pik80

Q: What is the best way to copy my music files over to to a new computer?

I have heard some people complain about iTunes Match so I don't know if I want to go that route. iTunes won't let you just move your files over from your iPhone. I can use a program like AnyTrans but it won't bring my star ratings across. Should I just export the iTunes library over Airdrop or connect my two computers over USB? If I do it that way will it sync from both computers from then on? Apple seems to have made this a lot more complicated then it needs to be, any help would be greatly appreciated!

MacBook, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), MacBook 2016

Posted on May 11, 2016 10:19 AM

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Q: What is the best way to copy my music files over to to a new computer?

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  • by Rysz,Helpful

    Rysz Rysz May 11, 2016 1:39 PM in response to pik80
    Level 7 (20,267 points)
    iTunes
    May 11, 2016 1:39 PM in response to pik80

    Complete instructions are here:

    How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Support

     

    Make sure you create a fresh backup first.

  • by Limnos,Solvedanswer

    Limnos Limnos May 11, 2016 1:39 PM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 1:39 PM in response to pik80

    Moving a library: Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings:  Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive, hold down the option/alt key (shift on Windows) while starting iTunes, and when requested to select a library select the iTunes Library.itl file in the copied folder. 

     

    When this is to a new drive/computer put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music  (or Home > Music) then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there.  (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)  Remember to authorize the computer in iTunes to your Apple ID if you use this to sync to Apple mobile devices or play DRM protected media (e.g., movies).

     

    Certain items used in iTunes related activities are not stored in the iTunes library folder but in special folders.  If you are moving a library to a different computer you may wish to copy these too:

     

    - Apple Music cache files: http://dougscripts.com/itunes/2015/09/new-flush-apple-music-cache-files/ - ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/ folder, which is sort of like an “iTunes Media” folder for Apple Music

     

    - iOS device backups, various preferences files: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3285925

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 11, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Limnos

    Thank you both for your help! I was ready to copy the files over but I noticed that my iTunes folder is 339GB! I don't know how that could be given that I have roughly 5000 songs nearly all of which fit on my 64GB iPhone. I am guessing that this includes video files? I don't want to bring all my videos files across to my laptop. However when I opened the folder it looked like it was only music files?!? When I go to "About This Mac" it says that all audio on the computer is 97GB.

     

    In iTunes there is an option to "reorganize files in the folder iTunes media" Is that how I separate the music form the video?

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 11, 2016 3:55 PM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 3:55 PM in response to pik80

    Items should be sorted out in major groups in iTunes > Media

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 11, 2016 4:23 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 4:23 PM in response to Limnos

    This is all I see in my iTunes Media folder. There isn't a video folder or music folder just these two folders.

    Screen Shot 2016-05-11 at 4.17.52 PM.png

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 11, 2016 7:41 PM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 7:41 PM in response to pik80

    Your media folder is not standard.  I don't know why but likely you changed some setting in the past.

     

    iTunes: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - Apple Support

     

    Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392 and making an iTunes library portable.

     

    Right click on a track in iTunes > Show in Finder

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 11, 2016 8:33 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 8:33 PM in response to Limnos

    Weird, I can't even find the iTunes > Media folder anymore.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 11, 2016 9:09 PM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 9:09 PM in response to pik80

    Unfortunately there's not much I can do from this end other than suggest where and how to look.

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 11, 2016 9:25 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 9:25 PM in response to Limnos

    I just found the folders for TV and movies that where mixed in with my artists folders which brings my the rest of the files down to a much more manageable 127GB. I guess I can just copy just those folders over along with the iTunes database files to my new computer. The new machine only has 512GB to work with.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 11, 2016 9:34 PM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 9:34 PM in response to pik80

    It sounds like you may not have have had iTunes set to organize your media or something happened to mix up the folders in the past. Normally they should be set up in folders as one of the earlier links describes.

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 11, 2016 9:39 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 11, 2016 9:39 PM in response to Limnos

    I just figured out that is what happened. I didn't split the file types off on one of the computers. I just got confused jumping between the two machines that I split it on one but not the other. It is hard to remember what I did on what machine sometimes. Now I found that my music file is 54GB. That should be a perfect size.

  • by pik80,

    pik80 pik80 May 12, 2016 3:52 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 12, 2016 3:52 AM in response to Limnos

    I finally got it working! Wow, that was a lot harder then just using Migration Assistant to transfer all my files across. I Didn't realize it was going to be so hard when I begun. Thanks for the help!

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 12, 2016 4:55 AM in response to pik80
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 12, 2016 4:55 AM in response to pik80

    It is actually pretty easy. Drag a folder to a drive, drag a folder to another drive. You had a non-standard setup somehow and I know I still don't have it all straight how things were set up (not that it matters now).

  • by Savedbygrace186,

    Savedbygrace186 Savedbygrace186 May 12, 2016 6:04 AM in response to pik80
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    May 12, 2016 6:04 AM in response to pik80

    your apple content follows your apple ID. no matter the pc or mac it will go to that iTunes program you just have to authorize that iTunes program on the new computer your running and you can download your purchased content to that computer.

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