backing up iTunes located on external drive to another external drive

Question

Level 1

19 points

backing up iTunes located on external drive to another external drive

Greetings,

I'm on iTuens 11.3 and in preferences have chosen an external drive to keep all my music. I would like to back-up the contents of my iTunes to another external drive.

I have NOT chosen: iTunes - File - Library - Organize Library

Perhaps this is my problem…?

The external hard drive that has my iTunes library does not have a single iTunes folder. Instead, each artist has a folder within which are multiple albums, single albums or songs.

It seems there should be a single file folder somewhere that I can copy to another external hard rive in order to make a back up.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Posted on Mar 2, 2015 2:29 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,935 points

Mar 2, 2015 2:32 PM in response to adp

There will only be a single folder if you've told iTunes to organize your library. You need to either do this, or drag all of the individual folders to the second drive, or clone the first drive to the second.

If desired, you can move the iTunes folder to the first drive, launch iTunes with the Option key held down, and choose it before organizing the library.

(123377)

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Answer 2

Limnos

Level 10

411,223 points

Mar 2, 2015 2:33 PM in response to adp

You have a split library. Media are on the external but all the other files iTunes makes and uses are still on your internal drive. To make a complete backup you will need to copy files in both locations.

Generally unless you have to it is best not to split your library but instead keep everything on the external drive which could be included in a Time Machine backup if you wish.

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Answer 3

adp Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 2, 2015 2:44 PM in response to Limnos

Thanks, Limnos

Your response seems like a "worse case scenario…"

is there a way to "unite" my split library? This is not something I chose to do but seem to have done inadvertently.

Will Organizing the library via: File-Library-Organize Library do it?

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Answer 4

Niel

Level 10

726,935 points

Mar 2, 2015 2:46 PM in response to adp

Yes; it puts all of the tracks into the iTunes Media folder. If there isn't much space on the internal drive(you should leave at least 10GB free) or if desired, put the iTunes database files onto the external drive as described above first.

(123378)

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Answer 5

adp Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 2, 2015 3:04 PM in response to Niel

Thanks, Niel

I'll muddle through this and hope to not make a bigger mess than I seem to have inadvertently created.

I'll return with an update or further questions.

Best,

adp

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