Need Help with iTunes Library in New OS

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Need Help with iTunes Library in New OS

Hi.

I just switched operating systems from Windows XP 32-bit on a spinning drive to Windows 7 64-bit on a solid-state drive.

I keep my iTunes data on an external drive with the path M:\data\iTunes. I have organize files on, but all the music is in the iTunes folder and not in a music sub-folder.

When I set the path in the new OS and add the library the files all show up, but about half of the art is missing and none of the music will play because the file isn't where iTunes expects it to be. Podcasts won't play, either, and audiobooks aren't showing up at all..

I'm thinking this might be happening because iTunes is expecting the music, podcasts, and books to be in the "proper" subfolders.

Ideas, anyone? How can I fix?

Windows 7

Posted on Apr 29, 2013 6:51 PM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

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Apr 29, 2013 8:10 PM in response to Dallas Denny

Copy your old entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to /Music/ on the new install.

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Answer 2

Dallas Denny Author

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Apr 29, 2013 9:53 PM in response to Chris CA

It's the very same folder. It hasn't moved or changed. I changed operating systems and reinstalled iTunes, pointed it at the old folder location, and selected the old library. The file names and about half the art are showing, but iTunes if finding none of the files to play, not music, or books, or podcasts.

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Answer 3

Chris CA

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82,440 points

Apr 30, 2013 7:20 AM in response to Dallas Denny

Dallas Denny wrote:

It's the very same folder. It hasn't moved or changed. I changed operating systems and reinstalled iTunes, pointed it at the old folder location, and selected the old library.

How/where did you do this?

Settings iTunes prefs > Advanced - iTunes media folder location does not tell iTunes tro look for music currently there.

It simply tells iTunes where to put new media. iTunes uses the iTunes library.itl file (in the /Music/iTunes/ folder) to identify where the media is located.

Note that the iTunes library is not the same thing as the iTunes media folder.

The iTunes library consists of the iTunes folder (default location is /Music/iTunes/) and the iTunes media, wherever it is located.

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Answer 4

turingtest2

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Apr 30, 2013 7:22 AM in response to Dallas Denny

New OS probably may mean new security permissions. When you say "pointed" do you mean that you changed the media folder under Edit > Prefrences > Advanced, or did you shift-start iTunes and connect to the library which is not hosted in the usual location of <User's Music>\iTunes? If the library is in a non-standard location is the media folder elsewhere too?

tt2

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Answer 5

Dallas Denny Author

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Apr 30, 2013 3:16 PM in response to Chris CA

I'm running as administrator on Windows 7.

I changed the media folder under Edit > Preferences ? Advanced first, then shift-started iTunes.

The media is located on an external drive at M:\data\iTunes. The music is all in the iTunes folder. Podcasts and Adds are in Podcast and app folders inside the iTunes folder. All the library files are located there, too.

So, there seems to be no media folder, unless iTunes created it on the boot drive.

Any ideas how to fix this? I'm finding nothing on the internet.

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Answer 6

Dallas Denny Author

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Apr 30, 2013 3:18 PM in response to turingtest2

I did both. I've no idea where the media folder is. There's not one where the music in, it's on an external drive at M:/Data/iTunes. If there's one on the computer anywhere, it's on the boot drive and iTunes created it when I installed the program.

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Answer 7

turingtest2

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May 1, 2013 3:13 AM in response to Dallas Denny

Select a track and press CTRL+I to Get Info. Look at the location given on the summary tab. It should begin with file://localhost. Where is the file really? In some cases it may be possible to move the folders around so that the media is where iTunes expects to find it.

Alternatively you could move things into a more typical layout as shown in this diagram on the right.

And then use my script FindTracks to fix the broken links. I'd suggest you move the iTunes folder to the root of the drive first. See also my post on making a split library portable for background.

tt2

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Answer 8

Dallas Denny Author

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May 14, 2013 7:55 PM in response to Dallas Denny

Thanks, that helped a lot. However, iTunes moved all the media files.

In iTunes preferences, I have the iTunes Media folder set at M:\iTunes\iTunes Media. Keep iTunes Media folder is checked.

I put iTunes at M:\iTunes, created iTunes Media within that, moved everything into the proper folders (Music, Podcasts, etc.) inside iTunes Media, then created a new library and imported everything. When that happened it moved almost everything from the folders to the M:\iTunes\iTunes Media folder itself. Worse, it left a half dozen or so albums in the Music folder and moved the Tones, iPot Games, and iTunesU folders into Music. There are Previous iTunes Libraries and Album Artwork folder in there, and both are also in the M:\iTunes folder.

Happily, all the non-embedded artwork showed. Before this I had to go find it all, a process that took hours.

I think I"m close.

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Answer 9

turingtest2

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272,881 points

May 15, 2013 2:53 AM in response to Dallas Denny

Are you sure iTunes is opening the correct library file? Check the date modified of the M:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl file to make sure it is updating each time you access the library. Check too under File > Library > Organize Library... that Rearrange files... is either greyed out or, if not, tick the checkbox and click OK.

tt2

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