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Music Folder and Media Folder - How do I combine?

OK, just realized my library is split up into two folders an iTunes Media Folder and an iTunes Music Folder!


How annoying is that?


How can I combine the two folders? Everything I've done so far has failed.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Oct 7, 2013 6:54 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 10, 2013 1:02 PM

Hi thomasmontalto,


Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.


This article can help with iTunes media organization:


iTunes: Understanding iTunes Media Organization

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847


I'd suggest first making sure iTunes is set to organize and consolidate your media into the iTunes Media folder.

If you want the new organization method on an older library, upgrade to iTunes Media organization by choosing File > Library > Organize Library

Next, you should be able to manually make sure that the iTunes Music folder no longer contains your media, and remove the folder.


It's always a good idea to back up your iTunes library before making any of these changes. The first step of this article also goes over consolidating your media in more detail:


iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751


Best,


Jeremy

36 replies

Oct 23, 2014 12:05 PM in response to turingtest2

Just found this thread and think I have a related question... hopefully tt2 is still around.


Backstory - accidentally unplugged external HD on which iTunes library and media is stored a couple of days ago. iTunes freaked out a little later saying it couldn't find the library file etc, though it the external was plugged back in and looked ok.


So my previous iTunes library/media organization was perfect - everything in /Music/iTunes/iTunes Media. In the process of trying to fix the external issue, I noticed my preferences > advanced > iTunes media folder location was blank so I erroneously changed the folder one level up, to /Music/iTunes, with the keep organized clicked and probably said yes to some consolidation popup. Anyway, long story short, MOST of my media has moved itself up to /Music/iTunes, though strangely a few items remain under /Music/iTunes/iTunes Media, and now I want it all back under iTunes Media and not at the upper level. I've tried a lot of the tips in this thread, what with the uncheck and check the Keep Organized etc, but nothing will move back under the old iTunes Media structure.


Can you help?

Oct 23, 2014 4:52 PM in response to turingtest2

TT2, thanks for reply.


media folder is 1.2 tb, free space only 450gb. Sorry, /Music is a folder. full path is something like LaCie-media/music/iTunes etc


ive just ordered another 4tb drive in the hopes that maybe using File>library>organize>consolidate with a new folder on the new drive will fix it. Sorta needed a new drive anyway.


also stumbled upon a script you linked to in another thread along the lines of consolidate by moving instead of copying but was for windows?

Oct 23, 2014 5:09 PM in response to kechy

Yes, my scripts are for Windows only. If you're going to migrate to a new drive you might want to consider copying your iTunes library files to /<New Volume>/iTunes, option-starting iTunes to access the library there, then setting the media folder to /<New Volume>/iTunes/iTunes Media and consolidating. Once done you should think about cloning the working library back to the original external drive and then keeping the two in sync so that one backs up the other.


tt2

Music Folder and Media Folder - How do I combine?

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