Consolidating Libraries

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Consolidating Libraries

I know this question has been asked but I seem to be missing something.

My old computer (XP) died and I purchased a new Windows 10 machine. My old libraries where backed up so I have the files. The old library has my collection of music from when I first started using an IPOD Nano years ago. I installed the latest ITunes (12.3.1.23) and purchased music. I have been trying to consolidate the two libraries with out success and after following multiple instructions from this site and other sources.

My two libraries are in the Windows music folder under as ITunes (new) and ITunes1 (old). I note that the new version has an ITunes Media folder that the old one does not.

Consolidate does not work (nothing happens). If I attempt to open the old ITunes.itl file ITunes opens the new library. Import also does not work (again, nothing happens). The new version of ITunes also does not want to open the old library.

So does anyone have any idea what I am missing?

I know I'm and idiot but a frustrated one.

Thanks

Bob

iPod touch

Posted on Nov 25, 2015 9:13 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,725 points

Nov 26, 2015 2:04 AM in response to bquick42

To access a different iTunes library file press and hold down shift when starting iTunes, keep holding shift until prompted to choose or create a library. If iTunes opens normally without the prompt, close and try again. Double-clicking .itl files will open the last library that iTunes opened, not necessarily the one that was clicked on.

Consolidate tells iTunes to make a local copy of any media files that are outside of the iTunes Media folder and use the new copy instead of the original. In most cases a well-formed library will already be consolidated, so nothing happens. The process doesn't add new media to the library.

Import is normally used for playlists. If both libraries open independently, and all of the connected media plays properly in each (there are circumstances in which a library restored from backup might need further repairs) then it may be possible to import the XML file generated by one library into the other, in order to gather together both sets of tracks and playlists. This may well create duplicates. See Re: Duplicate Tunes for clean up advice. See Make a split library portable for getting the resulting library into a standard shape. Once complete the library can be backed up and then any remaining original content located outside of the library can be discarded leaving you a single well organized library.

tt2

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