Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

I want to backup my library to a hard drive but

the iTunes Media Folder is in a different location than the iTunes folder (the one with the library files), and in the support article, I think they think the iTunes Media Folder is inside the iTunes folder.


But I changed the location to an external hard drive.


Should I move the iTunes Media folder inside the iTunes folder and then drag it to the external hard drive? Just copy the one with the library files? Just copy the iTunes Media folder.


I'm afraid I screw up with this, because I want to uninstall iTunes to solve a problem, and it would be a huge pain to retrieve more than 10.000 songs that are on my library.

iPod nano, Windows XP

Posted on Dec 24, 2011 3:44 PM

Reply
16 replies

Dec 24, 2011 4:07 PM in response to Slint

See this User Tip.


You shouldn't move the media folder independently. If the folders are nested as described, media folder inside the library folder, then you should be able to restore the whole iTunes folder to a new path/drive and reconnect to it without breaking the links to the tracks. With a split library the media folder needs to be restored to the same path it held originally.


tt2

Dec 24, 2011 4:39 PM in response to Slint

Not at all, I'm saying that to back up your library you need to make independent copies of both the iTunes library folder on your C: drive and your media folder on the external drive.


If something goes wrong with your library, or you need to rebuild your computer, you simply copy the backed up copies into their original location.


By the way, uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes should not have any effect on your existing library.


tt2

Dec 24, 2011 5:52 PM in response to Slint

Oh, so given that I have the iTunes library folder both on C: and a copy on the external drive, and the iTunes Media folder located on the external drive already, with given directions to iTunes in preferences that it is located there, I need no more backup and can proceed to the uninstallation and reinstallation?


Apologies for a possible lack of comprehension towards your posts, but it's late at night, I've been doing this for hours now, I'm kind of desperate.


Thank you for the help this far.

Dec 25, 2011 9:12 AM in response to turingtest2

Tried it, did not work, guess I'll go the whole nine yards.


It's a synching problem.


iTunes says it is synching, but immediatly goes to concluding synching, skipping the step where it scans for what songs to sync, thus no changes in the songs in the iPod.


It is possible to add them manually, but I can't remove any.

Dec 25, 2011 10:28 AM in response to turingtest2

Tried three different cables, none worked.


Reinstalled iTunes, quicktime and everything else, did not work.


Reset iPod, it's a nano, don't really know the generation, one of the latest, those small squares with touchscreen. To reset I just press and hold the On/Off button on the top right, right? If it is, I just did it and it did not work.



Only the restore left.


So in the Summary panel, on iTunes, I just press restore. But will I lose anything? If yes, how do I get it all back?

Dec 25, 2011 12:08 PM in response to Slint

Sounds like iPod nano 6th gen. Not personally familiar with that one but there is a troubleshooting assistant that should help: iPod nano reset


Restoring the device wipes everything off it and sets it up as if you just bought it. It doesn't touch anything in your iTunes library on your computer. The only circumstances in which you might lose data would be if you were manually managing the device and had added content from multiple libraries or were using an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch which can download data independently of iTunes over Wi-Fi.


tt2

I want to backup my library to a hard drive but

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.