Is it possible to use an external hard drive to use the music collection at home and at work?

I recently started using iTunes both on my home notebook as on my desktop computer at work. I also discovered it is not possible to download the songs I bought on both machines. It's a pitty, but I can understand Apple's point of view.
I was thinking of bying a small portable USB powered hard drive to store my music collection on but I'd like to know whether this is possible before I buy myself a USB drive only to find out it's a waste of time and money. I assume it is possible the USB drive is assigned a different letter on each machine, but I think I can work around that. But is there anything else I need to keep into account?

Sync iPod/iPad/iPhone with two computers
Although it isn't possible to sync an Apple device with two different libraries it is possible to sync with the same logical library from multiple computers. Each library has an internal ID and when iTunes connects to your iPod/iPad/iPhone it compares the local ID with the one the device normally syncs with. If they are the same you can go ahead and sync...
I have my library cloned to a small 1Tb USB drive which I can take between home & work. At either location I use SyncToy 2.1 to update the local copy with the external drive. Mac users should be able to find similar tools. I can open either of the local libraries or the one on the external drive and update the media content of my iPhone. The slight exception is Photos which normally connects to a specific folder on a specific machine, although that can easily be remapped to the current library if you create a "Photos" folder inside the iTunes Media folder so that syncing the iTunes folders keeps this up to date as well. I periodically sweep my library for new files & orphans with iTunes Folder Watch just in case I make changes at one location but then overwrite the library with a newer copy from the other. Again Mac users should be able to find similar tools.
As long as your media is organised within an iTunes Music or Tunes Media folder, in turn held inside the main iTunes folder that has your library files (whether or not you let iTunes keep the media folder organised) each library can access items at the same relative path from the library folder so the library can be at different drives/paths on different machines. This solution ensures I always have adequate backups of my library and I can update my devices whenever I can connect to the same build of iTunes.
When working with an iPhone earlier builds of iTunes would remove any file not physically present in the local library, even if there was an entry for it, making manual management practically redundant on the iPhone. This behaviour has been changed but it will still only permit manual management with a library that has the correct internal ID. If you don't want to sync your library between machines on a regular basis just copy the iTunes Library.itl file from the current "home" machine to any other you want to use, then clean out the library entires and import the local content you have on that box.
tt2

Similar Messages

  • HT201250 Time machine back up using a external hard drive connected to the Airport extreme

    How can I setup a time machine back up using a external hard drive connected to the Airport extreme? Even better for time managment purposes I want to use the Eithernet Thunderbolt connection for the first back up and then through the wifi there after for daily routine Time Machine back ups.

    You can attach a hard drive, but Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port at the AirPort Extreme are not supported by Apple, so it's not possible to say what your actual results might be.
    If you decide to try this, it would be wise to have a secondary backup plan in place as well.
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/15139.html

  • HT201250 i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. do i keep my files in the portable hard disk when I connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will era

    i am using for first time the time machine and an external hard drive because I want to erase my macbook and start from zero files. Am i keeping my files in the portable hard disk when I will connect it again with the macbook or the time machine will erase all?
    I would like to know if after I erase all my data, empy hard drive inside the macbook, the time machine will erase all my files that I have saved in my "WD "My passport" external hard drive

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities
    Time Machine has to erase the external disk in order to make backups. Before setting Time Machine up, copy the files of your external disk to the hard disk of the Mac in order not to lose them, and then, set up Time Machine. The first backup will start automatically.
    If you want more information about Time Machine, read the Pondini's site > http://pondini.org

  • Using an external hard drive to connect the camera to the Mac Book Pro

    I am about three weeks away from a 9 to 4 pin firewire cable. In the meantime, I am logging and capturing from my Canon AX HI through my external hard drive. I am not super amazed at the quality of the image, it's noisy.
    I am using HDV tapes, and I don't beleive the lighting should be causing the issue.
    Does anyone know if using the external hard drive to connect the camera to my Mac Book Pro is compromising the quality of the image? Can I expect a beautiful strong image on a lap top?
    Thanks for any help.

    There is ZERO quality loss when you capture via firewire. It is a digital transfer of files...that's it. The issue you have is that you are trying to judge the quality of your image based on what you see with your computer monitors, and that is simply the LAST thing you should be doing.
    And since this is HDV, the only way to monitor that is with an HD card or I/O device, and an HD monitor or TV. Like the Matrox MXO2 mini or AJA I/O Express mini and HDTV.
    Shane

  • Can I use Time Capsule 1TB as an external hard drive tos tore my music library(but with cable connection,not WI-FI)

    Can I use my Time Capsule 1TB as an external hard drive to store my music library but with a cable connection(Ethernet or USB) and not Wi-Fi.

