Loss of artwork when iTunes folder isn't located

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Loss of artwork when iTunes folder isn't located

I keep my iTunes folder (and library file) on an external drive connected to my iMac. Recently I used the drive somewhere else and forgot to plug it back into my Mac before I opened up iTunes. On opening, my TV shows were still listed but had no artwork. That's when I realised the drive wasn't plugged in so fine, iTunes didn't get all the data it needed. I quit iTunes, plugged in the drive, and started it again. Same problem. I noticed that the itunes folder path in preferences had automatically created another empty iTunes library at the default internal path, and was no longer searching my external drive. How do I make iTunes just forget whatever happened and open my library like normal from my external drive with all my files and metadata and artwork intact?

Is there a way to prevent iTunes from changing this path or creating a new iTunes library any time my external drive happens to be unplugged? It's just messed with my entire library, for basically no reason.

Posted on May 30, 2015 1:29 PM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

272,749 points

May 30, 2015 3:59 PM in response to manekdsilva

You need to go into iTunes > Preferences > Advanced and repoint the media folder to your path on the external drive. You cannot stop iTunes creating a new media folder if your library files are on an internal drive, the media is on an external, and you launch iTunes when the external isn't connected. It is possible to arrange the entire library on an external drive in a way that avoid this problem. See Make a split library portable for details.

tt2

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Answer 2

manekdsilva Author

Level 1

5 points

May 31, 2015 1:59 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks so much for your reply!

So when I repoint the path to my iTunes folder, it asks if iTunes should reorganise the files, I clicked no because I figured my iTunes library files are already organised it just needs to read. But then the posters didn't come back. By looking through the split library thread you posted I realised mine was already set up like that, but instead I want everything iTunes related on an external hard drive. So I decided to start over, I moved the itl itdb and xml files over to my hard drive near my iTunes media, option-launched iTunes and selected the itl file on the external hard drive. It's now pretty much reimporting everything in my library, but I think once it's done, it'll be how I want it, iTunes will only open the library if the hard drive is plugged in, without it it has no information at all.

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