I have a large iTunes library on an old [Vista [sorry]] desktop PC and need to a) back it up to an external drive and b) transfer it to another laptop [Windows 10 [sorry again...]. I have previously used SyncToy, but I now see that it is no longer available
See Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community and Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy - Apple Community. While Microsoft have stopped hosting SyncToy you should be able to obtain it from other download sites. It still works, even in Windows 10.
tt2
See Use multiple iTunes libraries on PC - Apple Support and use the shift-start-iTunes method to explicitly choose the iTunes Library.itl library copied over from your old computer.
tt2
Thanks again, Turingtest2. I have gone through the usual SyncToy procedure [it creates a backup copy from my desktop PC onto my external drive] and then copied that onto my other laptop computer, and it all seems to work OK. But, when I open up iTunes on my laptop, the new/copied tracks just don't seem to appear. I think I've had this problem before, but can't recall the fix. Everything seems to work, until I look for the new/copied tracks on the laptop. Can you help? Thanks
Excellent! That worked, thank you [again] turingtest.
Can I ask you a follow-up question? What advice are you giving people today [as SyncToy is no longer supported/available] as the best way to back up their iTunes library to an external drive?
Thanks
Oh dear... This problem just keeps on bugging me. I've run SyncToy again and, once again, I can't seem to get iTunes on my laptop to find the newly transferred back-up iTunes library. I'm trying the method of choosing which library to use, but it doesn't seem to want to work this time
When you click on the choose library button, I don't know which file to select - how do you identify the library you have just transferred with SyncToy?
And what do you enter in the box after choosing edit / preferences?
Thanks again
The key component of the library is the iTunes Library.itl file. You should use the shift-start-iTunes method to choose the .itl file that you have copied over from your other computer. It will normally be in an iTunes folder and have a recent modified date. If the library is in the standard layout the media folder will automatically be set to iTunes Media in the same folder as the .itl, so there is no need to edit that via preferences, though you may want to update your settings for Keep... Copy..., rating stars, etc.
tt2
Thanks again, TT2. I feel really stupid, but I must be doing something [simple] wrongly. Please bear with me...
I'm closing iTunes, then opening them again as suggested whilst holding the shift key down. I select "choose iTunes library" and get a dialog box headed "Open iTunes Library" with 6 folders and a file at the bottom called "iTunes Library." Sure enough, when I hover over this file, it says "Type: iTunes Database File," "Size: 3.41 MB," and "Date Modified: 15/02/2024" [today's date]. When I double click [?] on this file, iTunes re-opens but it is still showing the previous version of the library. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?
Hi,
When you use this method to choose a different library you will be initially presented with the location of the current library. You need to click This PC or something higher in the hierarchy of drives and folders, then navigate to the folder that contains the library that you want to open.
tt2
As given, you need to start with This PC then drill down to the different folder that contains the iTunes Library that you want to open instead of the current one. If it is on an external drive for example that might be D:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. Whether the .itl extension is visible or not depends on preferences in Windows Explorer, but it can be implied from the file icon when it isn't shown.
tt2
I still use SyncToy, and will continue to do so for as long as I can get it to install.
tt2
SyncToy works on windows 11 so it is still a useful tool
7mm hard disks top out at 2TB. NAS boxes are one solution that makes life easier
I'm seeing that exact screen. Except for the .itl suffix on the file. I've tried double-clicking on "iTunes Library" [without the .itl] and clicking "Open." Anything else I should try?
You're welcome. 🙂
tt2
OK! At last... I wasn't looking hard enough for the new library. It was at C:\Users\G.ashton\Music\iTunes Media. That worked. Thanks again, turingtest2, for your patience!
Backing up iTunes library and transferring to a new laptop
