iTunes canot locate files in new MBP - due to different username?

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Level 1

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iTunes canot locate files in new MBP - due to different username?

I recently switched from PC to Mac (rMBP). I used the migration assistant to move most of my files from my old PC to my new Mac, including my iTunes library. I was pleasantly surprised to see all my music files (apprx 8,000) were in iTunes, including my playlists, etc. Then I noticed that iTunes cannot locate the songs. I, then, created a new iTunes Media folder and changed the location accordingly in Preferences after ticking "keep my iTunes folder organized", nothing happened. Then I realized what the problem was: my user name on my old PC was different from the one on my new Mac, therefore the file location did not exactly match, i.e.:

c:\users\ALPFIGEN\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media vs users\afigen\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media

Is there any way to fix this situation without having to create a new account with a user name that matches my old PC? I also would like to add that while some of my music files are in iTunes Media Folder, majority are in iTunes Music Folder (from earlier version of iTunes).

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 27, 2013 6:57 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Apr 27, 2013 11:49 AM in response to alpmac

Set iTunes prefs > Advanced - iTunes media folder location back to

users\afigen\Music\iTunes\

Uncheck Keep iTunes media folder organized then recheck Keep iTunes media folder organized.

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Answer 2

alpmac Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 11:01 PM in response to Chris CA

Thanks for the suggestion Chris Ca. I followed your suggestion and my music that are in iTunes folder showed up without the i icon in front. However, my music that were originally in my itunes media folder and itunes music folder still had my previous location. In other words, I still have thousands of music files that iTunes cannot locate as they remained in their previous location (that doesn't exist).

Then I manually consolidated all my music in users\afigen\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media Folder and changed the location from iTunes prefs>Advanced and repeated unchecking and rechecking "Keep iTunes media folder organized". Same thing. I can find and relocate each song one by one in iTunes but that will take forever. I wonder if it has something to do with iTunes Library.itl and/or iTunes Music Library.xml files that are in the iTunes folder.

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Answer 3

alpmac Author

Level 1

4 points

May 1, 2013 12:10 AM in response to alpmac

OK my problem is solved after reading an article on how iTunes works.

First, I corrected the situation at source after deleting the iTunes folder on my MBP. I started over by consolidating my library in iTunes on my PC since I had my music files both in iTunes Media Folder and iTunes Music Folder. I made sure by checking that all my music files that were previously in iTunes Music Folder were copied to iTunes Media Folder. This meant that I would have no location conflict when I transferred my iTunes files to MBP. Then I transferred the iTunes folder to my MBP and voila; all my music were in users\afigen\Music\iTunes \iTunes Media Folder. The only drawback here is the extra hard disk space used in MBP since music files iTunes Music Folder or elsewhere were copied not moved to iTunes Media Folder therefore doubling the spave. I understand that the only way aropund that is to create a brand new library.

Thanks Chris CA for pointing me in the right direction.

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