Mattwoutborders
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Q: iTunes Music Folder Missing on external hard drive after changing iTunes Media Folder Location from MacBook Hard Drive.  Not deleted...just missing?

I store my iTunes media folder on my external hard drive and can no longer find it there.  It seemed to becomd lost after I re-designated the default iTunes media location.  I had downloaded some things from iTunes without my external hard drive plugged in and when they downloaded they downloaded to the default location on my Macbook Pro.  In recognizing that, I wanted to move those files from the hard drive on my MacBook Pro to the external hard drive.  When I re-selected the location as the external hard drive a copy process began.  I cancelled the copy process fearing the small number of files from my Macbook Pro would over-write all of the files on my external hard drive so I quit the copy process.  Now I do not see my "iTunes Music" folder on my external hard drive.  I fear that I have somehow lost the path but I believe the content is still on my external hard drive although I no longer see the "iTunes Music" folder on my external hard drive.  I know I didn't delete it, but it isn't there.  Is there a way to make it re-appear?  I would really appreciate any guideance anyone has.

 

Thank you.


Best,

 

Matt

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Nov 28, 2012 7:35 AM

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Q: iTunes Music Folder Missing on external hard drive after changing iTunes Media Folder Location from MacBook Hard Drive.  Not ... more

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  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Nov 28, 2012 8:03 AM in response to Mattwoutborders
    Level 9 (54,635 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 28, 2012 8:03 AM in response to Mattwoutborders

    When you change the location in preferences it tells iTunes to start, from this point on, storing new media files in the new location.  It then presents you with the option to move any old files in their current locations to the new location.  It doesn't move the library files which are not media files.  Read the links below to understand how iTunes works because you are the one with the computer in front of you and are in the better position to understand how it stands as regards to iTunes files.

     

    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

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

     

    Now, did you keep the whole library on the external drive, or did you keep just media?  From your description of the situation it sounds as if you kept the whole library there and when the external was not attached it returned to default location on the internal drive.  What you should have done then was plug in the external drive, hold down the option key, and guide iTunes to the library file on the external.  At this stage you could have dealt with the mislocated new files on an individual basis. 

     

    I guess the key question is, did your trying to move the couple of new media files to the external drive overwrite the iTunes folder there, which because you then canceled may have also just resulted in it being deleted.  I am not going to test the theory on my system.

     

    How big was your library on the external?  If it was 40GB do you now suddenly have 40 GB free?

     

    Look for any iTunes folders on the external drive.  In view options turn on "calculate all folders sizes" and see if there are any big ones.

  • by Mattwoutborders,

    Mattwoutborders Mattwoutborders Nov 28, 2012 8:17 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 28, 2012 8:17 AM in response to Limnos

    Don't test the theory on your system!!  I didn't even think to check the availablity of space on my external drive but it's a 1 TB WD external that was nearly full of all of my iTunes media...and now it's nearly empty.  When I start my Mac with the external plugged in it defaults to the external as the iTunes Music Library.  When I start my Mac without the external plugged in it defaults to another library that is in the music folder under my username.  What I was trying to do was copy downloads from the iTunes Music folder on my Mac to the iTunes Music folder on my external.  I should have just cut and pasted instead of trying to change the location in the iTunes preferences.  When I cancelled the iTunes Music folder location change it must have just deleted what it had planned to write.  I'm going to have to use some kind of file recovery software to get things back off of my external drive and hopefully rebuild the iTunes Music folder by importing them after the recovery.  That sems like the only way to do this. Luckily I haven't written anything to the external drive since I made the mistake. 


    I was thinking I had just lost the partition somehow and that the folder was there intact but not visible.  Now i know my only option is to use file recovery software.

     

    Thanks for your help.  I really appreciate it.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Nov 28, 2012 8:21 AM in response to Mattwoutborders
    Level 9 (54,635 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 28, 2012 8:21 AM in response to Mattwoutborders

    Sure, sorry that happened.   By the way, I never buy just one drive, I always buy two.  Yes, it costs more but if I have a TB of files I do not want to risk losing them.  This could just as easily have happened by the drive suddenly dying on you.  Right now you'll start thinking a backup drive is well worth the cost.