Itunes, Synology NAS, setup

To start with be aware that there are not infrequent posts here about NAS problems with iTunes. NAS is great conceptually but in execution issues can arise with iTunes and have been doing so for more than a decade. Everybody points fingers at everybody else but the bottom line is you are always running a risk of a mangled library. Better is to use a plain external drive and use the NAS for backup.

I believe the server package pretends to be a shared iTunes library without actually having an active version of iTunes open at the time. Have you read the manual or online documentation for the NAS? I don't own one and what I know is from issues people post here.

The reason you were having problems before is your NAS is going to sleep and not waking up before you start iTunes. The same thing would happen even if you were using a plain external hard drive. If it only happens at startup you can try placing an alias to the iTunes application on the server, then an alias to that alias in your computer and start iTunes that way, not directly from the computer.

Im not using Synology but WD DL2100 8TB in RAID 1. I have been researching this for a long time and was hesitant because of the cloudy results people seem to have. I eventually went for it and it's been running well for me without any issues.

How I did it:

First have a solid Backup if anything goes wrong.

So wherever you currently have your iTunes stored.. in the iTunes folder move ONLY the "iTunes Media Folder" to the NAS. After that make sure the NAS in mounted and open iTunes. Then Under Prefrences>Advanced>Change. You want to change the location of the media and point it to the "iTunes Media" folder on the NAS. before clicking OK.. Make sure the two boxes are checked 1. Keep iTunes organized and 2.copy to library when adding to content. After confirming and clicking OK.. it will relink the content to the new location. Once that's complete.. Under Finder go to System Prefences>Users & Groups>Login Items and add the "iTunes Media" folder from the NAS. This will insure that the folds mounts from the NAS every time your computer starts up. If putting your computer to sleep no need to unmount the folder.

Now with this setup, I can add media(music, movies, apps, iBooks etc) and sync my iOS devices from the server. I'm VERY happy with the setup as well as the other usage I get out of the server when traveling.

Now if you use the "iTunes server" that comes with your NAS that will only allow you to play music ONLY. Also you won't have any admin access to the music. Streaming only.. which is cool if you have other people connected in you household.

Hope this helps.

it will relink the content to the new location.

No it won't, not unless they radically changed something in iTunes 12.5.1 that's been that way since iTunes 1.0.1 "Pointing" to the media folder in preferences has never gotten iTunes to re-link to media. It will tell iTunes to put any new media there but iTunes will still look for old media in the old location. The only two way to get iTunes to follow relocation of media is either using the method I outlined where the entire iTunes folder is moved, or if you let all the links break, then find one and hope iTunes can construct the location of the others on that basis.

Login Items and add the "iTunes Media" folder from the NAS

Adding to login items will help if you log in to the computer but not if the NAS is set to sleep and you keep the computer running and then start iTunes. Something that may help in some cases is putting an alias to the iTunes application on the NAS, then pur an alias to that alias in your Dock and use that to start iTunes. It will force the NAS to wake in order to start iTunes.

that will only allow you to play music ONLY

Yes, it acts as a shared library.

Limnos wrote:

it will relink the content to the new location.

No it won't, not unless they radically changed something in iTunes 12.5.1 that's been that way since iTunes 1.0.1 "Pointing" to the media folder in preferences has never gotten iTunes to re-link to media. It will tell iTunes to put any new media there but iTunes will still look for old media in the old location. The only two way to get iTunes to follow relocation of media is either using the method I outlined where the entire iTunes folder is moved, or if you let all the links break, then find one and hope iTunes can construct the location of the others on that basis.

Login Items and add the "iTunes Media" folder from the NAS

Adding to login items will help if you log in to the computer but not if the NAS is set to sleep and you keep the computer running and then start iTunes. Something that may help in some cases is putting an alias to the iTunes application on the NAS, then pur an alias to that alias in your Dock and use that to start iTunes. It will force the NAS to wake in order to start iTunes.

that will only allow you to play music ONLY

Yes, it acts as a shared library.

If gizbug follows my instructions he won't have any problems with the setup. As i currently use and run it. Not from hearsay.

gitzbug: You're also better off putting the entire library on a single drive rather than having a split library with some items on one drive and others on another. When using a split library iTunes has to work with file paths to a different drive and when using a NAS this seems to be an area where things get a bit dodgy with NAS and iTunes not fully agreeing upon conventions.

If you do want to split your library you need to relocate your media by consolidating it to the other drive. This is the only way to relocate media files only to another drive and have iTunes keep track of where they have been moved.

iTunes 12 for Mac: Change where your iTunes files are stored - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH19507 - This should say "Change where your media files but not where your other library items are stored" - more information at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5036221?answerId=22026652022#22026652022 - and steps 5-8 in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5782936?answerId=24491967022#24491967022

May 2016 post by Kenichi Watanabe summarizing consolidate process - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7564950?answerId=30216507022#30216507022

Server lets your library appear as a shared library. This lets you stream items from the library on the server to another device but it won't act as a normal library, nor can you edit items. You can use it by all means but it is really intended for guest use of your media.

"GM"? Snow Leopard = SL, Mountain Lion = ML, Mavericks = M or Mav, Yosemite = Y, El Capitan = EC.... No GM there

Correct this is how i have it. My MBPr + NAS is my main iTunes where I sync to my iOS devices.Then on my Mac Mini I'm i running the iTunes Server and Plex. Again these are my exact steps and I've been up and running for a few months now. When I travel i can access the media(Movies and Music) via my server app on my phone. AppleTV should be able to connect via iTunes Server but keep in mine you can only you one iTunes Server at a time but you can run your main iTuens while using the iTunes Server on another computer

music/iTunes media is fine

This is where you need to decide if you are going to keep the entire library on one drive, or have it split with media on one drive and support files on another. The methods for doing all this are very different which is where earlier recommendations diverge.