Using my Mac Only as a Go-Through Device for File Transfer (iTunes Store-External HDD)

Question

TheLittles Author

Level 10

192,763 points

Using my Mac Only as a Go-Through Device for File Transfer (iTunes Store-External HDD)

Back Up and Recover iTunes Library as a Whole:

———-

I plan to back it up today, having not done so for a bit. Hard drive size would matter, beyond a doubt.

Can I backup up my whole iTunes at once? Or must I download them one at a time?

And the same for recovering the items: Can I recover them from the backup as a one complete backup at once? Or must I download them one at a time?

I lost my first movie, having been removed from iTunes by the studio, and not backing it up.

I have an old back up. And I remember going through it one at a time.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 15”, macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 21, 2020 7:19 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

turingtest2

Level 10

272,949 points

Feb 23, 2020 3:11 PM in response to TheLittles

If you're talking about having downloads stored directly onto an external drive instead of the system drive then you can change the location of your media folder to a path on your external drive. With Apple Music & TV in Catalina I would opt to make the media folders <External>/Music/Media and <External>/TV/Media respectively. You could then consolidate any media not already within the new media folder locations and move the library files into <External>/Music and <External>/TV in preparation for moving at some later date.

tt2

Reply

Answer 2

ed2345

Level 9

62,522 points

Feb 22, 2020 7:26 PM in response to TheLittles

Littles,

Yes, what you say is correct. If you do not already have local copies, you will have to download them. The re-download procedure for past purchases ( http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519 ) puts them into your iTunes/Music library, just as it would do on an original purchase.

If you are feeling fancy, you could go into Preferences and temporarily move your Music Media folder to the external, do the downloads, and then move it back. Just don't do anything else meanwhile, or you risk creating a mess. Personally, I would do as your last line: iTunes Store —> Computer —> External Hard Drive.

Reply

Answer 3

TheLittles Author

Level 10

192,763 points

Feb 22, 2020 12:48 PM in response to TheLittles

Update:

This has taken 14 hours so far, just for the moves - 499GB!

A longtime user of iTunes, 10 or so movies a year — Well that adds up.

Many, many are from DVD purchases with 10 or more keys. Got those DVDs at K-Mart years back.

Now, it’s time for TV shows and music.

How long will this take?!

8 movies at a time took 14 hours.

I’ve downloaded the movies at about 8 a time. And then copied them to the external drive, being in the Movies Downloaded Library. Once copied, I deleted them from the Downloaded Library in quantities.

Now, it’s time for the TV Shows. We'll see how that goes! And then there is time for the music and audiobooks

Reply

Answer 4

TheLittles Author

Level 10

192,763 points

Feb 22, 2020 7:18 PM in response to ed2345

ed2345 Said:

”If the content is already on your local hard drive, you can back up by copying to an external hard drive. That will be faster than re-downloading each one.”

———-

Thank you for the reply.

These weren’t on the computer itself. If it were, then it would just be Mac to External Hard Drive.

The big ordeal is that I hat can’t download them from the iTunes Store to my External Hard Drive. Or can I?

For the Backup, I’m Going: iTunes Store —> Computer —> External Hard Drive.

Reply

Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

272,949 points

Feb 23, 2020 4:38 AM in response to TheLittles

If you simply copy and paste your iTunes/Music folders from source to destination drives to make a backup then typically with a Mac you're going to delete and then replace many unchanged files. You also have no way to detect if files have gone missing from the source location which you might want to restore. See Carbon Copy Cloner or Synkron for tools that might allow a bit more control. In Windows I use something called SyncToy which is similar to Synkron.

tt2

Reply

Answer 6

TheLittles Author

Level 10

192,763 points

Feb 23, 2020 8:59 AM in response to turingtest2

turningtest2 Said:

”[...]You also have no way to detect if files have gone missing from the source location which you might want to restore.[...]”

———-

Thank you for the reply!

Using Mac as a Go-Through Platform:

I guess you could say that pretty much, my goal to to use the Mac as a go-through platform.

Please Clarify:

Detecting Mussing & Gone Files:

I created a Time Machine backup, prior to all of this. So, no worries there, I suppose. I’ll just restore my Mac after all of this.

Carbon Copy Cloner or Synkron

Research these Two Applications, I see I can maintain and manage my files and transfers locally and remotely (computer-to-other device), correct? Nothing for use of using the computer as a go-through platform(from iTunes Store-External Hard Drive), correct?

It’s all about ridding of these extra files laid aside, correct?

For Note:

I requested the Host to kindly retitle my post. It is nothing of backup and recovery. And they did.??Thank you kindly Host!

Reply

Answer 7

TheLittles Author

Level 10

192,763 points

Feb 23, 2020 9:13 AM in response to ed2345

ed2345 Said:

“[..]you could go into Preferences and temporarily move your Music Media folder to the external, do the downloads, and then move it back[..]. Personally, I would do as your last line: iTunes Store —> Computer —> External Hard Drive.”

———-

Thank you for the reply!

Why Risky a Corrupt Library?

Agreed: I’ll stick with my last line: iTunes Store —> Computer —> External Hard Drive

For Note:

I requested the Host to kindly retitle my post. It is nothing of backup and recovery. And they did.!!! Thank you kindly Host!

Reply

Answer 8

ed2345

Level 9

62,522 points

Feb 22, 2020 3:26 PM in response to TheLittles

If the content is already on your local hard drive, you can back up by copying to an external hard drive. That will be faster than re-downloading each one.

Reply