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Transferring my iTunes files

So I've got a new laptop (Windows 8), an old laptop (Windows 7) and a 1TB hard disk to transfer and backup files.


What I want to do is to transfer my files (mostly songs; about 100GB) from my old laptop to my new one through the 1TB hard disk.


Unfortunately, my new laptop doesn't have enough space to store all my files, as I am planning to use the hard disk as a long term drive for my new laptop.


How can I transfer my entire iTunes library (along with songs, playlists, play counts etc.) from my old laptop to my new laptop; using my hard disk as a long term external drive?



Sorrry my question might be unclear, hope you can help me.

Windows 8

Posted on Sep 13, 2013 2:36 AM

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Posted on Sep 13, 2013 2:43 AM

See this migrate iTunes library post for general principles. If you copy the entire iTunes folder to the external drive, then hold down shift as you start iTunes you can connect to the copy of the library on the external. This portable version of your library can be connected to any computer running the same build of iTunes. If you're not going to copy it to an internal drive you should get another external to serve as backup.


tt2

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Sep 13, 2013 2:43 AM in response to Wayne Lui

See this migrate iTunes library post for general principles. If you copy the entire iTunes folder to the external drive, then hold down shift as you start iTunes you can connect to the copy of the library on the external. This portable version of your library can be connected to any computer running the same build of iTunes. If you're not going to copy it to an internal drive you should get another external to serve as backup.


tt2

Sep 13, 2013 7:37 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks a lot! That really helped me... I followed your method of using synctoy, shift key when open itunes, put my external hard drive itune file in to the laptop itunes file etc... but it didn't sync my playcounts, playlists and seems to be just importing original mp3 files... can you help me with that?


ps. I would apprecitate it if you know how to fix my garbled song titles of some non-english songs too. Thanks for your help anyways!

Sep 14, 2013 1:41 AM in response to turingtest2

Sorry I mean I "added file (my "Temp" file with all my itunes file from the old library to the );


5. Move the folder F:\Temp to F:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Temp

6. Use File > Add Folder to Library (press ALT or CTRL-B to reveal the menu bar if it isn't shown) and add the folder F:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Temp


So I added all the songs in to the library and they showed up. But no playlists nor playcounts were updated even I chose the itl. file before I open iTunes... Do you know what the problem is?

Sep 14, 2013 3:39 AM in response to Wayne Lui

Typically the iTunes library is created at <User's Music>\iTunes with the media folder at <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Media. With the library in this form you can copy the entire iTunes folder from the first computer into <User's Music> on the second (either directly over a network, or by copying to and from an external drive) and it just works.


Alternatively you can move/copy the iTunes folder to an external drive as X:\iTunes and hold down shift when starting iTunes to connect to the library file at X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. Once the library is in this configuration you can connect the drive to any other computer running the same build of iTunes and use the shift-start-iTunes method to connect to it.


Given that that you're talking about moving Temp folders around I can only assume your library isn't in the typical layout, at which point my post make a split library portable comes into play. If you can describe how things are set up now I should be able to describe the most efficent way to get things into the right shape for moving.


tt2

Sep 14, 2013 5:51 AM in response to turingtest2

Ok so let me try to describe my setup in the simplest way:


(my external drive is D:\)


- My prefernces of itunes media is set in D:\iTunes\iTunes Media

- I just dragged my most updated itunes library extras, itunes library genius and itunes library (all .itl i think) to D:\iTunes

- In my D:\iTunes\iTunes Media, there is a Temp file, which hopefully contains the complete files and folders of my old laptop; D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Temp\iTunes Media


now when I open itunes, I hold shift key and chose the itunes library in D:\iTunes. I dragged that in recently. But my songs are messed up, some are duplicated and distorted now. So I removed all the songs in iTunes (the itunes screen) and the songs in D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music (not the one in the temp file).


When I try to add folder to library again (I only chose D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Temp\iTunes Media\Music because I don't want to duplicate the other files), nothing is added to my itunes screen nor the D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music. Can you please help me with that? I really appreciate it.



By the way, the playlists and apps are still there on the itunes screen but the playlists are empty.

Sep 14, 2013 6:09 PM in response to turingtest2

My .itl file is in D:\iTunes, and my setting of the media folder under Edit > Preferences > Advanced is D:\iTunes\iTunes Media. All my songs are on the itunes screen and in the D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music, but it doesnt include the playcounts ratings nor was inserted into any playlist.


I had once almost succeed in having the updated songs and playlists yesterday, but because some of the song titles are garbled, I deleted them and restart the method again.


I just realized the folders in D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Temp\iTunes Media\Music are empty now (use to contain my songs from the laptopp),

and the songs placed in D:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music are now garbled...


Thanks

Sep 15, 2013 7:32 AM in response to turingtest2

At the very beginning, it was connected to C:\Users\Wayne Lui\Music\iTunes, and when I hold shift and choose library, I chose the one in C:\Users\Wayne Lui\Music\iTunes. Everything is empty now.


I did back up the library before it became garbled, but as soon as I add the folder to itunes, the songs in the original backup are gone. Even if I copied it again in another folder in my external drive; which means the original songs will always be removed or moved to the D:\iTunes\iTunes Media. But losing the backup might be a minor issue, because I always have the original library in my old laptop.


What I mean by garbled is that the titles and artists of the chinese songs I copied in to the library became some weird characters.


Thanks

Sep 15, 2013 7:43 AM in response to Wayne Lui

Start over.


Open Itunes > Preferences > Advanced > Reset default location

Itunes > Preferences > Advanced > check 'Copy files to iTunes Media Library when adding' and 'Keep iTunes Media Library Organized'


Now copy the original library into new iTunes through iTunes GUI, not finder:


From iTunes , File > Add to Library > Path to original Itunes Media folder > Open

Transferring my iTunes files

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