    Yes, with the following warnings.
    1. A 1TB TC is a Gen3 or earlier and can die at a moments notice.. So backup is essential.
    2. A Gen1 or 2 is slow.. even over ethernet they were processor bound and so transfer speeds are not great.. a USB2 plugged into the computer will be faster. Gen3 is about 50% better as the processor was upgraded by 50% speed.
    3. TC has no built in backup.. TM cannot backup network drives.
    4. TC is designed to spin up slowly and spin down quickly.. you will have issues with itunes constantly losing the library.
    5. You cannot use USB to the TC.. it is a network drive. If you want to use USB directly on the computer buy a USB drive.. but buy as fast a drive as your Mac supports.. Thunderbolt>USB3>FW800>USB2
    USB3 is cheap and very good.. but the port is only from 2012 so check your Mac specs.
    Thunderbolt whilst being super fantastic and around since 2011, has a bank account clearing price although there are Thunderbolt to esata converters.. for around $160. esata falls between usb3 and fw800.
    FW800 from WD is no better than USB2 but other brands it can be twice the speed of usb2.
    USB2 is the worst. But still faster than a TC.

  • HT201250 I run time machine on my iMac using an external hard drive.  I just bought a MacBook Pro and want to know if i can run time machine on it using my wireless network on to the iMac external hard drive

    I run time machine on my iMac using an external hard drive.  I just bought a MacBook Pro and want to know if i can run time machine on it using my wireless network on to the iMac external hard drive

    How do I set up Time Machine to a shared drive on another Mac?

  • Hey, can i clone my Macbook Pro internal hard drive and then paste it all onto a formated external hard drive, then make the Mac use the external as the primary hard drive?

    hey, can i clone my Macbook Pro internal hard drive and then paste it all onto a formated external hard drive, then make the Mac use the external as the primary hard drive? please help for i only have around 618mb left out of 189GB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If what doesn't work?
    If cloning your internal drive to the external drive is not successful, I expect CCC will tell you so. Assuming that doesn't happen, you will have a bootable replica of the internal drive on the external drive once CCC has finished.
    You can then do any of several things:
    1. Replace your internal drive with a much larger one (320GB or 500GB, or even larger), and clone the external drive's contents onto the new drive so you'll have all your data in one place. Note that if you do this, you'll also need to buy an external drive that's large enough to back the new internal drive up on.
    2. Boot from the external drive as a temporary measure while you clear at least 30-40GB of data off the internal drive, allowing you to keep using it and saving small amounts of data to it. The external drive will then contain the only copies of the files you've deleted from the internal drive, so you'll need a seond external drive large enough to back both the other drives up on.
    If you can't comfortably clear a minimum of 30GB off the internal drive, you really need a larger internal drive right now, and you shouldn't bother fooling around with the inadequate one you have — you'll just quickly overfill it again.
    3. Replace the optical drive in your MBP with a large conventional hard drive, giving you two hard drives inside the machine. You will then need one or more external drives large enough to back up both of the internal drives.
    If you sense a theme here — back up, back up, back up — you are correct. It's flat-out foolhardy to own or use a computer without maintaining complete, up-to-date backups of everything at all times.

  • How do you transfer iTunes to Windows 8 when you use an external hard drive to store you music/media files

    I've tried a number of different search terms and yet can't quite seem to find an exact answer to my question.
    I currently use a Windows 7 computer and have my songs for iTunes on an external hard drive.  I would like to find some step by step instructions on how to transfer my library to a new Windows 8 computer and still utilize the external hard drive to store my music.  What I find very confusing is I have similar folders for iTunes on both my computer and the external hard drive (ex. Album Artwork, iTunes Library Extras, Previous iTunes Libraries).  I'm not sure which files to move over to the new computer to make for a smooth transition.
    Thanks in advance for your help. 
    Paul

    See also Make a split library portable.
    tt2

  • Hi, Can anyone recommended software to import dvd to iMovies. I need to import about a dozen homemade DVD's and edit them into a single DVD comprising the 'best bits'. How best can I do this. I have an external hard drive available for the job

    Hi, Can anyone recommended software to import dvd to iMovies. I need to import about a dozen homemade DVD's and edit them into a single DVD comprising the 'best bits'. How best can I do this. I have an external hard drive available for the job

