Problems transferring iTunes library to new laptop

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Level 1

8 points

Problems transferring iTunes library to new laptop

All of my iTunes content is kept on a Western Digital network hard drive that I access using an Acer laptop with the latest iTunes installed. I've bought a new Lenovo laptop and wish to transfer all of the iTunes content to the new laptop. Not only do I need to transfer all the films, apps, music and playlists but I also need to transfer my iPad, iPod and iPhone backups over to the new laptop.

I am following these instructions found on the Apple support pages: How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Support

In short: copy the iTunes folder from the NAS onto the new laptop, open iTunes on the new laptop and hey presto! Alas, this was too good to be true and doesn't work.

When I follow the Apple Support instructions, all I get is the music and movies that I have purchased through iTunes. I don't get any play counts, no apps, no backups, no playlists, etc etc.

Can anyone help?

Posted on May 27, 2015 5:16 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,725 points

May 27, 2015 6:14 PM in response to Mervin G

See Make a split library portable.

If you have transferred the library properly and your devices are behaving normally then there is no real need to copy over the backups. Simply connect each in turn and back it up. If you have older archived backups and really want these too then it should be possible to copy over %appdata%\Apple Computer.

tt2

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Answer 2

Mervin G Author

Level 1

8 points

May 28, 2015 3:08 AM in response to turingtest2

Cheers for your reply. From the instructions that I followed to transfer my library to the new laptop, all of the content should be carried over automatically without carrying out any further actions. I have a niggling feeling that I am missing something.....

Also, your method sounds interesting but when I plug my ipad into my laptop, I get a box saying "This device has not been used on this library before." If I continue with the sync, it will wipe all of the date of the ipad. Not ideal!

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

272,725 points

May 28, 2015 3:17 AM in response to Mervin G

If you're getting that warning then you haven't transferred the library correctly. For a typical library all that usually needs to be done is to copy the entire iTunes folder from user's music on the old computer into user's music on the new one. If the library has been moved to a non-standard path in a way that keeps it portable then the library can be copied over as a unit and used as if nothing had changed. Things only get really complicated when the media folder has been split out to a new path but the library files were left in the default position. The aim of the user tip is to get that type of library back into a proper shape. The key file to any iTunes library is the iTunes Library.itl file. Copy that over and you should see all of your content, ratings, play counts, playlists, etc. Whether that copied library can access the copied content properly depends on shape of the library. It is easier to fix things in advance of the move, but if you end up with a library full of broken links there are ways to repair those on the new system.

tt2

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