I carefully followed every step on the Apple support page "How to move your Itunes library to a new computer", but my playlists do not appear in Itunes on the new computer. Any suggestions? The old computer has Windows XP, the new one has Windows 8.
It really isn't that difficult as a rule. Unless you've taken to micro managing the library you simply need to copy the entire iTunes folder from the old computer to the new one, either directly over a network, or using a portable drive to hold an intermediate copy. See Move your iTunes library to a new computer for details.
tt2
It is easy enough to change drive letters for anything other than the system drive which is usually C:. As long as you give the drive that is currently G: the same drive letter and you copy over the library files into your user profile, or shift start iTunes to connect to them on a new path, it should be OK. You may need to correct the location of the media folder on the first run, then close iTunes and reopen. Or you can use the steps in Move your iTunes library to a new computer to make the library more flexible so that it no longer matters which drive letter is in use.
tt2
Thank you so much for your help (in this and the other posts I'm reading of yours)!
So you think everything should be fine as long as:
a) I have my new computer's HDD named G like the current one (where my music is stored) (for the sake of explaining things, I'm referring to this as my Music folder and the other one with the iTunes data files as the iTunes folder)
b) The SSD install is successful (this contains the iTunes folder)
c) I shift-start iTunes and choose my new Music folder on my new HDD (with the same path)? (Should I have to do that if the path is the same, or should I just be able to open it without the shift-start?)
If the SSD doesn't successfully transfer to the new computer (IT guy said there was a risk of it blue screening) and I have to do a clean install of all my programs, I just put my iTunes folder backup (I've copied C:\Users\Name\Music\iTunes to my backup drive) in the same location (and make sure I complete step A and C above) and it should be fine?
This almost seems too easy, or am I misunderstanding the process? I'm looking at making the library portable but I'm not clear on some of the steps in the article (Make a split library portable) so I'm a bit nervous about it.
Sorry - it won't let me edit or delete my comment above. I just realised I got my iTunes folder location incorrect in that post (doesn't change any info from my original question though). Disregard and go with this instead:
So you think everything should be fine as long as:
a) I have my new computer's HDD named G like the current one (where my music is stored) (for the sake of explaining things, I'm referring to this as my Music folder and the other one with the iTunes data files as the iTunes folder - they're both stored on G Drive, the HDD)
b) I shift-start iTunes and choose my new Music folder on my new HDD?
If the SSD doesn't successfully transfer to the new computer (IT guy said there was a risk of it blue screening) and I have to do a clean install of all my programs, it's not going to make a difference? I just put my iTunes folder backup (G:\Users\Name\Music\iTunes) as well as my Music folder backup (G:\Users\Name\MyFiles\Music) in the same locations on the new HDD, shift-start and it should be fine?
This almost seems too easy, or am I misunderstanding the process? I'm looking at making the library portable but I'm not clear on some of the steps in the article (Make a split library portable) so I'm a bit nervous about it.
Great. 🙂
Your current library folder is G:\Users\Name\Music\iTunes and your media folder is G:\Users\Name\Music. To make the library portable take the following steps.
Each time you open the library make sure that songs will play. If a change broke the library make sure the correct media folder is being referenced under Edit > Preferences > Advanced. If it isn't try correcting it, close iTunes and then reopen to see if that resolves the issue. Otherwise undo what you actually did or revert to using the previous set of library files by shift-starting iTunes again. Ask for help if you get stuck.
tt2
Thanks for all the info you've provided. I'm about to need this process when I transfer to a new PC next week. My only issue is, I keep all my music in a location outside of the iTunes folder. It's at G:\Users\Name\MyFiles\Music. Also, not sure if this is important, but the reason the drive name is G is because my C drive with all my programs is an SSD, while G is my HDD with all my files on it. The plan is to put the SSD in the new computer, but I will have a new HDD.
I've always pointed my iTunes Media folder location to G:\Users\Name\MyFiles\Music, but the iTunes xml and other library files are still all in the iTunes media folder. So I've backed those files up, and obviously my music library.
How would I modify the process? If I need to, I'm OK with storing my music on the new computer within the iTunes Media folder for ease of solution sake, but I just worry it's not going to recognise the new location. Alternatively, will it work if I put the music in the exact same folders on my new computer (and I'm not sure if the IT guy can control this, but call it G drive again?)
Hi again - sorry about the barrage of messages. Please ignore my first reply and look at my second, which you probably didn't get notified about because I accidentally replied to my first comment................ *sigh* (I'm new to these forums - sorry).
In addition to that second comment I wanted to ask you about making my library portable and whether you thought that was a safer bet? I read through the post but I'm really unclear about which parts applies to me. I've got all my music in the folder mentioned above on my HDD (G:\Users\Name\MyFiles\Music). I've got everything else stored in G:\Users\Name\Music\iTunes. I don't have a huge amount of other media - I do have podcasts but I can easily re-download those and I use iTunes to backup my phone. The most important thing to me is that my music playlists/ratings/counts etc come across - I use these extensively on my iPod and phone (and that I can continue backup my phone, but as I understand it, that shouldn't be a problem just doing a fresh backup once I'm up and running?)
Thanks again for your help!
