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Trying to move iTunes library from external drive back to computer. Copied everything from external drive, but every song has an original file not found message if external drive not on.

I have an iMac using Yosemite. My iTunes library has been located on an external hard drive. I'm trying to move it back to the computer because I think the external drive is dying. I copied everything from the external drive onto the computer desktop. Then I Reset the iTunes Media folder location in Preferences under Advanced, but I still can't play anything unless the external drive is on. I get a message that reads, "The song could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it? Does anyone know what I can do?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), mid 2011 iMac

Posted on Apr 22, 2015 11:10 PM

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Posted on Apr 24, 2015 6:51 PM

I did this last weekend. Solution was easy: Select "Yes" and give it the path of the new location (browse to the correct folder for one song!) - then iTunes will ask you if it should use this location to try and find all missing songs - select yes again and it will take a while but should find everything again...At least it worked like this for me....using iTunes 11.2.2.

Good luck, Susan

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Apr 24, 2015 6:51 PM in response to ihavmsdmit

I did this last weekend. Solution was easy: Select "Yes" and give it the path of the new location (browse to the correct folder for one song!) - then iTunes will ask you if it should use this location to try and find all missing songs - select yes again and it will take a while but should find everything again...At least it worked like this for me....using iTunes 11.2.2.

Good luck, Susan

Apr 24, 2015 6:49 PM in response to ihavmsdmit

Try the solution posted by SueAT77, it should work.


In future do not do the relocation of iTunes files yourself in Finder unless you have a *portable library and are moving the whole iTunes folder. In your case you should have used iTunes itself to consolidate the files to a new location so the iTunes program was aware of the move. Preferences do not get iTunes to check a location for media moved by you, they simply tell iTunes to store in that location any new media added.


*Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392 and making an iTunes library portable.


iTunes 12 for Mac: Change where your iTunes files are stored - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH19507 - Unfortunately this is misnamed. It should say "Change where your media files but not where your library files are stored" - more information at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5036221?answerId=22026652022#22026652022 - and steps 5-8 in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5782936?answerId=24491967022#24491967022 = consolidate

Apr 24, 2015 7:02 PM in response to Limnos

Thank you for taking the time to help me with my problem. You provided a lot of good information and I almost understood most of it! I decided to try to put my split iTunes folder back together, which I was able to do! Now its back onto my computer as it was originally, so I'm about to try to move it as a whole to the external drive. It was very interesting to read that seasoned iTunes users know not to split iTunes, but to move it as a whole. It was interesting because splitting it is what an Apple Support person had me do! Thanks again!

Apr 24, 2015 9:11 PM in response to ihavmsdmit

There are two ways to move iTunes files depending upon what you want to do and how things are set up. If things are all in one iTunes folder and you want it in the most easily moveable form you move the whole folder by copying outside of iTunes. If you want to move only media you must let iTunes do it from inside iTunes or the library file (which you are leaving behind) won't track the move of the media. Both those methods are correct depending upon what final arrangement you wish to use. Changing preferences is part of the second method but it must be accompanied by organizing/consolidating the media. If you simply change preferences the old media stay listed in the database library in their old location and you telling iTunes to "look" in a new location does not get iTunes to do that. iTunes has to do the moving to realize it has been moved.


Apple Support wasn't wrong but in my opinion it is usually best to have the entire library on the same drive. There are exceptions but they do not apply to most people.

Apr 27, 2015 2:05 PM in response to Limnos

Thank you again for your help! I'm not exactly sure what you mean by copying inside or outside of iTunes? I'm getting it moved, but discovered in the process that my old files weren't organized correctly, so I'm working on getting the files reorganized. I'm probably making this more difficult than it needs to be! Thank you again for your time.

Apr 27, 2015 3:16 PM in response to ihavmsdmit

If you are using the consolidate method that has to be done from the iTunes application itself, using iTunes preferences + organize. = Inside of iTunes


If you were doing the copy the whole iTunes folder method with a portable library that would simply involve dragging the folder from one place to another in Finder. = Outside of iTunes.

Apr 28, 2015 7:00 PM in response to Limnos

Thank you again for your help. I used the consolidate method in iTunes and am now finished!! I hope you don't mind, but I have another question for you. It's about my internal hard drive's capacity. After clicking on Applications I clicked on Utilities and then Disk Utility. Under "First Aid" in Disk Utility on the left side, Macintosh HD is at the top, then another Macintosh HD is under that. If I click on the 1st one, it shows the capacity is 499.25 GB and the Available is only 19 MB. If I click on the 2nd one, it shows capacity is 498.88 GB and the Available is 467.02 GB. Do you know why each one shows such a difference and am I about maxed out on disk space? Thank you.

Trying to move iTunes library from external drive back to computer. Copied everything from external drive, but every song has an original file not found message if external drive not on.

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