Ed Porter

Playlists and other information are kept as part of the iTunes library files, not with the track files. Unless you back the library files up and copy them over as well, you will lose all your information. If you still have the iTunes folder intact and working correctly on the old computer and the iTunes folder is in the default location (same user name -> My Documents -> My Music), then copy the iTunes Library and iTunes Library.xml files to the same place on your new computer. Important: the Windows account name on the new computer must be the same as on the old computer or the links to the tracks may break. Otherwise, export the playlists on the old system, transfer the files to the new system, and import them back into iTunes. That will at least get your playlists back.

For more information, these threads may help:

Buegie: Tranfering Music to a new Computer?

Hudgie: Migrating iTunes for Windows to a new PC

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Answer 4

Ed Porter Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 10, 2008 2:45 PM in response to varjak paw

Thanks again Dave - I think ultimately the problem is that iTunes was not configured correctly on my old computer. There were at least 2 folders named iTunes, and stored on separate hard drives just to compound the problem. I had also misunderstood the application of the function provided under Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced with regard to file path.

I haven't managed to transfer the library files over, but given the configuration problems I am at least thankful that I have managed to copy all of the music over in tact.

Thanks for your help.

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