Moving iTunes to HD 2 on iMac

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Moving iTunes to HD 2 on iMac

I recently transfered my iTunes folder from the 251 gig Macintosh HD to the 1 TB SATA Macintosh HD 2 on my iMac. I checked the HD 2, found the iTunes library intact in the iTunes folder, clicked on some tunes, they played. When opening iTunes, I held the option key down and "pointed" to the new location of the folder. I then deleted the iTunes from the origianl location. (I have back ups on an external drive too.) Now when I open iTunes, it opens, all my music appears to be there, but when I click on a tune, I get the "The song XXX could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it" message. I click locate, open the folder on HD 2, find the song, click on it, accept the option to locate the other 9,000 or so songs this way, agree to this, and it doesn't work.

Any help?

Posted on Feb 9, 2014 7:16 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

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Feb 10, 2014 8:15 AM in response to Marquebber

It certainly sounds like you've done what normally works... but it hasn't. 😕

Take a single broken track, press CMD+I to Get Info., say no when asked to look for it, then on the summary tab look for the location that will begin file://localhost/

Please post back this value and the true path to file on your HD2.

With the two paths to compare I may see something obvious, otherwise I might have to put on the thinking cap... I've got a repair tool for Windows, but not for Mac.

tt2

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Answer 2

Marquebber Author

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Feb 10, 2014 4:46 PM in response to turingtest2

Turingtest2, thanks so much for your patience - rather busy day today and plagued by this problem. But I am obviously not too savy: can you be more specific about "press CMD+I" - does that mean the command key and something else? I apologize for my ignorance. What exactly am I to press? Eager to help you help me.

M

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Answer 3

Marquebber Author

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Feb 10, 2014 4:58 PM in response to Marquebber

Wait, somehow I believe I have stumbled onto what you are requesting.

file://localhost/Users/markwebber/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Ahmad Jamal/Chamber Music Of The New Jazz[LPR]/09 Spring Is Here.mp3

True path value of HD 2? Sorry, I am lost again.

Interesting. There is not a folder called Music on that drive, and the folder called Music on the 251 gig Mac drive is empty. Man. I'm baffled. So grateful for your assistance though.

M

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Answer 4

turingtest2

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Feb 10, 2014 4:58 PM in response to Marquebber

Command + i key is the shortcut for Get Info.

tt2

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Answer 5

Marquebber Author

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Feb 10, 2014 5:01 PM in response to Marquebber

Ok, and the method of determining true path to file on HD 2?

thanks again so much.

M

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Answer 6

Marquebber Author

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Feb 10, 2014 5:06 PM in response to Marquebber

right clicking for info on this track seems to give me this:

/Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/iTunes/Ahmad Jamal/Chamber Music Of The New Jazz [LPR]

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Answer 7

turingtest2

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Feb 10, 2014 5:18 PM in response to Marquebber

Marquebber wrote:

Ok, and the method of determining true path to file on HD 2?

Drill down through finder...

So with a broken track what does iTunes say in Get Info. and what do you make it via Finder? Please include the filename and extension.

tt2

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Answer 8

Marquebber Author

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Feb 10, 2014 5:40 PM in response to turingtest2

Sorry, will have to continue in morning - apologies, and gratitude.

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Answer 9

Marquebber Author

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Feb 11, 2014 5:51 AM in response to Marquebber

Ok, I am back, and trying this again. Sorry about delay, and hope you are still willing to help - if you think I should start this over somehow, let me know.

Selecting a different track, and trying to give all info I can find with command+i (if there is a way of sharing screen shots let me know) I come up with this when I click on broken track in itunes:

file://localhost/Users/markwebber/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Ahmad Jamal/Chamber Music Of The New Jazz[LPR]/04 It Ain't Necessarily So.mp3

Drilling down through finder, and right clicking on tune in folder (which plays), clicking get info, I get this:

/Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Ahmad Jamal/Chamber Music Of The New Jazz [LPR]

Thank you very much!

M

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Answer 10

turingtest2

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Feb 11, 2014 6:57 AM in response to Marquebber

Thanks.

Can you let me know what value you have under iTunes > Preferences > Advanced for the location of the iTunes Media folder?

If you look in /Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/iTunes and /Users/markwebber/Music/iTunes which set of .itl/.xml files have the most recent modified dates?

tt2

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Answer 11

Limnos

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Feb 11, 2014 7:17 AM in response to turingtest2

tt2: Am I getting a sense of déjà-vu with this localhost issue and the newest iTunes version? Did you ever get it resolved with the OP who didn't want to rebuild their library because data added was the most important metadata?

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Answer 12

Marquebber Author

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Feb 11, 2014 7:33 AM in response to Marquebber

Turingtest2,

iTunes > Preferences > Advancedfor the location of the iTunes Media folder value is

/Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/iTunes

most recent modified date for /Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/iTunes is today 10:29 (one minute ago)

and there is nothing at all in /Users/markwebber/Music/ - the itunes folder is deleted.

I know I know. This is very strange.

Mark

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Answer 13

Marquebber Author

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Feb 11, 2014 7:36 AM in response to Marquebber

Limnos, don't mean to ignor you, am simply ignorant.

Should I start over? I have a copy of iTunes folder on a back up drive.

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Answer 14

Limnos

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Feb 11, 2014 8:02 AM in response to Marquebber

Marquebber: I was telling turingtest2 (tt2 for short) that this problem seems familiar. I have seen at least two others involving this "localhost" file path in the last 24 hours, including the option to find other files not working to resolve the issue. I am hoping tt2 will find a good solution. 😉 There is likely a resolution but it involves rebuilding your iTunes library and it would be nice it you didn't have to resort to that (especially if some data such as data added and ratings are important to you).

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Answer 15

turingtest2

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Feb 11, 2014 9:04 AM in response to Limnos

Limnos wrote:

tt2: Am I getting a sense of déjà-vu with this localhost issue and the newest iTunes version? Did you ever get it resolved with the OP who didn't want to rebuild their library because data added was the most important metadata?

Same here, and no I don't think the other thread has been resolved yet... Although in that case if I recall correctly there was an exact match between the two paths (with the exception of a leading file://localhost/) so I think this one is actually different.

PS. Pop yourself into the lounge at some point if you have a moment... Matt K. dropped you a line.

tt2

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