    You need to convert the VOB files in the TS-Folder of the DVD back to DV which iMovie is designed to handle. For that you need mpegStreamclip:
    http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html
    which is free, but you must also have the  Apple mpeg2 plugin :
    http://store.apple.com/us/product/D2187Z/A/quicktime-mpeg-2-playback-component-f or-mac-os-x
    (unless you are running Lion in which case see below))
    which is a mere $20.
    Another possibility is to use DVDxDV:
    http://www.dvdxdv.com/NewFolderLookSite/Products/DVDxDV.overview.htm
    which costs $25.
    For the benefit of others who may read this thread:
    Obviously the foregoing only applies to DVDs you have made yourself, or other home-made DVDs that have been given to you. It will NOT work on copy-protected commercial DVDs, which in any case would be illegal.
    And from the TOU of these forums:
    Keep within the Law
    No material may be submitted that is intended to promote or commit an illegal act.
    Do not submit software or descriptions of processes that break or otherwise ‘work around’ digital rights management software or hardware. This includes conversations about ‘ripping’ DVDs or working around FairPlay software used on the iTunes Store.
    If you are running Lion or later:
    From the MPEG Streamclip homepage
    The installer of the MPEG-2 Playback Component may refuse to install the component in Lion. Apple states the component is unnecessary in Lion onwards, however MPEG Streamclip still needs it. See this:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3381
    To install the component in Lion, please download MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b7 beta above; inside the disk image you will find the Utility MPEG2 Component Lion: use it to install the MPEG-2 Playback Component in Lion. The original installer's disk image (QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg) is required.
    The current versions of MPEG Streamclip cannot take advantage of the built-in MPEG-2 functionality of Lion. For MPEG-2 files you still need to install the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, which is not preinstalled in Lion. (The same applies to Mountain Lion even though that has it preinstalled.) You don't have to install QuickTime 7.

  • Can I read mail on an external hard drive without importing the account?

    HI - I have a large mail account on an external hard drive which i do not want to import on my mac due to hard drive space limitations.  Can I review the mail within the Mail app, (or some other app) without importing everything into mail or onto my hard drive?  Thanks very much!!

    Hi Paint Guy,
    *Bootcamp on External Hard Drive?*
    Can I install Bootcamp on an external Hard Drive? I don't see why it wouldn't work. Do I need to install the Mac OS on the external Hard Drive first, then Bootcamp?
    By Microsofts Design no Windows can be installed and booted from external HDs. BootCamp just follows this.
    However, according to this http://tubeshards.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/install-windows-to-a-macintosh-usb-dr ive/ it can be done.
    Parallels
    Another question. Does Parallels allow you to not have to use the "option" key to boot into Windows? I mean if I use Parallels can I use XP or Vista at the same time as my mac applications?
    What, (if any) are the drawbacks to using "Parallels"?
    Parallels is an OS X application which don't need a restart of your Mac to run Windows.
    Therefor you can run OS X and Parallels Windows side-by-side.
    Main drawback is, that Windows runs not native (on the real hardware) but in a virtualized environment.
    While this is more than acceptable for 'standard' Office programs, any program that needs direct hardware access (especially games and 3D-programs) either do not run at all or run at noticeable slower speed.
    Also you have to realize that the amount of RAM in your Mac is divided between OS X and Parallels Windows.
    *What Options are there...*
    Is it possible for Apple to allow users to program a key on their keyboard, when pressed will bring up Windows so they don't have to always restart? I need to switch between Windows and mac OS quite often and it's a real pain to always restart. What options do I have?
    BootCamp is no option then, since it needs a reboot everytime you want to switch between OS X and Windows.
    Parallels (and VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox, BTW) run alongside OSX.
    Thanks
    You're welcome. Hope it helps.
    Have Fun
    Stefan
    Message was edited by: Fortuny

  • I downloaded some videos to Premier Elements 13 from external hard drive but now the external hard drive is damaged. I tried to open the videos on the organizer which it shows the video but with a yellow ? and says missing file. Is there anyway I can open

    I downloaded some videos to Premier Elements 13 from an external hard drive but now the external hard drive is damaged. While setting up my new MAC the external hard drive was dropped and I have been told by an outside source they could not retrieve the files.  It had 4 years of photos and videos on it. I remembered that I had downloaded some of the videos from the external hard drive (before it was broke) to Adobe Organizer 13 when I installed the Adobe 13 on my MACOS X 10.9.5.  I tried to open the videos on the organizer which it shows the video but with a yellow ? and says missing file. Is there anyway I can open these videos?
    Any input is greatly appreciated!! I am sick over losing the videos and had a little hope on Adobe Organizer until I was unable to open them.  I am thinking it is due to my external hard drive not being plugged in. I thought when I transferred from the external hard drive to Adobe 13 that it would be there without the external hard drive needing to be attached but maybe I did something wrong.
    Thanks again for any help!!!!

    jnrmendonca
    It had 4 years of photos and videos on it.
    To what did your camera record those photos and videos - camera's internal memory, inserted memory card, other?
    Any remote chance that the latter may still exist for you to use to download the camera files to your new external hard drive?
    ATR

  • HT1751 when I try to drag my Itunes into my external hard drive, I get the "no way" symbol, circ;e with a line thjrough it. How can I back up? I have lost a fortune in purchased items because I cannot back up despite following the Unhelpful help.

