MixedUp

Q: iTunes lost my custom media file location setting - how to set back?

iTunes lost my custom media file location setting, which pointed to a 2nd disk drive I have.  It's now pointing back the default location.   Not sure how this occured, an update perhaps?  

 

How can I set this back to my existing directory of iTunes music in such a fashion that iTunes will detect them and show me straight away things?

 

But:

a) The issue is when I point to my 2nd HDD iTunes folder location which has everything in, from iTunes/Preferences/Advanced, it does not then seem to open up anything or display anything

b) I note in the path I have been using on my 2nd HDD the structure is as follows.  i.e. no "iTunes Media" folder (not sure if this is significant)

     /2ndHDD/iTunes/

     /2ndHDD/iTunes/Audiobooks

     /2ndHDD/iTunes/Automatically Add to iTunes.localized

      .

     .

     .

 

 

thanks

 

 

 




Posted on Jan 26, 2014 8:09 PM

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Q: iTunes lost my custom media file location setting - how to set back?

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 26, 2014 8:26 PM in response to MixedUp
    Level 9 (54,543 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 26, 2014 8:26 PM in response to MixedUp

    Are you seeing nothing when opening iTunes?  A new library.?  If that is the case, start iTunes with the option/alt key depressed and guide it to your library on the other drive.

     

    If you really mean redirecting it to the media folder location then it seems you already know how to do that in preferences.  Note that redirecting your media folder location is not the same as relocating a library.

  • by MixedUp,

    MixedUp MixedUp Jan 26, 2014 8:32 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 8:32 PM in response to Limnos

    thanks - understand

     

    the trouble I have is (lets say I use the " option/alt key depressed") method, that whilst I can see the directory with everything in on my 2nd disk drive, there is no actual non-grey'ed out file to click on.  Which implies (I think) there is no *.photolibrary there.  So it's almost like this file went missing or something?

     

    Any advice is this is the case?

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 27, 2014 5:42 AM in response to MixedUp
    Level 9 (54,543 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 27, 2014 5:42 AM in response to MixedUp

    I am not fully understanding the problem here.  Are you seeing anything when you open iTunes, yes or no?  Some people say they have a custom media file location but they really mean they have a custom library location and there is a big difference.  You can set cutom media location in iTunes preferences but don't do that unless you are certain that is what you want/need.  If you have lost connection to your library it won't help and it will make more a mess of things.  It may help if you learn a bit on how iTunes works and maybe you can figure out yourself what you need:

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

     

    What's all this about a .photolibrary???  I have never heard of that in connection with iTunes.

  • by MixedUp,

    MixedUp MixedUp Jan 27, 2014 9:15 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 9:15 AM in response to Limnos

    - had custom media file location

    - got reset somehow

    - set it back myself

    - then can't see any of my music in iTunes

    - noted I seems to be no *.photolibrary file at my custom location, but all the media itself seems to be there

     

    - perhaps question is how to reconstruct your *.photolibrary file

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 27, 2014 9:36 AM in response to MixedUp
    Level 9 (54,543 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 27, 2014 9:36 AM in response to MixedUp

    Are you posting in the correct forum?  This is the iTunes forum.  .photolibrary is used with iPhoto.

     

    Changing media file location will not change how or what iTunes displays for what you have already added to iTunes.  It only affects where things will be put in the future.  Anything already added should still display, unless what you actually lost track of was your library.  Look around your various drives.  Do you see a file called library.itl  anywhere?  That's the file to which you need to direct iTunes when starting with the option key held down.

  • by MixedUp,

    MixedUp MixedUp Jan 27, 2014 1:08 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 1:08 PM in response to Limnos

    doh - sorry must have looked in the wrong folder when trying to guess what was going wrong, so ignore my *.photolibrary words....  So in summary (without the guessing)

     

    - had custom media file location (everything working fine for months)

    - got reset somehow (not sure how)

    - set it back myself in preferences (pointing to the 2nd HDD)

    - then can't see any of my music in iTunes

     

     

    ok & now when I've gone through the same process again it is now working - doh - sorry about the post then overall - I'm not sure why it didn't work - perhaps after resetting the path in preferences it needed time to pick things up (or perhaps it was just me) - thanks for persisting and following up with me in any case

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 27, 2014 1:37 PM in response to MixedUp
    Level 9 (54,543 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 27, 2014 1:37 PM in response to MixedUp

    If items are on an external drive, the drive must be on and mounted before starting iTunes.   Starting the drive after starting iTunes will not get iTunes to look at the drive at that time.  Quitting iTunes, connecting the drive, and restarting iTunes will get it to take a look again.