I have just copied all my iTunes files to an external hard drive to free up disc space but I cannot find the iTunes media files on my macbook to delete the originals, How do I go about finding them. Spotlight brings up nothing useful nor does finder search.
MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
An alternative to Frank Caggiano's post above (should you not have your users folder in the sidebar) is to click anywhere on the desktop to make it active and then, from the menubar click on Go and select Home:
If your User's folder is not in the Finder window sidebar, do the following:
1. Click on the desktop to make it active.
2. From the menubar click on Finder and select Preferences
3. In the Preferences window click on the Sidebar icon.
4. Ensure the box next to user shortname is ticked.
Open a Finder window. In the sidebar you should see an icon that looks like a house labled with your short user name
(this is mine)
Click it. In the list of folders that opens one of them should be labeled Music, click it. Your old iTunes stuff should be in there.
I finally found a thread that is dealing with my issue! I still think the Apple walkthrough HT1449 is missing some information. After moving and consolidating your iTunes Media folder to an external HD (which I've done), the instructions say to locate your "original iTunes Media Folder" and drag it to the trash. It also states to not move your iTunes library files. I'm sorry, but there is no "iTunes Media Folder."
Here is a screen shot. Am I supposed to delete all the files except the ones that have "library" in them? What about album artwork?
It's now the iTunes Media folder inside the iTunes folder.
It ws changed from iTunes Music to iTunes Media in iTunes 10.
Are you sure about that? I'm running iTunes 10.3.1 in SL and ML and both show this. BTW, I don't buy any music from the iTunes store and only play the iTunes radio, so maybe I'm missing something.
This is what I have, but, then, I don't create any libraries, don't store any music or movies, or have any need for making it portable or in standard form. The only thing I use it for is to play the Internet radio, late at night when my maiin music system is off, so others can sleep. Also,, that I removed the Album Artwork folder from iTunes Music and when I launch iTunes, it's recreated in that location.
If iTunes still works with the external attached, I HIGHLY recommend you do the steps I mentiopned above.
This keeps all of the iTunes library and media in one location. This will minimize problems, especially if you are unfamiliar wiht the folder structure and how iTunes works..
As noted in step 5 of -> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
the iTunes media folder location is ~/Music/iTunes/.
As noted in step 5 of -> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
the iTunes media folder location is ~/Music/iTunes/.
That is the point exactly. I cannot find any way to find this file on my computor in a form which I can move to trash!
The finder search engine can not find it nor can spotlight, it is as if it just does not exist.
The whole procedure was simple up to this point but the instructions in HT1449 are missing the vital information as to where to find the media files and how to delete them, and I can find nothing in Help or other chat rooms.
It is so frustrating!
baltwo wrote:
It's now the iTunes Media folder inside the iTunes folder.
It ws changed from iTunes Music to iTunes Media in iTunes 10.
Are you sure about that? I'm running iTunes 10.3.1 in SL and ML and both show this. BTW, I don't buy any music from the iTunes store and only play the iTunes radio, so maybe I'm missing something.
Something is messed up as there should not be an Album Artwork folder also inside the iTunes Music folder.
What does iTunes prefs > Advanced - iTunes Media folder location show?
Looks like (at some point) it was set to /Music/iTunes/ and also /Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/.
iTunes has been known to mess it up onocassion.
If you had an iTunes folder prior to iTunes 10 (dunno specifically which version), you had an iTunes Music folder (as shown).
Simply upgrading to iTunes 10 did not change the folder names.
If you now create a new library, it will be iTunes media folder.
technisparc wrote:
I have just copied all my iTunes files to an external hard drive to free up disc space but I cannot find the iTunes media files on my macbook to delete the originals
???
How did you copy these files if you don't know where they are?
However, before you get go further, simply copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to the external drive.
Hold Option, launch iTunes and select Choose library... then select the iTunes folder you moved to the external.
Then you can delete /Music/iTunes/ to free up that space.
I take your point Chris CA, but I did not actually have to locate the files to copy them as I was following the instructions in Article HT1449 where all I had to do was click the button in the change media location screen.
It was only when I got to the end of the instructions which said Locate the original itunes Media folder and drag it to trash that I realised I could not find it and as I said neither spotlight or the Finder search engine can find it either. I know it is still there because iTunes still works with my external hard drive disconnected. It must be hiding somewhere or called something else.
(Incidentally I used the Article HT1449 route in the first place after being unable to find where the iTunes file was stored )
You don't need to search or use Spotlight.
Just open a Finder window and go to Music.
"The whole procedure was simple up to this point but the instructions in HT1449 are missing the vital information as to where to find the media files and how to delete them, and I can find nothing in Help or other chat rooms."
??? It's very simple. The media files are in /Music/iTunes/iTunes media folder.
You have never used a Mac before?
Do you know what your user folder is?
Thanks Chris, I have found this screen . I was trying to find a way of deleting all the files in one click in other words a way of deleting my entire music folder rather than deleting it CD by CD which will take a longer.
I have been looking at other chat rooms and it seems that I will have to do it item by item . I found a good video showing someone deleting the cds one by one and I see no reason why I cannot do them in batches using the comand key to batch them up.
To answer yoour question I have been a Mac user for nearly 10 years now since our company went totally Mac, and I am normally very good at sorting out any problems for myself or for others on the firm. This is the first time I have been stumped for years.
"I was trying to find a way of deleting all the files in one click in other words a way of deleting my entire music folder"
Hy would you delete CD by CD?
Just delete the entire music folder.
Select the ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes media/folder and Command Delete or right click - Move to Trash.
Hi Chris,
We have just gone full circle in this thread back to where I came in with the question
Where do I find the ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes media/folder.?
I have 25Gb + of music on my macbook but I cannot find a file with anything like that ammount of music on it wherever I look.
I think it must be hidden deep in some sub-menu , and from the research I have been doing on the net I am not the only one who has come unstuck at this stage in the proceedure, hence the advice I trracked down on a google search on the subject .
It seems that many people are having to delete the cds one by one.
It is a shame that the original Article HT1449 was missing this vital piece of information.
Where is my iTunes media folder
