Q: transfer my itunes to external

All the media should have been inside iTunes Music before you started. No wonder it doesn't work properly!

So... Do you already have a user folder called christiansturgis? If not please create the following tree of folders: //Users/christiansturgis/Music/iTunes/ Then try moving a single artist folder from the iTunes folder on the external  into //Users/christiansturgis/Music/iTunes/. If iTunes "knows" the files are missing close and then reopen iTunes before trying to access them again. Do these files now play? If so good news. You can repeat for other folders. (If not ignore the rest below and post back details.)

Some housekeeping first:

1. Delete the file iTunes Music Library.xml it is no longer required, nor will it be updated. With iTunes closed rename iTunes Music as iTunes Media and iTunes Library as iTunes Library.itl.
2. Start iTunes again, you may need to browse to the renamed library file.
3. Check in iTunes Preferences > Advanced that the media folder is correctly given as <Device>/iTunes/iTunes Media, edit if not, also tick both the Keep... and Copy.... options.
4. Use File (or is it iTunes?) > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange files in the folder iTunes Media.
5. (You can also discard all but the most recent file from the Previous iTunes Libraries folder.)

Once you've moved all the relevant folders from the external drive to the correct path on the internal (don't move Album Artwork, iTunes Media or Previous iTunes Libraries) you can consolidate the library back into the correct folder on the external, (File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files) then discard the copies created on the internal drive, once you've made sure everything works properly from the external drive.

Your library will now be portable. Back it up to another drive.

tt2

PS If space is an issue you can do one folder of content, consolidate, discard internal copies, and repeat. But check carefully!

Yep, I got that, and yes, test out say Augustus Pablo first.

One thing I had missed was that your iTunes folder is actually called iTunes back up. If and when you get to the point where I said it is now portable, close iTunes, rename the folder as just iTunes then start up iTunes again and choose the library in the renamed folder.

I'll be away from a computer for about an hour - if you get stuck or you've got any questions I'll be back...

tt2

Back...

tt2

After dragging the folder to the internal drive will the relevant tracks now play when clicked on in the iTunes interface? If so the move has "repaired" the broken links. Once everything is working the other steps I gave you will make it work properly, from the external drive, in a way that will work with any computer.

tt2

I too left for a while so missed the last 8 posts or so. Been going on for several hours I see.   Might it not be easier to simply rebuild the library from scratch, or at least revert to what is on the old computer and consolidate that?

I'll duck out again.

sturgissos wrote:

 

by the way my old compter is running itunes 7

NOW you tell me! OK serves me right for not asking earlier. I thought the Users/<Username>/ bit smacked of Windows but I'd have expected to see a C:/ after localhost/.

I don't have access to a Mac so I'm not entirely certain how it handles the drives in these circumstances. That was the point of asking for both iTunes' idea of where the files is and the full path from the perspective of the Mac.

Looks like this will need fixing back on the PC after all...

Put everything back on the PC exactly where it came from, with the same folder names as it had before and we can take if from there. If the library file that you've moved backwards and forewards won't work with the build of iTunes on that machine, rename it as iTunes Library (Broken).itl, copy the most recent file from the Previous iTunes Libraries folder into the main iTunes folder and rename it as iTunes Library,itl.

Let me know when it is working and I'll try again. I'll need the drive letter for the external drive...

tt2

PC? What PC? The original is on an old iMac according to the first post. The final is on the MacBookPro is the OP's profile, I assume.

OK I'm obviously far too tired. I read Windows 7 instead of iTunes 7

tt2

The step-by-step is given at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527 > External drives   Normally you can abbreviate this, but not in your case because I think you really should play it by the book and let iTunes organize your collection as it sees fit.  You can organize it yourself if you want to, but then you do need to know what you're doing because my brain is getting full.

So, let iTunes consolidate your collection, making sure you use the default location set for media location and 'organize music' and 'copy to' selected in your preferences (I use iTunes 7.5 by the way).

Once it is in a nice, neat package you can then copy the whole iTunes folder over.

Now the cautious would back up their drive before doing this.  I am also assuming you have plenty of room on your iMac's drive.

Hmmm.. 6 pm here, must be beddy-bye time in the UK.

And I warn people, it is also getting to spend-the-evening-with-the-wife,-not-the-computer time here.  Back ca. 22:30h central.

Message was edited by: Limnos