Migrating iTunes from Win 7 PC to a Win 10 PC

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jga1234 Author

Level 1

8 points

Migrating iTunes from Win 7 PC to a Win 10 PC

I have iTunes for Windows (most recent version) that I'm using on a Win 7 machine.

I'm migrating to a Win 10 PC and trying to transfer my itunes library and music to the new PC. I have

over 11,000 songs.

I copied everything in the itunes folder to an external HD and dumped it to the itunes folder on the new PC.

After I opened iTunes on the new pc, not all of my songs populated, maybe about 3100 songs. And my playlists are all wrong. It's showing old playlists that I no longer have on my Win 7 machine.

I did try to import my library from inside iTunes but when i did that, it populated 2500 more songs than what I started out with, including a lot of deleted music. Giving me 13,000 instead of what I should have at 11,000. And the playlist is still not not current or matches the Win 7 PC. It's a mess.

It's supposed to be a like for like transfer and that is not what I got. Apple support gave up and told me to contact Microsoft.

Usually Apple support is good, but this time, I think They really dropped the ball and had no interest in trying to fix this mess.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Posted on Mar 24, 2021 12:14 PM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

273,189 points

Mar 24, 2021 6:02 PM in response to jga1234

Thanks. Changing the drive letter from D: to Z: on the new system and recopying the iTunes Library.itl file over should be enough. That said my preferred approach would be to copy the contents of the iTunes folder from C:\Users\Joe\Music\iTunes into Z:\iTunes on the old system, then shift-start-iTunes and connect to the library at Z:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. After checking it works properly you should be able to close iTunes, move the drive to the new computer, and shift-start-iTunes to choose the library at D:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. Having the .ilt file in the same folder as the media folder makes the library portable, and thus able to work from different paths.

Where the application is installed isn't important.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

273,189 points

Mar 24, 2021 4:57 PM in response to jga1234

First see this comment:

If you think that you've moved your library correctly but cannot see (all of) your expected content when you open the library, or you see cloud links to items which should be stored locally, then see Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash.

On the original computer please let me know the path to the iTunes Library.itl file and the path to the iTunes Media folder given under Edit > Preferences > Advanced and I can suggest a strategy that should work. I assume the media is on the external drive and you're just moving that from one machine to the other. Are you able to use the same drive letter on both computers?

tt2

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Answer 3

jga1234 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 24, 2021 4:30 PM in response to turingtest2

So, i did the recommendations in the solution posted, but still have the same issues as I mentioned above. However, reading the solution, it talks about media folders being on a different drive.

To clarify, regarding the Windows 7 PC, iTunes was originally installed on the main drive. However, the songs were filling up the drive so i added a second HD and put the media and song folders on the second drive and redirected the song files to the second drive. The iTunes program is still loaded on the main HDD.

Regarding the Win 10 machine, I have 2 hard drives and tried to replicate the same set up as the Win 7 PC. Perhaps this is where the problem is coming from.

I'm wondering if I should uninstall iTunes on the new pc and then reinstall again and then import all songs from the external to the install drive. Then, see if everything is the way it should be and if it is, I can move the library to the secondary drive.

is this the most logical thing to do or should I do something different?

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Answer 4

jga1234 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 24, 2021 5:21 PM in response to turingtest2

I have copied the entire iTunes folder from the secondary drive on the win 10 machine to the external HD. This is what I'm working from when importing to the Win 10 machine. I have not copied anything from the C drive. Maybe that's part of the problem too.

To answer your questions:

On Win 7 PC - path to media folder is: Z:\iTunes\iTunes Media

Path to the library.itl file is: C:\Users\Joe\Music\iTunes

iTunes version: 12.10.10.2 (Apple says this is the most current version for win 7)

On Win 10 machine the path to the media folder is: D:\iTunes\iTunes Media

Path to the library.itl file is: C:/Users\Joe\Music\iTunes

iTunes version is: 12.11.0.26

On both machines, the itunes program application was installed on the C drive.

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Answer 5

jga1234 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 24, 2021 5:39 PM in response to jga1234

****** Update. So, I replaced the library.itl file on the C drive for the win 10 machine with the same file from the win 7 machine and everything shows up with the exception that none of the songs are available. half of them have the cloud links next to the name and when i go to play one that does not have the cloud link, it will not play and a cloud link will appear next to the name.

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Answer 6

jga1234 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 25, 2021 10:30 AM in response to turingtest2

OK, so i copied the library.itl file from the C drive on the new Win 10 pc and inserted it into the itunes folder on the D drive where the song files reside. i did the shift/open itunes thing and specified where to look for the file and it is now seems to be working. I added songs from a flash drive and a CD and those worked as well. I will play some more just to make sure but

I think I'm in good shape here.

I wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to help me out. I appreciate it 1000 percent.

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