Music can't see old iTunes library

Question

Music can't see old iTunes library

How do I get Music to see my old iTunes library?

I bought a new iMac with Big Sur and iTunes is gone. My old iTunes music library is on an external drive but I am unable to get Music to see it. Unfortunately, I subscribed to Apple Music and Music only sees iCloud music, but not music on the external drive.

I have tried to correct Music/Preferences to the correct library folder as per attached screenshots.

[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Personal Information]

Posted on Apr 12, 2021 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 12, 2021 11:19 AM in response to turingtest2

There is NO iTunes Library.itl file in the folder, /Iomega HDD/Music/iTunes. Or anywhere in the new iMac.

BUT there IS an iTunes Library.itl file in the old iMac's home/Music folder, along with iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Library.xml and iTunes Music Library.xml

Should any or all of them be moved to the new iMac's Home/Music folder? Or somewhere else?

Thanks.

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,788 points

Apr 12, 2021 11:08 AM in response to Sugith Varughese

Hi,

From the look of things your old iTunes Library.itl file should be in /Iomega HDD/Music/iTunes. You should be able to press and hold down Option as you launch Music and keep holding until asked to choose or create a library, click choose, then browse to and open the .itl file. Music will ask for a location to save the converted library. I suggest /Iomega HDD/Music/Music to keep everything in place on the external drive.

tt2

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,788 points

Apr 12, 2021 1:41 PM in response to Sugith Varughese

Copy the old iTunes Library.itl file over. Doesn't matter particularly much where at this stage, but what I would do is copy the Album Artwork folder and the files from the iTunes folder on your old system drive into the iTunes folder on Iomega HDD, then follow the advice I gave before. That should leave you with a working snapshot of your iTunes Library as it is now should you need it again in future. You can ditch the older XML file.

For more details see Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community.

tt2

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Music can't see old iTunes library

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