iTunes can't find music

Question

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

iTunes can't find music

Hi,

I was using an old mac mini 1.83 w/itunes 12.2.2.25 and just got a new to me mid 2011 mac mini.

Nothing on it fresh install. I have all my music on a 2tb external drive that I was using on the older mac

work just fine. Pulged my external drive into the new mac mini running iTunes 12.5.3.17 selected the same

as on the older mini and iTunes does not find the library. put it back on the old mini no problem everything comes

up and and all my music is there. Not sure how to fix it , need some help.

Thanks

Martin

here is my structure on the external drive.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Dec 3, 2016 3:35 PM

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Answer 1

poikkeus1

Level 4

2,474 points

Dec 5, 2016 6:17 AM in response to upctry2

The music should be in the (your home folder)/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music - which, I see, isn't shown on the image you posted. Try looking there.

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Answer 2

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 5, 2016 6:18 AM in response to poikkeus1

Thanks for helping Poikkeus1,

ok This is both my home folder and the external and my advanced setting which is playing right now on the old mac.

So may be I think its coming from my external but is really coming from my home folder?

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Answer 3

Dec 4, 2016 12:41 AM in response to upctry2

Hi,

Try selecting the iTunes library.itl file on your ext drive.

Jim

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Answer 4

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Dec 4, 2016 7:46 AM in response to upctry2

Quit iTunes.
Hold Option and launch iTunes.
Select Choose library...
Select the iTunes Music folder on the external (the one highlighted in your 1st screenshot)

Leave the iTunes media folder location in Prefs > Advanced, alone.

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Answer 5

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 4, 2016 12:22 PM in response to Chris CA

Thanks for the help,

I did this but it only found 47 of 1032 albums in my library. So i'm thinking of creating a new library on the external and renaming the old library as iTunes music_old and drag all my music into the new iTunes media folder?

make sense ?

Thanks again.

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Answer 6

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Dec 4, 2016 2:48 PM in response to upctry2

Hold on a few.

I see what the issue may be.

Look in the folder on the external in Itunes Music. (1st screenshot above).

You have two folders with music.

2TB Seagate > Itunes Music > iTunes Music

and

2TB Seagate > Itunes Music > Music

Is all the music in these two folders??

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Answer 7

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 4, 2016 3:20 PM in response to Chris CA

Hi Chris,

I was doing a little consolidating my self. I moved my albums in Music to iTunes Music and renamed it Itues iTunes Media deleted older and unneeded folders and be it looks like this. Did option open iTunes and selected iTunes media folder and still got the same 47 albums, bummed...this is my new look.

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Answer 8

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 4, 2016 4:50 PM in response to upctry2

Ok it get better not really, images 1 is on the new mac 47 albums same drive everything. image 2 is the old mac

same drive everything. I don't get it.

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Answer 9

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Dec 4, 2016 6:51 PM in response to upctry2

iTunes menu File > Add to library.

Select the iTunes media folder on the external.

2TB/iTunes/iTunes media

This should add everything into iTunes.

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Answer 10

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 5, 2016 6:20 AM in response to Chris CA

Well I got back to 857 albums not quite the 1032 but most. I will play around with the other folders and see it I missed some. Thanks again for all the everyone. Have a great Holiday season

Martin

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Answer 11

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Dec 5, 2016 9:27 AM in response to upctry2

Look inside the iTunes media folder.
There is an Automatically add to iTunes folder.

Drop music in this folder and it will be added to iTunes and moved to the appropriate folder.

I keep a shortcut to this folder on the desktop and simply drop files on this icon to easily add files to iTunes.

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Answer 12

upctry2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 6, 2016 5:45 AM in response to Chris CA

Thanks for the tip Chris CA, This 2011 mac has now cd in it. I have several other older mac with cd in them. What's

the best way to burn cd's and get them into my new library? Can I use the older mack and burn to a folder and not add to iTunes and copy them to the new library over my network or should I just by a new external cd from apple?

Thanks

Martin

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