ATorresN
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Transfer full iTunes Library to new computer

I want to transfer my iTunes library to a new laptop I'm getting soon but I will first sell the old one and about 1 week later buy the new one so I need to save it to some type of external drive and I need all the names, albums, artist, album art, start time etc.saved, I sold all my apple products so TouchCopy would not be a option

Most of my songs are downloaded from the internet so icloud wouldn't work for me

So how can I save my iTunes Library with all the names, artist, albums, track number etc. using a usb or a program i can download for free?

Posted on Apr 14, 2015 6:27 PM

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ATorresN

Q: Transfer full iTunes Library to new computer

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  • by hhgttg27,Helpful

    hhgttg27 hhgttg27 Apr 14, 2015 11:51 PM in response to ATorresN
    Level 5 (5,447 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 14, 2015 11:51 PM in response to ATorresN

    See How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Support.  As long as your library is in the standard layout, with one iTunes folder (default C:\Users\username\Music\iTunes) that contains the iTunes database (the iTunes Library.itl file) and the iTunes Media folder, you just need to copy this folder and all its content from your old computer to the external drive and then from the external drive to the new PC.   See also turingtest2's user tip on Make a split library portable for steps that may be necessary to bring your library into an easily replicated layout.

  • by ATorresN,

    ATorresN ATorresN Apr 14, 2015 11:55 PM in response to hhgttg27
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 14, 2015 11:55 PM in response to hhgttg27

    Thanks I will try this asap but I also found I can create an ACC version of the song and it saves everything so I guess this is another solutions for anyone having the same problem as me

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Apr 15, 2015 2:46 AM in response to ATorresN
    Level 10 (88,247 points)
    Apple TV
    Apr 15, 2015 2:46 AM in response to ATorresN

    If the media files are tagged, which with the exception of .wav files they usually are, then properties such as name, album, artist, etc. are usually embedded. If artwork has come from the iTunes store then there are scripts such as EmbedFolderArt that can embed the images. Transcoding to a lossy format will lose some quality, so should only be done if there is an intended benefit, such as making smaller files so that more can go on a device, or to make a compatible version for a specific use. iTunes only data, such as ratings, date added, play count and playlist membership can only be preserved by transferring the library as a self contained whole.

     

    tt2

  • by hhgttg27,

    hhgttg27 hhgttg27 Apr 15, 2015 9:30 AM in response to ATorresN
    Level 5 (5,447 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 15, 2015 9:30 AM in response to ATorresN

    "I also found I can create an ACC version of the song and it saves everything so I guess this is another solutions for anyone having the same problem as me"

     

    That's a partial solution at best, and definitely not recommended based on the issues that tt2 identified in his response.  Since you have your library on the old computer, I can't understand why you wouldn't follow the correct procedure to replicate the complete library without loss of audio quality or a significant chunk of the library metadata that's not embedded in your media.  One other advantage of the preferred approach is that you end up with a physical copy of the same logical library as was on your old one, so iDevices will sync on the new PC as they did on the old one.  The approach you refer to, since it only copies media, will inevitably result in the scenario where any iDevice connected to your new PC will be erased before any sync operations can be applied.