    I cannot drag my Itunes folder to my external hard drive, despite following the unhelpful help exactly. I get a "no way" sign Circle with a line though it. I have lost a fortune in purchased goods (audio books)  because I cant do it. Itunes have said they cant reimburse me and they dont have those books anymore, so cannot redownload them for me. Please remind me NEVER to buy apple products again.
    I am scared I am going to lose more money seeing I cant BACK ANYTHING UP.

    If you used the hard drive with another Mac then it is likely Mac formatted.  It was because you posted in the iTunes for Windows forum (kind of the equivalent to taking a VW to a Ford dealership for service) I thought you might be using a Windows formatted drive.
    Thumb drives are not universal.  There isn't a "universal" drive format.  Some work partly with both systems but are not fully compatible.
    Click once on the hard drive icon on the desktop.  Fo to File then Get Info.  It will say the drive format.
    Frankly I have never had your problem with a drive so I can't help too much except in general experience.  The prohibitory sign is pretty universal and for some reason you are not allowed to copy to that drive.
    I think if you had a Windows computer you'd be unhappy with it too and probably be posting on a forum that your machine was virus ridden and crashing and you didn't know anything about registries...  To be honest, I was doing a presentation on a friend's Windows computer and wanted to get it to display a simple image file.  There was no way we could get the .jpg image file to open with anything but Windows Explorer which is a web browser!  I mean, that's really bad, and of course he was so used to using it without knowing anything about computers that he could not help me.  I did my presentation in front of 30 people using Explorer.

  • If I donwload e-books from various e-book retailers and want to back them up on an external hard drive without losing the format, do I need a special hard drive?

    If I download e-books from various e-book retailers and want to back them up on an external hard drive without losing the format, do I need to know anything special?

    I just looked into this as I was moving my iPad to a new computer for synching.  With no thanks to Kobo for any really useful information on their help site (this discussion was the most useful info I found), I think the following may address your issue with respect to Kobo.
    1. There is not easy or official way to back up Kobo books from your iPad.
    2. Kobo keep track of your personal library.  Go to the Kobo website (Kobo.com) and sign in to your account.  On the very top line is "My Library".  That contains (or at least Kobo says it does) everything you have ever bought from Kobo.  Kobo say that you may download any of this content to other devices you own at no charge.
    3. I synched my iPad to the new computer.  According to Apple, that will delete all my data as the apps are re-installed from the new compute.  While all my apps got moved around from the order I previously had (many thanks Apple), all my books are still there together with my bookmarks etc.  Looks like this did nothing to change any Kobo data.
    While I do not like the idea that I cannot create a backup on my main computer, it is probably safer in the long run that there is a backup at Kobo.  After all, I could lose all my equipment in a fire or something, and then personal  backups would be of little use.

  • When I save photos to external hard drive they lose the names I have typed in

    when I save photos to external hard drive they lose the names I have typed in on the MacBook

    Hello and thank you for your reply.  When I export, this is what I have used:
    File Settings:
    Image Format:  JPEG
    Color Space:  sRGB
    Quality : 80-100
    I have not checked the box for "output sharpening", although I did minor sharpening as part of my edit process in LR.
    For Image Sizing, I have not changed anything. This is what is currently selected:  "resize to fit" box is checked and "long edge" is selected, 500 pixels.  Resolution 72 pixels per inch. The "don't enlarge" button is NOT checked. 
    I'm hoping this is where my issue resides!!
    Thank you!

  • Can I mount my external hard drive which will be compatible with both Mac and Windows?

    Hello,
    Can I mount my external hard drive which will be compatible with both Mac and Windows? If yes, then please let me know, because I intend to use my hard drive for both Windows and Mac, without losing any file.

    Yes. By default, Mac OS X and Windows can read and write drives which are formatted as FAT32 or exFAT; NTFS drives aren't writable from Mac OS X without additional software.
    (124553)

Maybe you are looking for