scooterguitar
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Q: Crashed external drive where iTunes was stored?'s

Had everything conolsodated on an external drive which crashed. I have it stored on another system so I can easily get a new drive and put it on there.

My questions are:

I have around 200gbs of music, the extensions or whatnot are on the iMac drive, but the bulk of the music itself was on the crashed drive.

I'd like to clean up the huge selection of songs when I copy to the new drive...

So say I copy half of it to the new drive...obviously all the extra extensions and whatnot will still be on the iTunes on iMac...Is there an easy way around this, meaning to get all the extra/old itunes extensions out of iTunes without wiping iTunes completely? Or will I have to manually delete all unwanted xtensions and so forth?

Also, maybe 100 sings were purchased through the iTunes Store (the rest was from years of CD collecting), those were on the crashed drive as well. I think I can, but want to double check...am I able to redownload those directly from the iTunes store? All software and such are up to date running Snow Leopard.

Walk me through it as best as you can.

Thanks for your help!

Posted on Feb 15, 2012 7:13 AM

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scooterguitar

Q: Crashed external drive where iTunes was stored?'s

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Feb 15, 2012 7:18 AM in response to scooterguitar
    Level 9 (54,649 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 15, 2012 7:18 AM in response to scooterguitar

    I don't know about "extensions"  I have  plugins but those are all located in my user > Library > iTunes folder and nowhere near my actual iTunes collection.

     

    Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519 - enabled with iTunes 10.3 and newer; not available in all countries; only apps, books (not audiobooks), music, and t.v. shows (not movies).  Discontinued items not available. For items not included in the iCloud list, or locations or computer systems where iCloud is not (yet?) available, you only get one download per fee paid.

     

    Select the store on the left side of iTunes.

    Click on Purchased on the right side under Quick Links.

    You can redownload your available previous purchases.

  • by scooterguitar,

    scooterguitar scooterguitar Feb 15, 2012 7:30 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 15, 2012 7:30 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks...

    Not sure what they are actually called, could be plugins. Basically ther file names/extensions or whatnot are on iMac fro ease of using (I guess), the actual songs are on the external. I want half of those on the new drive...Is there a way to have iTunes do this or do I manually have to delete the extras?

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Feb 15, 2012 7:44 AM in response to scooterguitar
    Level 9 (79,692 points)
    iTunes
    Feb 15, 2012 7:44 AM in response to scooterguitar

    scooterguitar wrote:

     

    Thanks...

    Not sure what they are actually called, could be plugins. Basically ther file names/extensions or whatnot are on iMac fro ease of using (I guess

    Do you mean the iTunes library files?

     

     

    the actual songs are on the external. I want half of those on the new drive...Is there a way to have iTunes do this or do I manually have to delete the extras?

    You want only half of the songs which were on a now crashed drive (but you had backed up) on the new drive?

    And you are not going to restore the other half?

    If that's what you want, then do that.

  • by scooterguitar,

    scooterguitar scooterguitar Feb 15, 2012 8:10 AM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 15, 2012 8:10 AM in response to Chris CA

    Yes, the library files that get used all over the mac.

     

    Yes, only want to restore around half of the files using the new drive...What happens to all the old or unused library files then? Do I delete them? Easy way?  The library files are stil on the iMac, but the new drive will have half of those songs. Thus, no need for the other library extensions.

    I'm afraid of: random play in iTunes freuqntly use this way as home stereo), then when it gets to a library file/extension or whatnot that is no longer on the new drive it will stop.

    I know I could explain this easier, but I'm getting finger tied here:>)

    Thanks for the help everyone.

     

    Maybe have to reconsolidate everything again?

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Feb 15, 2012 8:20 AM in response to scooterguitar
    Level 9 (79,692 points)
    iTunes
    Feb 15, 2012 8:20 AM in response to scooterguitar

    I'm completely confused....

    scooterguitar wrote:

     

    Yes, the library files that get used all over the mac.

    They are not "all over the Mac".

    The iTunes library files are located in /Music/iTunes/ folder.

    There are only a few files. ITunes library.itl, iTunes library.xml, Genius.itdb, Artwork folder and Previous iTunes libraries folder  and maybe one or two other files.

     

    Yes, only want to restore around half of the files using the new drive

    ???

    They are on the Mac and should stay on the Mac.

    You said the media files were on the external and that is what crashed.

    And you dont want to restore all the medioa files that were on the external..

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Feb 15, 2012 8:21 AM in response to scooterguitar
    Level 9 (54,649 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 15, 2012 8:21 AM in response to scooterguitar

    Your use of the word "extension" is really confusing me.  An extension in iTunes is a small program that adds functionality to iTunes, perhaps an Applescript or something.  Some people don't even have any.  I am not sure what you really mean by extension.  If you mean library files, there ideally should be only one, not many all over the Mac.  Do you really mean library files, and if so, how many do you have?

     

    Depending upon how you had iTunes set up, your library file will either have been on the old drive that crashed, or it may still be on your computer in your iTunes folder.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    iTunes 9: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847

     

    Image of iTunes folder structure Dec. 2011 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3547807

    see also:

    Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/message/13025536

     

    I believe you can selectively consolidate items if you highlight them and then select to consolidate to a new location.