Multiple iTunes Folders? Which to use?

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Level 1

30 points

Multiple iTunes Folders? Which to use?

I'm confused as to why I have multiple iTunes Folders on my computer.

In my Users folders, I have a Music Folder. In this folder I have an iTunes Folder, Audio Music Apps, and Garage Band.

In the iTunes Folder I have 12 items. These include iTunes Media, which has folders for -Automatically Add to iTunes, Books, Downloads, Home Videos, Mobil Apps, Movies, Music (25.5GB), and Tones.

In the iTunes Music Folder (33.61GB) I have 10 Folders. The Music Folder there is 22.76GB). Other folders are Mobile Apps, Movies, Books, three separate musician folders, Tones, and Audiobooks.

I use a Sonos Wireless Speaker system, and I'm not sure which Music Folder to use for streaming the tracks to.

I'd like to eliminate some of this duplication. Any ideas on which to eliminate?

Thanks!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Jul 20, 2014 11:57 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,109 points

Jul 20, 2014 2:47 PM in response to MarcinOC

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

Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392

As for multiple folders with media, you may have a residual pre-iTunes 9 music folder. Read the articles above to understand this. If you think you do, copy it to another drive and delete it from your computer. In theory nothing bad should happen. If it does then things will have to be sorted out which will be long and tedious which is why I don't start it now.

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Answer 2

MarcinOC Author

Level 1

30 points

Jul 20, 2014 4:20 PM in response to Limnos

Hello, thanks for your information and suggestions. I'm not sure I understand everything, but it gives me a place to start.

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Answer 3

Jan 26, 2015 6:58 PM in response to Limnos

Hi Limnos,

Do you recommend copying over the .itl files from the 'Previous iTunes Library' folder before deleting the residual pre-iTunes 9 folder? The files contained in the old and new folders are different.

Also, what do you suggest I do with the 'iTunes Library.itl' file in the the residual pre-iTunes 9 folder? I was thinking of renaming it (following the name convention in the 'Previous iTunes Library' folder e.g. iTunes Library 2015-01-27) and dragging it into the current 'Previous iTunes Library' folder that I wish it keep.

I hope this makes sense.

Thank you in advance for your help - you seem to be the 'pro' in these forums when it comes to iTunes 🙂

Thanks

Aaron

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Answer 4

Limnos

Level 10

411,109 points

Jan 26, 2015 7:56 PM in response to aarontimo

Whenever you update the iTunes application it makes a copy (tagging it with a date) of the .itl file (the central library file) in case something goes wrong with updating it the first time you run iTunes after updating. It's basically there for emergency purposes but there is no real point in keeping it once you are satisfactorily running the new version of iTunes.

P.S. Generally it is a good idea to start your own topic when branching a discussion so it doesn't get confusing as to whose question is being discussed. This particularly goes for topics which have been dormant for some time such as this one (6 months). 🙂

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