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)
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
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
This can happen if your library was originally created prior to iTunes 9 when the media folder would have been called iTunes Music and a some point an error has casued it to be reset to the current default of iTunes Media.
Check under Edit > Preferences > Advanced that the media folder is currently set to <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Media.
Use File > Library > Organize Library... and tick both boxes, or the one that isn't greyed out, then click OK. When iTunes has finished moving/copying files everything left in iTunes Music should be redundant copies. Move the folder to the desktop, check the library still behaves properly then delete the folder.
The backup method given above is a one time time process that isn't easy to update when you add or remove things from the library. You might find my backup tip useful.
tt2
I am still having a problem. I was able to go back to the old way by using a restore and having everything in the iTunes Music folder. However I want to update to the new way and it seems I am unable to do so and I can not figure out why.
The box to organize is still greyed out.
My iTunes library is also stored on an external HD.
Any suggestions?
Ah, I made the assumption that both folders were on the internal...
The "Rearrange files..." option is greyed out if iTunes is already using the new layout, which basically creates an extra subfolder for music and puts Mobile Applications and Tone/Ringtones in the media folder instead of the library folder. If iTunes should be using the correct structure but there is media inside the media folder in the wrong one, then turn "Keep organized..." off, then back on again.
See Make a split library portable for more information. I'd recommend the changes to make backing up and migrating easier in future.
tt2
I'll try that when I get home from work. The thing is it isn't organized at all! No media folder and the option is grayed out.
iTunes has to have a designated media folder. You'll find it listed under Edit > Preferences > Advanced. Whether or not you let iTunes organize the content in it is up to you, but anything that iTunes manages for you like rips or purchases will be put there. If there is Music folder inside it with artist folders inside that then iTunes is using the "new" layout regardless of the name of the media folder itself.
tt2
The organization is all screwed up and I am getting very frustrated because I do not want to lose my counts and playlists but I am at a lost of what to do.
I have it set to organize automatically. But for some reason stuff, my music has never been neat and the other folders are not as neat as they could be.
I tried unchecking and rechecking to organize it tonight and that did not work. I tried moving the location of my iTunes directory in preferences to have it on my main drive and that failed as well. It was showing all of my music but it was all in iCloud or Match.
I am beyond frustrated and would just like to get my entire library straightened out, have everything I have neat, and not lose any playlists or play counts.
Is there anything left I can do?
EDIT
To take it one step further, everything seems to be moved to my Music/iTunes directory but there is no iTunes xml or whatever is supposed to be there.
The iTunes folder is also still on the external hard drive even tho it was copied when I changed the location. It looks like the iTunes files were not moved tho and iTunes has no clue the library was moved the other location.
My plan was to move the iTunes library to the default location to help organize it and then move it back to the external.
That set of folders looks correct, however they would normally be at <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Media and the various library files and the album artwork folder would be in <User's Music>\iTunes.
It would seem that you've chosen the wrong location in preferences to consolidate to. Don't move anything by hand just yet, or change the path and consolidate, as that will create copies. Can you locate your active iTunes Library.itl file using Spotlight? Tell me where that is and I should be able to give you detailed steps to put things in the correct layout.
tt2
Even after moving the location of the library in preferences and such it is still here.
I tried reverting back using Time Machine so here are all the settings right now after that restore.
The other folder from the other post still exists, I have not removed it.
Changing the location in preferences doesn't move the active database around. It tells iTunes where to put new content and iTunes should also prompt to consolidate (copy not move) existing content to the new location.
You should be able to delete the Automatically Add to iTunes and Mobile Applications folders shown in the first image of the post above. You should also be able to close iTunes, rename iTunes Music as iTunes Media and start iTunes again. iTunes should automatically update the media folder location under preferences to Volumes/iTunes/iTunes/iTunes Media.
If you select a typical file in iTunes, Get Info, then look at the summary tab, does it show as being on your external volume or is it somewhere else? Are there duplicates in the library, or duplicates on the drive itself?
tt2
As of right now there are no duplicates in my library. My iTunes Library right now is pointing to the external hard drive since I did the restore from Time Machine.
I am confused about what to do at this exact time without further messing up my situation.
I do appreciate your help and taking the time to try and help me!
<Personal Information Edited By Host>
Well it looks like things are in order from what I can see. The library folder is Volumes\iTunes\iTunes and copied as a whole it ought to work on any other path if you option-start-iTunes to connect to it.
File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files would guarantee anything currently stored outside the media folder is copied into it.
Turning Keep organized... off and then back on again would ensure that everything is organized consistently.
Changing the media folder name to iTunes Media would make the library match the current layout.
See Grouping tracks into albums for tips on tidying up the media within iTunes. Fixing albums split with, for example, differing artists in iTunes will also tidy up the storage on the hard drive.
PS, I've asked the hosts to remove your last image as it has some personal info. on it.
tt2
OK, I am still a bit confused. It does not look to me as if the library folder on the iTunes Volume is in order. Everything is still stored in iTunes Music folder and that is what I am trying to avoid.
In the iTunes music folder there are directories with artists names, there is another music folder as well as the folders for the media such as Podcasts and such.
Also, the option to organize to media folder is still greyed out.
Are there duplicate copies of artist folders in Volumes\iTunes\iTunes\iTunes Music and Volumes\iTunes\iTunes\iTunes Music\Music? If so you can probably remove them.
If there are some artist folders on one path and some on the other then perhaps there are permissions problems preventing iTunes from renaming the folders & files. Consolidating to a new path ought to get around that.
Changing the media folder to Volumes\iTunes\iTunes\iTunes Media and consolidating to that ought to work, then you could delete iTunes Music.
tt2
OK, I see you responded to me in my e-mail but it is not coming up here.
They are not duplicates, they are just spread out over different folders for some reason. And it happens no matter where the iTunes voume is.
So to be sure I do this right, is this what I should do?
Go into Advanced settings and change my iTunes Media folder to iTunes Media? I have to manually create a folder called iTunes Media in the iTunes folder because there is not one already.
Am I getting this right?
Music Folder and Media Folder - How do I combine?
