I-Tunes Library defaulting to Mac Database

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I-Tunes Library defaulting to Mac Database

I recently posted the following (to which there was no replies)

Hi, I've just bought a Sonos system & an external NAS drive to use as a music server.

Having all sorts of problems getting it running sweetly but eventually managed to get it to work ok (for a while anyway)

I noticed however many differences between my original Mac stored library & the copy I'd created on the NAS drive.

I got hold of a file utility that supposedly Syncronises folders but gave up on that due to the time it was taking to do the Sync.

I started I-tunes & edited the library location to that of the new drive & it eventually started to Import & organise itself. It's been doing this for over a day now ( my library contains approx 15000 tunes, is this what to expect or has something gone wrong?

Day to day operation of the Sonos system has been fine, Ive just added a CD I noticed missing from the library & all **** has let loose again!

Im now finding I-tunes defaulting back to the library on the Mac HDD rather than the one on the NAS drive. Re-setting the location causes a re-index operation which takes 24H+ see above. Rightly or Wrongly I manually deleted the itunes library files from the Mac HDD

Any help Please.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 6:04 AM

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Answer 1

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Limnos

Level 10

411,193 points

Apr 14, 2012 8:15 AM in response to David Terry4

First, there's moving hte library which means all files and folders, and there's moving just media which leaves the library files and others on the main drive.

iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527

do not confuse moving your whole folder and library with moving just media files as in

iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

Quick answer if you let iTunes manage your music: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to the new location of the library.

You say you edited the library location which suggests to me you did not move hte library but just told itunes where to put media. It would help to know specifically what you did.

If iTunes cannot find the library file in the location you indicate on an external, it defaults back to the internal. Make sure the external is on and mounted before starting iTunes. I see a number of issues where people mention NAS and iTunes and it just seems to be one of those things that's a bit buggy with iTunes at times. Maybe the connection isn't fully established, or something such as sleep is dropping it.

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