The two principle components of the library are the library file, normally called iTunes Library.itl and the media folder, normally called iTunes Media. The folder containing the .itl file can also be referred to as the library folder.
The shift-start-iTunes process is used to choose or create a new library file. When you install iTunes for the first time it will attempt to open or create a library at the standard path of <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl, opening the file if it already exists, or creating it if it doesn't.
In your case having installed iTunes on a new system, moved over your drive, and having given it the same drive letter as before, you will need to press and hold down shift as you launch iTunes and keep holding until you see the prompt to choose or create a library. Click choose, then browse to and open the file G:\Users\Name\Music\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl
When iTunes is first installed it also assumes the media folder will be called iTunes Media, and that the media folder will be a direct child folder of the library folder. I.e. <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Media.
In your case you need to go into Edit > Preferences > Advanced and change the media folder to G:\Users\Name\Music. Should iTunes prompt to consolidate you shouldn't need to do this.
Your library should work in this case because the absolute file paths on the new computer will agree with those on the old one, you've taken some additional steps to ensure the drive letter is the same, and selected the desired media folder after choosing the library file.
You don't have to put in the effort to make the library portable, but if the library is in a portable shape it works on any drive letter or path, and the media folder will be set correctly after using the shift-start-iTunes method to choose the library file. A clone of the library folder on another drive is a fully functioning library that is ready to use either on the current computer, or any other running at least the same build of iTunes. Another issue, which doesn't apply in your case, is with the typical split library layout of library folder on the internal drive and media folder on an external drive or network share that isn't ready when iTunes is launched. When this happens iTunes silently resets the media folder to the default path of <Library Folder>\iTunes Media. Users often don't realise this has happened and then find some of their content isn't located where they expected, and they have housekeeping to do to set things right later.
tt2
Thank you so much for all your help! It came off without a hitch 🙂 having the new drive as the same letter worked a treat. Didn't have to to anything, not even a shift-start. Such a huge relief!
I am, however, still worried about making it portable, as I would prefer to be able to just back it up easily in one place (as opposed to files in one place, media folder in another) in case my SSD fails. Are you able to adapt the making it portable process in the context of my set-up? I had trouble with the article.
All you normally need to do is copy the entire iTunes folder from the user's Music folder on one computer into the user's Music folder on the other. You can use a network share or an external drive to help with the move.
See this migrate iTunes library post for more details and strategies for when the library isn't in the usual layout.
tt2
Yes, I did transfer the entire iTunes folder from one computer to another, via an external drive. In opening the folder on the new computer, I see that it holds many "previous iTunes libraries". Is this normal? Also, I don't see a folder which contains the word "playlists". Can you tell me where to find them, to see if perhaps they didn't transfer for some reason. I could do the whole thing over but am sure I did it right the first time. Thanks.
Your playlists are all stored inside the file iTunes Libary.itl.
(Whether or not you see the .itl extension depends on your system settings.)
Many, but not all, updates to iTunes also make small changes to the internal structure of the iTunes database. When this happens the old database is archived in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder and used to construct a new one. It is a good idea to keep a few of these in case the current database is damaged or you want to revert to an older build of iTunes after an upgrade.
By default iTunes will open the library file at <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl where the path to <User's Music> depends on the OS and the user name. To open a specific library press and hold down shift as you start iTunes, keep holding until asked to choose or create a library, click choose and browse to the file. Double-clicking the file does not achieve the same thing.
See also Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash. It is possible that you are seeing the same symptoms, particularly if your new computer has a different build of iTunes from the old one.
tt2
The previous iTunes library files are created by iTunes during some updates. Your playlists are contained with the current iTunes database which will be called iTunes Library.itl (all the previous versions have a date within the filename, following the pattern iTunes Library yyyy-mm-dd.itl). The current iTunes Library.itl file will, by default, be in the C:\Users\username\Music iTunes folder, in the following structure:
If you copied this complete structure from the old computer to your new one, then you should be able to hold down the SHIFT key as you start iTunes, then when you see this prompt:
click on Choose Library..., navigate to the iTunes folder, and select the iTunes Library.itl file you'll find there. Depending on your settings in Windows it may just appear as "iTunes Library", like this:
Thanks for these responses. I held "shift" while opening iTunes and the current library is there. All of my music is there, just no playlists. When I first made the transfer, the instructions told me to drag the existing iTunes folder on the new computer to the desktop, which I did, then I put the iTunes folder from the external drive into that Music folder. Rather than drag the existing file to the desktop, I copied it, but no longer see it on the desktop. Is this a problem?
It shouldn't be ... if I understand correctly, you:
This should give you access to your complete library, including playlists. This may be a dumb question, but have you clicked on the Playlists entry at the top of the iTunes window, so that the sidebar listing your playlists is shown? Copying the library should be an all-or-nothing process - either it succeeds and you have your music and your playlists, or it fails and you don't have either.
Not knowing which instructions you followed, this is all you did, right? Or were there extra steps involving adding media to iTunes using File > Add Folder to Library... or copying to the Automatically Add to iTunes folder? If so, its possible that you've created a new library and added your media to it - which would result in a library containing all your music but none of the previous playlists. It may be worth:
Then use the SHIFT-start method to run iTunes and make sure that you're selecting the iTunes Library.itl file you just copied.
Transfer itunes playlists to new computer
