AttnSB
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Need Help Linking Songs to New Music Folder

Hello,

 

My iTunes library was moved to an external hard drive, and the new folder location was changed under "Preferences." When I try to play an album, though, I get a message saying the songs can't be found. I've been able to use the "locate" option to fix the link for a few of the songs in my library, but I have almost 8000 songs that need to be located. Is there an easier/faster way to fix this problem instead of fixing each song individually? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on May 8, 2014 7:44 PM

Close
AttnSB

Q: Need Help Linking Songs to New Music Folder

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 9, 2014 7:30 AM in response to AttnSB
    Level 9 (54,353 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 9, 2014 7:30 AM in response to AttnSB

    A library is everything in the iTunes folder.  Was the whole folder copied?  If not, you only transferred media, not the whole library.

     

    You do not tell iTunes where to find media by changing the preferences settings.  You tell iTunes where to find media by either adding it to iTunes in the first place or by letting iTunes move the media.  Changing preferences settings only tells iTunes where to put media from that point on.

     

    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

     

    iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847

     

    What do you want on the external drive?  The whole library, or only media? 

     

    Typically if you break the links to all files by moving the media folder to another drive in Finder iTunes will ask you to find a file.  It will then offer to find others (takes some time).  If it did not offer to do this or that didn't work then you have a non-standard folder structure and you are best off using your backup to restore everything and go back to the beginning and move it properly (we can help you with that).  If you don't have a backup then it will take some effort to rebuild your library file and some data will be lost (ratings, date added, playcounts).