HT201610: About iTunes library files

Learn about About iTunes library files
Ellislake
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Q: All music is stored in iTunes media folder and another folder on same external hard drive so all this data is duplicated, can I delete one of the folders so iTunes only reads from iTunes media folder ?...

I have the option selected, add copy of files to itunes media folder.

All my music is stored on an external hard drive in a folder called music which is 25gig

I also have my iTunes media folder stored on the same hard drive under a folder iTunes,all of the settings initunes means my music is saved to the iTunes folder however when I go to get info on any track I'm playing it is playing the music from the folder named music and not from the iTunes media folder, I can confirm both folders are 25gig. They are a duplicate of each other so iTunes is copying all music over as selected but I wanna delete the folder named music and just have iTunes lay the files in the iTunes folder. How do I do this ?

Windows XP

Posted on Jan 1, 2013 1:09 AM

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Ellislake

Q: All music is stored in iTunes media folder and another folder on same external hard drive so all this data is duplicated, can I de ... more

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  • by Steve Taylor1,

    Steve Taylor1 Steve Taylor1 Jan 1, 2013 2:10 AM in response to Ellislake
    Level 5 (4,680 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 2:10 AM in response to Ellislake

    If you look in iTunes Preferences, Advanced it will tell you which library itunes is currently using

  • by Ellislake,

    Ellislake Ellislake Jan 1, 2013 2:37 AM in response to Steve Taylor1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 2:37 AM in response to Steve Taylor1

    It's using the music folder but when I change that to the iTunes library I get a an exclamation mark on every song on iTunes.

  • by Steve Taylor1,

    Steve Taylor1 Steve Taylor1 Jan 1, 2013 2:51 AM in response to Ellislake
    Level 5 (4,680 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 2:51 AM in response to Ellislake

    The exclammation mark normally indicates that the file cannot be found for the entry.

     

    On the preferences advanced do you have the

     

    Keep itunes Media Folder Organised

     

    Copy files to itunes Media Folder when adding to library.

     

    If so and you reckon both iTunes Music and Itunes Media Folder you could switch to the itunes Media Folder Delete all the music ( Keep Files if Prompted) and just drag the whole file structure into itunes and you should be good.

     

    Then you can delete the Music folder

  • by Ellislake,

    Ellislake Ellislake Jan 1, 2013 2:59 AM in response to Steve Taylor1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 2:59 AM in response to Steve Taylor1

    What I've done now is moved my music folder into a different folder to keep it safe, I've deleted my iTunes library, ie on itunes highlighted all and deleted. Then gone to iTunes media folder and checked they are deleted and they are. Now whatever done is put my music folder back and checked preferences and it says keep a copy of file in iTunes etc. also keep folder organised is on.

     

    So now I have started afresh I have both my music folder and iTunes folder which hold the same songs.

     

    So what do you recommend I should do to be able to delete the music folder and just have one folder of songs?

     

     

     

    Thank you

  • by Steve Taylor1,

    Steve Taylor1 Steve Taylor1 Jan 1, 2013 3:16 AM in response to Ellislake
    Level 5 (4,680 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 3:16 AM in response to Ellislake

    On preferences ar you now pointing at the iTunes Media folder instead.

    On my machine it is /Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music

    instead of /Music/iTunes/Music

     

    What do your folder paths look like?

  • by Ellislake,

    Ellislake Ellislake Jan 1, 2013 3:14 AM in response to Steve Taylor1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 3:14 AM in response to Steve Taylor1

    Let me get you the paths for everything. Just waiting for some files to convert and ill post the file paths

     

    Cheers

  • by Ellislake,

    Ellislake Ellislake Jan 1, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Steve Taylor1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Steve Taylor1

    Ok so I have started afresh now.

    All files organised automatically by iTunes that check box is checked.

    Make a copy of files in iTunes folder is checked

     

    Path for my music folder on my network drive is p:\public folder\music\

    Path for iTunes folder is p:\public folder\itunes\......

     

    I keep the iTunes folder on my network hard drive as I run iTunes on a tiny computer that's left on all the time as I stream music throughout the house so I do not want to store files on the pc so everything is stored on my network drive which shows up as P: 

     

    Do you need any more info as I'm quite capable of getting it, I just hate iTunes lol

     

    Thanks