I have a ~110-GB collection of song files in iTunes 12.7.2.58 on my MacBook in the default /Music/iTunes folder. I'd like to move it all to another directory area (in my case, into the /Dropbox folder so that it will be backed up there). What do I need to do to move this so that it will still be recognized by iTunes? Is there any possibility that anything will "break"?
iTunes 12 for Mac: Change where your iTunes files are stored - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH19507
I have never used Dropbox. My concern would be it isn't a real drive. If network addressing changed you may find iTunes will claim all the links are broken. Maybe somebody else can confirm if it will work but I personally would not attempt it until I know for certain it works.
iTunes 12 for Mac: Change where your iTunes files are stored - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH19507
I have never used Dropbox. My concern would be it isn't a real drive. If network addressing changed you may find iTunes will claim all the links are broken. Maybe somebody else can confirm if it will work but I personally would not attempt it until I know for certain it works.
Older posts but may still apply (I use iTunes 7.5, yes 7.5) so I can't check for you):
Sept. 2010, Consolidate selected content - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2589812 and April 2014, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6067967?answerId=25414357022#25414357022
"...selected the new tracks directly in iTunes, Control-clicked on the selection, and saw that now you can consolidate selected items."
Thanks! I'll look into your point about the use of Dropbox for this. However, the way Dropbox works is that it is simply a cloud mirror of files that remain always in physical storage on the local machine. So, from the OS's point of view, the /Dropbox folder is true local physical storage just like any other folder. I've heard of possible issues when very large (multi-gigabyte) files are stored in Dropbox, but I don't think that would apply in this case.
Actually, now that I read the Apple help page in more detail, I'm not sure it answers my question. As it read it, it explains how to move the location that new iTunes files will be stored in. However, it seems to say that existing files will remain in the current location in /Home/Music/iTunes. The thing is that I want to move my existing 110-GB song collection there to a different folder. Is this possible?
You need to change where it keeps things and also consolidate. It puts a copy of the files in the other location and then uses that copy. Try it, then get info on a track in iTunes and one of the tabs lets you see where the file it is using is actually located.
Limnos wrote:
It puts a copy of the files in the other location and then uses that copy.
Therein lies the rub. As noted, my music collection is 110 GB, and I don't want to end up with all that replicated. I have a little more than 110 GB free on my MacBook's drive, but it may be a bit of a squeaker. It would be great if there were a way just to move (not copy) the file folder. I wonder if I could just copy all the song files off to external storage, delete everything in iTunes on the MacBook, then move the iTunes folder to my /Dropbox area and reimport everything? My main concern there would be losing metadata like album track info, art, etc.
I'm not following the problem. If Dropbox behaves like an external drive then consolidate the library to Dropbox and delete the content from your computer. It won't replicate it to your computer if you have specified Dropbox in preferences as the place to store your media.
You're right, if you copy it in Finder and re-import you may lose some metadata (not all but some).
No, Dropbox doesn't behave like an external drive. It is just another folder on the MacBook, and all of its files exist as real files on the real local hard drive on the MacBook. It's just that Dropbox periodically mirrors /Home/Dropbox off to the cloud.
So, by copying the iTunes song collection from /Home/Music/iTunes to /Home/Dropbox, I will at least temporarily end up with two copies of all the files on the local hard drive on the MacBook. I have a bit more than 110 GB free on the Mac HD, but it will be a little close; I was just worried about filling up the local drive during the copying process. If I can then delete all of the song files from /Home/Music/iTunes with no negative consequences, though, that will be fine long-term.
Thanks, I'll look through that. As another option, I might look into leaving the iTunes song files where they are, and getting it automatically backed up via iCloud, if I can do that for selected folders on the Mac. I just feel a little nervous about relying on my USB external drive as my only backup for a music collection representing 30+ years of listening.
How to move folder for iTunes song files?
