Organize Itunes Library on external hard drive

Question

Level 1

8 points

Organize Itunes Library on external hard drive

Hello. I have music downloaded from several sources. It is occupying too much space in my MAC computer.

I would like to make new folder from 0, add all my mp3 that are split up, and that it is all stored on my external drive. After this, of course any new downloaded mp3 will be on my computer, how to add automatically to my itunes and keep on my hard disc?

Also I do not want to add new files every time manually to my itunes, and I do not want to have duplicates (original downloaded file and then itunes file).

How do you suggest to organize from 0 and how then to keep organized when I download new files.

Tks for your help.

MacBook Air, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on Jul 25, 2014 1:35 PM

Reply

Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Jul 25, 2014 1:44 PM in response to Santiago_Arg

See Make a split library portable for some general background.

What I'd recommend you do is make two new folders

//Volumes/External/iTunes and

//Volumes/External/iTunes/iTunes Media

Tell iTunes to use //Volumes/External/iTunes/iTunes Media as your media folder and consolidate all of your existing content into it. Then copy the existing library files and album artwork folder into //Volumes/External/iTunes and connect to the library files there (see the user tip for details).

Backup the entire library to another drive for security.

Clean up the originals on your internal drive.

tt2

Reply

Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Jul 25, 2014 3:01 PM in response to turingtest2

Obviously External can be replaced with the volume name of the drive you want to store your library on.

Moving forward I'd suggest you have the advanced iTunes preferences to Keep... and Copy ... both set. When adding new media to the library from an external source iTunes will make its own local copy in the media folder and it will reorganize things as you edit tags. Content from other stores such as Amazon can be download directly into the media folder before being added to iTunes to avoid duplication.

For tips on the logical organization of the library see Grouping Tracks Into Albums.

tt2

Reply