How to load CDs into old mini and transfer to new mini w/o superdrive

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Level 1

13 points

How to load CDs into old mini and transfer to new mini w/o superdrive

My current mini is a 2.5Ghz Intel Core i5, running OSX 10.9.2. I did not purchase the external superdrive.

My older mini is late 2006, running OSX 10.6. It has a superdrive.

Is there a way that I can load CDs into the old mini and then transfer the music to the new mini?

Both computers are on the same home network (connected to the same router), but the only thing that I can do at present is access Quicken which is on the new computer from the old computer.

I've considered copying the iTunes Library from the old computer onto a flash drive and copying that library into the new computer but it doesn't look easy to merge libraries on the new mini.

I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Owen

Mac mini, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Jan 6, 2015 9:20 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Limnos

Level 10

411,109 points

Jan 6, 2015 9:32 PM in response to owenfromnj

If you do not want to merge any of the old library with the new one, start iTunes while holding down the option/alt key. Create a new library just for ripping your CDs. Rip the CDs, then go into the iTunes folder for the library you just created, then the Media folder and copy to a flash drive the folders representing the different albums (some of which may be broken up into compilations). Copy the drive to the "Automatically Add To iTunes" folder in the iTunes folder on the new computer. This will add them to the library there.

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Answer 2

owenfromnj Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 7, 2015 12:36 PM in response to Limnos

I transferred one album as you suggested. It worked.

In addition to what you suggested I switched to the iTunes-temp library on the old mini. The music is there but I did not get any art work, even though Grace Notes was accessed on the old mini. Why is that?

Running iTunes 11.0.3 on the old mini and 11.1.5 on the new mini.

Thanks for your help.

Owen

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

411,109 points

Jan 7, 2015 1:01 PM in response to owenfromnj

Artwork is not sourced from Gracenote, it comes from the iTunes Store if you are signed in and they have an album matching yours. I should have noted that artwork derived this way is not embedded in the media files and does not travel when a media folder is copied. You need to use a script from the Dougscripts web site to do that.

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