iTunes Library organization in one folder...

Thanks - yes, as it turns out, all I had to do was copy all the files to the remote drive, then copy all of the iTunes DB files to the default location on my new computer...

Dear Turingtest2,

Could I please get your input on a somewhat related situation that I am currently having?

Here is my set up:

Mid 2009 15" MacBookPro

Mountain Lion (latest/only version) 🙂

Itunes is up to date as far as this morning is concerned (I check for software updates pretty much daily).

External HD is a Western Digital My Book for Mac 1TB that is a few years old. I've had a few issues with it over the past with it improperly ejecting itself for no known reason but lately those incidents have increased and this weekend it started making some very nasty clicking noises. I've decided to replace this HD and have a 3TB LaCie on it's way.

The issue that concerns me is when I get the new HD I should be able to attach it to my MacBookPro through a USB hub so both external HDs are attached to the machine at the same time.

I'm wondering what is the best way to move all of my Itunes (and Iphotos and my Ipod, Iphone, and Ipad) to the new drive with little to no loss of data.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for listening!

Hi. Are library files on the external too? Old layout or new one?

If new layout and all on external you should be able to copy the entire iTunes folder to the new drive and option-start-iTunes to connect to it.

Otherwise I would start by connecting your new drive and making a folder at <Root>/iTunes/iTunes Media on it, set this as your media folder and use File > LIbrary > Organize Library > Consolidate files (or iTunes may prompt you when you change the folder). If library in old layout use File > LIbrary > Organize Library > Reorganize files in folder "iTunes Media" and then consolidate again (doing it in this order cuts down the workload on the old drive). Then, if you want, copy the library files into <Root>/iTunes and option-start-iTunes to make your library portable.

tt2

At the risk of sounding a little clueless I'm not sure what you mean by old or new layout?

When I go to Itunes Preferences > Advanced Settings and look at Itunes media folder locations it says "/Volumes/My Book/Itunes" which is on my old external hard drive.

See this post earlier in the thread for a diagram. The layout on the left is old school. The one on the right has an extra folder called Music into which all the artist folder get put, but more importantly Mobile Applications is inside the media folder instead of in the libray folder.

Given your media folder is where you say its is a fair bet that your library files are going to be in <User>/Music>/iTunes on the internal drive so you have a split library.

When you get the new drive do it like this:

1. Create the folders /Volumes/<Lacie>/iTunes and /Volumes/<Lacie>/iTunes/iTunes Media.
2. Set your media folder to /Volumes/<Lacie>/iTunes/iTunes Media and let iTunes copy the files to the new location when it asks.
3. If the media folder is in the old layout use File > LIbrary > Organize Library > Reorganize files in folder "iTunes Media" and then File > LIbrary > Organize Library > Consolidate files.
4. Copy the library files from <User>/Music/iTunes into /Volumes/<Lacie>/iTunes and option-start-iTunes to make your library portable. [Optional]

tt2

Very helpful - Thank you TT2!

If I may ask a few more questions - you said it appears I have a "split library", is there anyway to consolidate this while I'm making the move?

I'm a little confused as to step #4 in your post above:

4.

Copy the library files from <User>/Music/iTunes into/Volumes/<Lacie>/iTunes and option-start-iTunes to make your library portable.[Optional]

I know this sounds like a really dumb question but what does this do exactly and how do I do it - just hold down the option key while I start up Itunes?

Again - thank you for your patience and help!

Step 4 is designed to put the libray back into a portable layout...

And yes, just hold down the option key as you start iTunes.

See HT1589: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one for the long version.

If you find the library is sluggish running from the external drive you can move the library files back to the internal, but you should put them on the external drive, then open and close iTunes at least once, before moving the drive to another system, or if you need to copy the library to a different drive.

tt2

I just wanted to say thanks Turingtest2 - I followed your instructions and the switch over went completely smooth!

Thank you so much for your time and help!

You're most welcome. 🙂

tt2

Good morning!

Thank you for all of the comments about iTunes on an external drive. I have read through many of them on this thread as well as others. I am hoping that you might be able to help me as well.... I am hoping this is just a quick oversight on my part.

I have followed steps in moving my iTunes library to an external Western Digital drive. This is what the external drive has:

This is what the files look like on the iMac hard drive (no content on the iMac hard drive - it is all on the external drive. I deleted the hard drive content because I was running out of disk space):

I have gone into preferences and I have this:

I have gone into Library, consolidate library and clicked "OK" - ( I have also clicked on the reorganize the folders in the library so now that is greyed out)

Now I get this when I open iTunes:

.... and I am Not able to pull up my music, movies, books, etc.

I am assuming that this file structure is off somewhere, but for the life of me I can't figure out where???? Or, am I missing something entirely??

THANK YOU for any help that might be out there! 🙂

You need to hold down option as you start iTunes, click Choose at the prompt and open the file //Volumes/Public/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl.

If your active library is in the default location of <User's Music>/iTunes and you move the libray, or delete it after copying elsewhere, iTunes behaves as if it had just been installed for the first time and creates a new empty library for you. Changing the preference for the media folder location doesn't fix this problem.

BTW your iTunes folder contains the folders Automatically Add to iTunes and Downloads both of which should be empty and redundant. The active versions should be those in the iTunes Media folder.

tt2

Thank you for your quick reply!

I held the option key and chose //Volumes/Public/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl as you suggested.

iTunes is still acting as though it is new. (However, shows my playlists with nothing in them)

Side note - I did delete the redundant folders "Automatically Add to iTunes" and "Downloads". They are both present in the iTunes Media folder as you mentioned.

I assumed that my active library was the //Volumes/Public/iTunes library because if I click on File, Add To Library then it automatically pops up my external hard drive iTunes folder:

You mentioned that changing the preferences won't fix the problem of iTunes acting as new. Is there something else that I can do to have it recognize the media that I have?

Thank you so much for your time.

I just realized I moved the movies folder before taking that second screen shot. (It is now back where it belongs under iTunes/iTunes Media) 🙂

The active library is <User's Music>\iTunes until you explicitly change it using option-start-iTunes.

Changing the setting of the media folder tells iTunes where to put new media, not where to look for existing content nor which library file to open.

Looks as if you managed to pull an empty library into the external drive, rather than your original. Perhaps this approach will work... (if not you may need to rebuild your library from what is in the media folder, losing ratings, playlists, play counts etc.)

Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash

Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping. In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.

Windows images, but you get the point. Depending on the age of your library the library file might not include the .itl extention. Make it match the file you are replacing.

See MusicFolder Files Not Added and Super Remove Dead Tracks for tools to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.

tt2

YAY! Thank you SO much for all of your help!!! It was definitely the iTunes Library.itl file! As soon as I copied a previous file I was able to pull everything in! THANK YOU!!!!!