Need some advanced iTunes library help please

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Level 1

54 points

Need some advanced iTunes library help please

Tricky mess, heres the story...

My Library used to be on a mac-mini with the media stored on a DAS array, i used to manually manage the library through choice.

Then i moved the media to a NAS array and the library to a new macbook pro in place of the mac mini - I connected to the network share and updated the library, a lot of links needed mending but was done.

Then i discover that smb networking was not supported on my NAS and was the reason for the poor performance i was seeing. I switched to afp protocol and speed went up ten fold.

However, the library data for iTunes still shows smb and when i try to play anything it loads up an smb share and gives poor performance.

I moved the .itl and its folders to the NAS but made no difference.

Then i changed the library location to point at the NAS folder where the media was actually held and it did a lengthy "Updating Library"

Now I have about 75% of the media perfect on an afp link but 25% still showing smb with an exclamation mark on them.

BUT, i can't simply double-click them and tell it to find the media because it simply opens up an smb link and starts playing 😟

How can i fix the last 25% of many thousands of audio tracks so they use the afp link???

There must be a way??????

I have not pushed "Consolidate Library" yet because it say it will copy data but the data is already where i want it.

Sorry for long and complex issue but can anyone help??????

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on May 29, 2015 11:44 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,707 points

May 29, 2015 12:45 PM in response to davek0974

The finer points of afp vs. smb links are lost on me, but perhaps the best course of action would be to consolidate your library to a locally connected drive and then use the NAS as a back up for the primary library. See Make a split library portable some thoughts on placing the library files and media folders in the best locations for future migrations.

tt2

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Answer 2

davek0974 Author

Level 1

54 points

May 29, 2015 12:58 PM in response to turingtest2

I could consolidate to a drive temporarily but as my main workstation is a laptop, it must be returned to the NAS so I can use wifi to connect.

I can't have a disk hanging off the laptop.

could be worth a try though even if it means moving twice.

thanks

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Answer 3

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 29, 2015 1:54 PM in response to davek0974

Consolidate didn't work, i got an error -39 ???

So I chose to delete the .itl file, manually edit the .xml file to make all file location paths equal to a known good one then create a new library and import the .xml as a playlist.

Taking a long while so will not know the outcome until tomorrow.

Of course, all files were backed up first.

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Answer 4

turingtest2

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272,707 points

May 29, 2015 2:12 PM in response to davek0974

Best of luck. 🙂

tt2

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Answer 5

Limnos

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May 29, 2015 3:42 PM in response to davek0974

It should work but some people freak out at losing play count, ratings, and date added (not in .xml version).

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Answer 6

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 30, 2015 12:11 AM in response to Limnos

Nah, didn't work, only managed 53 songs out of about 9000, error -39 again but no idea what that is.

Have deleted all that mess.

Will go and buy a USB HDD, move the ITL and XML onto it then consolidate the library there, following that I can move it all back as a portable library to the NAS unit.

Its an awful lot of copying though.

Maybe it will fix the mess though?????

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Answer 7

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 30, 2015 1:02 AM in response to davek0974

Ok,

found a USB disk,

moved my iTunes folder with the ITL and XML files in to the new disk,

set the library location in preferences,

restarted itunes,

got 100% exclamation marks as expected,

told it to consolidate library expecting it to start copying all files to new disk,

NOTHING happens at all????

Have i missed a step somewhere??

I'm trying to follow the guide to making a split library portable but its not working or I am missing a point somewhere????

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Answer 8

turingtest2

Level 10

272,707 points

May 30, 2015 2:17 AM in response to davek0974

Consolidating will only work when the library has no broken links. The Make a split library portable user tip has suggestions for transforming a working library that isn't in the standard form into a shape that is easily moved from one drive or computer to another. It should also give you an idea of the shape you want things in if things aren't quite right now. If/when everything is in the correct layout you may be able to get iTunes to repair itself by using Get Info on a broken file, locating it, and then letting iTunes repair other broken links. This usually works when iTunes has been responsible for managing the file and folder names in the past, and you've simply relocated the media folder by hand rather than letting iTunes do it.

tt2

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Answer 9

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 30, 2015 2:32 AM in response to turingtest2

So, should i leave the xml and itl where they were and then move/consolidate the media followed by moving the xml/itl into the new location to make it portable??

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Answer 10

turingtest2

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272,707 points

May 30, 2015 3:09 AM in response to davek0974

If the library is working you should be able to move or copy the library files (.itl, .xml, 2 x .itdb and Album Artwork folder) to a new path (typically an iTunes folder at the root of a drive) and option-start iTunes to connect to the .itl. In some cases you may need to correct the path to the active media folder, then close iTunes and reopen, in order to make iTunes able to see the existing content. Once that has been done you can create & select a new media folder (iTunes Media inside the iTunes folder at the root of the drive) and let iTunes consolidate the media to this new path.

tt2

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Answer 11

davek0974 Author

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May 30, 2015 3:54 AM in response to turingtest2

Doing that now, its copying the media to the new location, hopefully that will make it a portable install for future moves.

Will take a while to copy though.

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Answer 12

turingtest2

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May 30, 2015 5:15 AM in response to davek0974

Sounds promising. 🙂

tt2

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Answer 13

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 30, 2015 11:56 AM in response to turingtest2

Looks like it worked, finally. 🙂

So, if its all in one containing folder now and consolidated, i gather that means its fully portable???

Thanks all

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Answer 14

turingtest2

Level 10

272,707 points

May 30, 2015 12:03 PM in response to davek0974

If the library files are in the iTunes folder, and the media in iTunes/iTunes Media then yes, it is portable. You could double check the artist folders for music items have been put into iTunes/iTunes Media/Music (newer layout) rather than up in iTunes Media (older layout) because there are some bits of the older scheme that aren't properly portable (Mobile Apps, iPod Games, Ringtones). If the wrong layout is in place this can be fixed from File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files.

tt2

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Answer 15

davek0974 Author

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54 points

May 30, 2015 12:21 PM in response to turingtest2

Ok thanks, it does look like the old format, I'm doing a phone sync at present, when thats done i'll try the File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files

thingy and see if it sorts it out. Is it a "safe" thing to try????

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