How to Change Initial ITunes Installation Location

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Level 1

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How to Change Initial ITunes Installation Location

I’m updating a desktop PC from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and I’ve got an opportunity (I think) to select the drive that I want iTunes installed on, as part of the initial installation process.

This has been an issue for me for a while, as iTunes initially installed itself on my smaller (system) drive instead of my larger (media) drive. I don’t remember being prompted for an initial installation location as part of the initial installation but maybe I haven’t paid attention and just clicked through it.

In any case, my iTunes library isn’t getting any smaller, and yes I have all of the original media so rebuilding my ITunes library is a cinch.

Bottom line - can I tell the iTunes install program where to put the initial install?

Posted on Feb 28, 2019 8:18 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Mar 1, 2019 8:14 AM in response to mlb32704

See Make a split library portable - Apple Community. You should install the application on the system drive, but the library database and media should be placed on a drive with room for growth.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Mar 1, 2019 9:36 AM in response to mlb32704

Press and hold down shift as you start iTunes to choose or create a library at your chosen path. This is better than changing the location of the media folder in preferences. If you have an existing library that you haven't modified it will be in the portable shape, and you can simply move it to say F:\iTunes, then shift-start-iTunes to access it. If your media is already on this drive and you're starting over make a new library at F:\iTunes, move the media into F:\iTunes\iTunes Media, and then import the folder iTunes Media to the library.

Many components of the iTunes installation will install to the system drive even if you choose an alternate drive for the main application. There is unlikely to be any significant benefit in choosing an different path, and there can be a performance hit.

tt2

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Answer 3

mlb32704 Author

Level 1

96 points

Mar 1, 2019 8:35 AM in response to turingtest2

On second review of the split library message you referred me to, it seems very complicated :-) Can’t I simply install the iTunes application on my main drive, and point iTunes towards all of my media on the other media drive? Won’t that work?

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Answer 4

mlb32704 Author

Level 1

96 points

Mar 1, 2019 9:18 AM in response to turingtest2

Additional info, not sure if it’s relevant or not...I am talking about installing iTunes from scratch and rebuilding my library. I have all of the media (music), I’ve got my playlists backed up, etc etc. it’s just a question of reinstalling and rebuilding. I’m not moving anything so I’m not sure that a discussion on library portability is applicable. Again, wondering if I can just install to C: but point it to F: (media drive) for all media. Wouldn’t that solve the problem of having the majority of disk space for iTunes residing on f vs c drive? Does it need to be that complicated if I’m installing from scratch?

Separately, what prevents me from installing the application and everything associated with it onto that media drive and avoiding the system drive altogether? Will it work?

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