Multiple computers/One iTunes library ... How to keep in sync?

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Level 1

8 points

Multiple computers/One iTunes library ... How to keep in sync?

So I have a Windows 7 laptop running iTunes 10 (cos its just better..! 😁) a Mac Mini running the latest Yosemite, iTunes 12 etc etc. with bootcamp windows 7 also running iTunes 10.

Im only interested in music files and podcasts; Up until now I have tried to manually keep transferring my music files through thumb drives to keep them all synced together, but it is too time consuming and tedious to keep up with when I'm busy doing more important things.... The files are a range of downloads from the iTunes store itself, CD rips and music downloaded from other sources. I was just wondering what are the options, if there are any, as to how i can seamlessly keep all the files in sync on both computers (and all three systems) all the time.

Or, if it is easier, I don't mind loading the whole library onto a hard drive and then just connect it to each computer as I switch, but I don't know how to get iTunes to recognise the library on the drive every time I plug it in, and I would need a way to back up those files, without me having to manually scan through every time, trying to remember which new tunes Ive added and possibly forgetting a few...

Sorry if this is covered somewhere else - just link it to me 😁

Thank You ! 😎

EDIT:

Oh yeah and i can't use this new iCloud library thing where it matches your songs and puts them in the cloud, because a lot of my music are mixes where the files are 2/3+ hours long and it takes too long to upload to iCloud...

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), itunes

Posted on Jul 14, 2015 11:09 AM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,303 points

Jul 14, 2015 11:12 AM in response to Williamsss07

To be honest, iTunes is not designed to be used that way, since each installation of iTunes identifies it as a separate library. Are these computers all on the same network? If so, you can use Home Sharing to copy data from one library to the other. I'm guessing you are not trying to sync a single iOS device to all 3 of these libraries.

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Answer 2

Williamsss07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 14, 2015 11:23 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks for the quick reply ! 😁

They are all on the same network, I like the idea of network attached storage and things like that where I could put my whole library in one central location, but as I'm still in school with rubbish IT teachers (😉😁) I don't know much about networking so wouldn't know how to keep everything private - I live in a pub with a bar and BnB in England where the public regularly connect to my network all the time - so I wouldn't want all my files accessible to them 😁

Im not trying to sync to all three libraries - my iPad, iPhone and iPod all go through the Mac.

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Answer 3

hhgttg27

Level 5

5,597 points

Jul 14, 2015 11:29 AM in response to Williamsss07

This can be accomplished if you know what you're doing. It works best if you can designate one computer as having the master library and then replicate this to others. Two of turingtest2's user tips are relevant here:

Make a split library portable describes how your library should be structured so that you can easily move it between systems, and the steps you may need to take to apply that structure
Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy describes a recommended tool/method that not only works for backups but also for replication across different systems (typically using an external hard drive for intermediate storage). The key thing here is that the recommended SyncToy utility works by comparing source and target and only making updates where differences are detected.

This is what I use to support this setup (which has, with some minor variations, been my standard iTunes environment for several years):

Periodically (in practice every 1-2 days) I run SyncToy on my Master system (Win7 desktop) to update the replica of my library held on an external HDD. I then use this HDD to refresh the library on two other systems - my office laptop (Win 7) and a secondary home system (Win 8.1).

I find it a very robust, efficient system, but you should note that there are many ways in which this can go wrong, so you need to make sure you have a working procedure and then stick to it!

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