How do I import multiple folders from EHD into my itunes?

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How do I import multiple folders from EHD into my itunes?

So, I have an external hard drive of music. I just switched to a mac so forgive me if this is an easy task! When I go to import music into itunes and find my hard drive, it only lets me select one folder at a time. It won't let me select all. Do I really have to do it one by one.
Also, when I am doing this (going to use a separate library for the external hard drive) should I uncheck the 'copy files to itunes folder'? Will that copy the actual songs or just the titles and such?
Thanks!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Mar 17, 2008 3:01 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 17, 2008 3:04 PM in response to kch365

Hi and Welcome to Apple Discussions Forum!

I would recommend you to read this Apple's article: [iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Music folder|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301748].

Hope this helps.

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Answer 2

kch365 Author

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Mar 17, 2008 3:13 PM in response to Community User

Thanks for your help. But I am confused. I already have the location I want my music to live - my external hard drive. When I go to add that folder entitled 'music' into my itunes - it will only let me select one album at a time. How do I select the entire music folder that contains 250g of music?
The consolidate music..... will that still keep all files on the external? It won't try to put files onto my computer? Just want to make sure that all music will live on the external.
Thanks.
C

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Answer 3

Mar 17, 2008 3:21 PM in response to kch365

Hi kch365,

When you consolidate your library, all your music will be moved to one specific folder. Then you just need to move this new folder to your external drive and "inform" iTunes the new folder location. To do so, just click Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced and change the location

You should also check "Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized". Doing that, every time you add new content to your library, it will be automatically stored and organized on this folder located on your external HD.

Hope this helps!

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Answer 4

Chris CA

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Mar 17, 2008 3:28 PM in response to Community User

When you consolidate your library, all your music will be moved to one specific folder. Then you just need to move this new folder to your external drive and "inform" iTunes the new folder location. To do so, just click Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced and change the location

This is backwards.
Point iTunes to teh new location then menu Advanced Consolidate.
This will copy the music to the new location.
If you move the music folder yourself and point iTunes to the new location, iTunes will lose it and they will all have an exclamation point (can't find original file)..

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Answer 5

kch365 Author

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Mar 17, 2008 3:43 PM in response to Chris CA

So how will it find my 'music' folder on my external hard drive?
It will just find it because that is my music location in advanced preferences?
Then I just consolidate?

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Answer 6

kch365 Author

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Mar 17, 2008 3:43 PM in response to kch365

Also, do check the box on keep a copy in itunes or keep that unchecked?

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Answer 7

Chris CA

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Mar 17, 2008 3:49 PM in response to kch365

It won't find it.
You will tell it where to put it (iTues prefs-> Advanced. Change iTune music folder location).
Then you will tell it to copy the music there (menu Advanced -> Consolidate library).

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Answer 8

kch365 Author

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Mar 18, 2008 10:35 PM in response to Chris CA

wouldn't that just copy my music files from the external?
I just called apple support and she told me to 'add to library'.
It has taken 6 hours and is still organizing.
I am thinking this was the wrong move.

Just to be clear for anyone who wants to chime in....
I have a macbook pro. I have an external HD full of music. I want the music to stay on the External HD but have itunes recognize it. How do I have itunes load it up with music names while still having the actual files on the HD? I thought last time I did this with a PC I put 'import' but that doesn't make sense to me either.
The consolidate library makes sense but I keep thinking it will change the actual mp3 files that are on the HD. Will it?
🙂

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Answer 9

Chris CA

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Mar 19, 2008 7:23 AM in response to kch365

wouldn't that just copy my music files from the external?

Not if you tell iTunes to use the external drive.

Add to library gets the files into iTunes. You point iTunes prefs -> Advanced to where you want the music files to got to. If they are already in the location you want them to be and you set iTunes to this location, they won't even get copied anywhere. They will simply be added to iTunes.

The consolidate library makes sense but I keep thinking it will change the actual mp3 files that are on the HD. Will it?

No.

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Answer 10

kch365 Author

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Mar 19, 2008 10:10 AM in response to Chris CA

Is it normal that it has taken almost 24 hours and is still organizing?

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Answer 11

Chris CA

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Mar 19, 2008 10:14 AM in response to kch365

If you are adding them to the internal drive from the external drive, it depends on how many files and the interface. If you are using USB, it will take a LOT longer, especially with many small files.
24 hours does seem like quite a bit of time though.

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