Can I use an External Hard Drive To Store my Media and Link to Applications (iTunes, iPhoto)?

Question

Level 1

0 points

Can I use an External Hard Drive To Store my Media and Link to Applications (iTunes, iPhoto)?

Good Afternoon,

I purchased a Macbook Air as a hold over until I could get a Macbook Pro. Unfortunately some things have come up and I am going to have to wait a little longer than anticipated before buying the Macbook Pro. Since I initially intended to have this laptop only for a short time I got the bare bones one with the 128 GB SSD.

Is there a way to set things up so I can move all of my media ( Music, Movies, Pictures etc,, ) onto a external portable hard drive that I can connect to the the laptop before I boot it up and have applications ( iTunes, iPhote etc. ) automatically link to the hard drive and my media?

I called Apple to see what the cost would be, if it was even possible, to have the 128 GB replaced with a 256 GB and I was told that it is possible, but it not a service they offer. So he suggested that I do this instead.

I know this is something that is fairly easy to do on a PC as I have done it before, but my concern is if Apple applications would work. I always had the understanding that iTunes ( for example ) must have its files stored to the local drive.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Eric

Posted on Jul 11, 2014 11:30 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,893 points

Jul 11, 2014 11:33 AM in response to Eric5279

Drag the libraries to the external drive, launch iTunes and iPhoto with the Option key held down, and specify those libraries.

If the iTunes library contains rented iTunes Store movies, they won't play on a different computer.

(109322)

Reply

Answer 2

Eric5279 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 11, 2014 11:44 AM in response to Niel

I have multiple iTunes libraries on the system now. I have one for my iPhone ( I left that one called iTunes ), I have one for my Nano that I use when I run ( Called iPod Nano ), and I have one called AppleTV that holds my movies. I switch between them regularly, so I understand switching between libraries.

So it basically does not matter where the library is located ( Local Drive or External ), as long as the proper library is selected when the external is connected?

Reply