What's the best way to move library in Windows to a new computer?

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Level 1

32 points

What's the best way to move library in Windows to a new computer?

I have iTunes running fine on my Vista machine at home. I've gotten Win7 in, and I'm going to be moving to a new computer I have which I'm upgrading from XP to 7 with (it's got more horsepower than my Vista machine).

Anyway, to that, I want to move all my stuff from my current Vista machine to the 7 machine, ioncluding iTunes. What's the easiest way to do this - and maintain all my stuff, like ratings, number of times played, playlists, etc...

I've read some helps, and none of them seem concerned about keeping number of times played, and all that. You can't just up and move the files, as the directory path will be different, so the itunes data file won't see them if you copy that, too.

Suggestions?

Dell Dimension E510, Windows Vista, Moving to Win 7

Posted on Oct 21, 2009 11:43 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

polydorus

Level 6

11,967 points

Oct 22, 2009 2:07 AM in response to Joe Siegler

The first thing to do is to ensure that your music is all together in the iTunes music folder. If you have tracks else where you need to consolidate your library.

Then install iTunes on the new PC but don't add any music.
With iTunes closed, drag the iTunes folder out of Music on the new PC to the desktop.

Then with iTunes closed on both PCs you need to copy The iTunes folder from the old PC to the Music fodler on the new PC so that it replaces the one you dragged out.

It doesn't really matter how you achieve the copying - network or via an external drive.

The last thing you need to do is to check the permissions on the iTunes folder you copied to the new PC, your account needs full control.
Vista file folder permissions help
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/2464a180-e5dc-45d1-a2b8-3c8a 2b571e9d1033.mspx
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/05/25/how-to-take-ownership-and-grant-permiss ions-in-windows-vista/

for interest here is a description of how to transfer using an iPod to do the transfer:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1329?viewlocale=en_US

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Answer 2

Slavor

Level 1

0 points

Oct 22, 2009 4:38 AM in response to Joe Siegler

Wow, I wish I saw this post before I upgraded to 7 :S

Could anyone help me with this? As I wanted to move over to win7, I did back up my music, mobile apps and video files via the organising music into the itunes media folder option. As I thought it was a simple drag and drop solution after that, I did just that, drag and drop my consolidated files into my newly installed itunes media folder in windows 7.

However now I realise that my computer doesn't recognise my ipod touch (duh), even though it practically has ALL the same songs and ALL the apps and videos in it. To add on the trouble, all my meta-data like play count and especially ratings are gone; weird given I thought the consolidating of files would do that for me.

So does anybody have any solution for me? It may seem kinda minor but having my meta-data wiped out bums out a lot...

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Answer 3

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Oct 22, 2009 11:01 AM in response to polydorus

polydorus wrote:
The first thing to do is to ensure that your music is all together in the iTunes music folder. If you have tracks else where you need to consolidate your library. {/quote}

I already keep it that way.

The data is installed on a secondary HD, and not my primary C drive where the program is installed. I had planned on transplanting that second drive to the other computer.

If, on the second computer I tell iTunes that my music folder is located on the drive after being transplanted into the new computer, will it just pick up everything - counts, playlists, etc?

I can't use the pod, I have just an 8Gb Touch, and way more material on the HD, which is why I have a separate data drive. 🙂

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Answer 4

polydorus

Level 6

11,967 points

Oct 22, 2009 11:07 AM in response to Joe Siegler

If you have your music files on an external drive, I need to know where your iTunes folder containing iTunes Library.itl is located.

If it is on the external drive you simply plug the drive in and do a shift key start to tell iTunes to use iTunes Libarary.itl on the external drive.

If the iTunes folder was on the internal drive you need to copy it to the new computer as described above. You also need to set the location of the iTunes Music folder in preferences as it is not in the default location.

Shift key start up creating/choosing a library
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589

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