iTunes library on NAS shared with all Mac's

The iTunes library was on my Mac Mini at the time. I have replaced that Mac too. That is where the library can still be copied from, pointing to the NAS. But if I looked at the songs in the library at that time, the file info definitely showed the Nas (Cloudy).

It helps if you can share the full text as displayed in the iTunes > Get Info > File tab for a single missing track, and then locate that same track via Finder and share its true path. I can then see the discrepancies in the two paths and suggest which folder you should declare as the media folder, whether or not it might help to move any content around, or whether you should adjust the .iTunes Preferences.plist file.

tt2

From within iTunes, file info it shows: file:///Volumes/iTunes Bibliotheek op WD/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Stevie Wonder/Songs in the Key of Life/As.mp3

That is where the library sits.

I have manually pointed this file to the actual location and now file info shows:

/Volumes/Muziek/2.Sonos Muziek op Cloudy/As - Stevie Wonder.mp3

If only iTunes would continue searching as it used to do previously. Now all it says is that it cannot find any of the songs.

Again, I appreciate your quick help.

Ed

allurenl wrote:

From within iTunes, file info it shows: file:///Volumes/iTunes Bibliotheek op WD/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Stevie Wonder/Songs in the Key of Life/As.mp3

That is where the library sits.

I have manually pointed this file to the actual location and now file info shows:

/Volumes/Muziek/2.Sonos Muziek op Cloudy/As - Stevie Wonder.mp3

Does it not show as /Volumes/Muziek/2.Sonos Muziek op Cloudy/<Some More Folders>/As.mp3? Actually the fact the file names don't match is likely going to make it harder to fix things. I have a dedicated repair script for Windows that can reconnect tracks in almost any non-standard layout, but I don't know Apple Script well enough to port it across.

tt2

That is probably because iTunes placed the files in their own folders. The WD is the external drive, that I want the library to be at. On the NAS I don't want the folder structure like iTunes makes, there are only the mp3 files within 1 directory. That is how it always used to work. iTunes should simply read /Volumes/Muziek/2.Sonos Muziek op Cloudy/As - Stevie Wonder.mp3

I was expecting iTunes to continue searching. In previous versions it did and after three or four attempts it would find them all.

How big is this library? How wedded are you to your layout? In the normal course of events if you copy the working library file from one system to another, and the media stays put, the library should carry on working, whatever the layout of the files. Typically if you move the media files such that iTunes cannot locate a track that was previously connected to it then it shows the original filepath with file://localhost/ prepended to it. In this instance it seems as if you've done more than just copy the library files from one system to another.

iTunes has a history of not playing well with NAS. My recommendation would be that you fix up a fully functional library on the local drive in the standard layout, then clone the library to the NAS for backup and use by other services. If you want to keep date added what you could do is backup the current version of the library database, then import the media into a new empty library in a way which causes it to be copied to the paths as currently shown for the old library, then reconnect to the older library file which should now see the media where it is expected to be.

tt2

tt2, again, thank you. I like my existing lists, because of recently added, rating and so on. I want the music to be on my nas, in order for my music system to be able to play it, even if my Mac is on standby.

I guess this is end of story. Either I will have to individually point every file (over 5000) tot the NAS or start all over again. Got to give this some consideration. Don't know yet, was hoping for some solution.

To me it makes no sense, that iTunes makes copies of every song. Leaving me with an original, a copy and a backup in Time Machine.

You can choose whether or not iTunes makes a copy on import. If you put the media inside the media folder before you add it, or you use iTunes > Preferences > Advanced and turn off the Copy... option then there are no copies. You can also choose which folders are scanned for Time Machine, but you'd be wise to back up one way or another.

tt2

Where you mention "backup the current version of the library database" that would be the ITL right ? How would I then "connect to the older library file" ? Would that be import playlist ?

See Open a different iTunes Library file or create a new one - Apple Support. The idea would be to use one temporary library to rearrange the media into the pattern that the other library is expecting in order to reconnect everything. Option-start iTunes to switch between the libraries.

tt2