Backing up itunes folder to a secondary hard drive

How can I set up iTunes to back up songs to a secondary hard drive instead of to a CD?
Thanks.

Assuming you use the iTunes default settings where iTunes copied added items to your iTunes folder and organizes your library (meaning - everything is all self contained in the iTunes folder), then all you have to do is drag & drop your iTunes folder (not just the iTunes Music folder you find inside the iTunes folder) to the external drive and copy the entire thing.
If you want to test that it worked or would like to actually start using it from that location instead, use these instructions when you start iTunes to point it to the new location...
How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304447
If you are just testing, then close iTunes after you verify it works, and restart iTunes again with the same instructions and point it back to your internal drive (original) location.
Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307074
Patrick

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Problems copying iTunes folder to an external hard drive - "The operation can't be completed because the item FILE NAME is in use"

Hi,
I have been trying to back up my iTunes folder from my MacBook hard drive over to a new LaCie external hard drive. However, whenever I try to do it at some point during the copying I keep getting the warning "The operation can’t be completed because the item FILE NAME is in use". Each time I have tried it, it is always a different file name that comes up and at different points of the copying. Following the warning, the copying stops and cannot be restarted.
I tried copying the iTunes folder to another Lacie external hard drive that I have, and it worked fine so I am guessing that it maybe something wrong with the hard drive.
I've been trying various approaches all day and can't seem to get anywhere with it - all very frustrating, so any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks.

If you don't have other backup data on it, reformatting external drive could solve the problem.

I recently had to back up itunes play lists to external hard drive, how do I restore the library from the external hard drive to the new computer

I recently had to back up itunes play lists to external hard drive whilst computer was fixed. reinstalled itunes but dont know how to reinstall my music from external hard drive. help?

The same way the library was copied/moved to the external drive.
Copy it from location A to location B.
Then point iTunes to the correct library.

HT1751 Hello, can you help? I have backed up iTune library to an external hard drive, but want to set up periodic back ups every month. Do I have to follow the "Consolidate file" procedure every time I back up, and does my original back become over writte

Hello can anyone help? I have sucessfully backed up my iTuines library to an external hard drive, but when backing up in the furture (Monthly) do I have to follow the same procedure again, and will this place an additonal copy of my iTunes library on my hard drive, so duplicating the back up and so rapidly fill my hard drive.
Ideally what I would like, is for the lateset back up to over write the original so saving space on my external hard drive. Many thanks ......Steve

The "consolidate" command has nothing to do with making backups. You use that command when you have had content in multiple places and you wish to have it now all in a single iTunes folder. If all of your content is already in the iTunes folder, then the "consolidate" command will be of no use to you. You will make further backups using whatever method you normally would use to make backups of your data in Windows.
Regards.

Backing up iTunes Library to New External Hard Drive

I need to move the location of my itunes library as my external hard drive has become full.
I have been backing up my "computer" (i.e. internal hard drive) and the itunes library stored on the external hard drive with TM.
Once I move the library, I will be backing up the new music library. As I understand it, TM will treat this as a completely new backup. Once this is done, I would no longer need or want the older backup on TM -- what's the best way of deleting the older backup since it takes up an enormous amount of space -- i.e. it's 250 gigs -- and then the additional 250 gigs for the NEW music library backup.
Thanks

Helen Berman wrote:
I need to move the location of my itunes library as my external hard drive has become full.
I have been backing up my "computer" (i.e. internal hard drive) and the itunes library stored on the external hard drive with TM.
Once I move the library, I will be backing up the new music library. As I understand it, TM will treat this as a completely new backup. Once this is done, I would no longer need or want the older backup on TM -- what's the best way of deleting the older backup since it takes up an enormous amount of space -- i.e. it's 250 gigs -- and then the additional 250 gigs for the NEW music library backup.
Hello again, Helen!
First, see this: moving your iTunes Music folder
Are you moving the iTunes library from one external to a new, larger one? If so, give the new drive a different name than the old one, even if only slightly different (this is for you, not TM!)
Once the data is moved, eject and disconnect the old drive, and leave it alone for now.
Go into Time Machine and delete all backups of the old drive. You'll need the procedure in #E3 of the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum, to see them. Select the folder representing the old drive, click the "gear" icon in the Finder window's toolbar, select the +*Delete all backups of <folder name> option.+* You'll get a confirmation prompt, then one for your Admin password. Make a large pot of coffee, as that will take a while! If you exit from the TM display, you'll probably see a progress bar for the deletion.
Be sure the new drive isn't listed in the +Do not back up+ box in TM Preferences > Options. If it is, remove it. Then run a backup, and TM should back-up the new external in full, along with any changes to your internal. Make another pot of coffee!
Once that's done, be certain everything was backed-up properly: check sizes, and messages, and browse the backups.
If I were you, I'd keep that old one around, "just in case," until I really, really needed it for something else.

Backing up Itunes library to external backup hard drive

May have missed this... but I just bought an external hard drive for use as a backup. It didn't come with backup software. For now, I just copy and paste personal folders. What do I copy to backup my itunes library? Itunes internal backup apparently only backs up to CD or DVD. Can I not back up some weird voodoo protected version of my music to an external hard drive wthout having to copy to DVD? I mean, that would go through a lot of DVDs over a year wouldn it?
Mike

Hi, Mike.
Assuming you haven't changed any of iTunes' default settings, everything you need to back-up - the iTunes Music folder, the Album Artwork and the iTunes Library files - is found in the iTunes folder at C:\Documents and Settings\ user name \My Documents\My Music\iTunes .
So, again assuming you haven't changed the defaults, all you have to do is copy the iTunes folder to your external.
If you've changed the defaults, it can be a bit more complicated.

HT204081 I recently updated i tunes and had previously relocated my library to an external hard drive, on restart I realized that itunes did not update the new location on the external but created a new itunes folder on my regular hard drive. how do I com

I need to know how to fix this. I updated itunes and it created a new itunes folder on my hard drive after I ported all of it to an external for space concerns. It took all my files from that folder and recreated part of it to my hard drive. Now when backing up I have no idea where it is backing up to. Any help appreciated

Sort of. My media was on multiple hard drives, some local, and actually some networked, and then I conolidated it to a single external hard drive. Renaming drives and moving files sounds like a recipe for disaster.
When doing a consolidation, files are copied to a new location and the old ones are left untouched. Does iTunes create a backup database of the file locations before doing a consolidation? I could use the backup if that were the case, since everything still exists in the original locations.
I've recieved my replacement hard drive for the one that crashed and I may be able to copy everything back manually if I knew where it went. I looked inside the iTunes Music Library.xml to see if I could figure out the folder structure, but for some reason they all say they're located in the iTunes folder in My Documents. They're not, of course.
Would the Previous iTunes Library.itl be of any use, or is that for another purpose?

Can I get back to iTunes Music after failed external hard drive transfer?

I am in the middle of moving a bunch of files to an external hard drive. I followed instructions posted and mentioned on this forum to move iTunes Music; changed iTunes Music folder location to go to the EHD, then consolidated library there. I never deleted the iTunes Music folder that was in My Docs. I noticed a problem with the EHD file and had to delete the iTunes Music folder that I had just set up with a plan to just redo it. I did this thinking that once I reset iTunes to look for the Music folder back in My Docs I would be fine....but, iTunes can not find the original file for any songs. I can manually point iTunes to the song in My Docs, but there must be a better way. I have already changed the Music location in iTunes back to My Docs. Is there something I am missing?
Thanks
Dell Windows XP Pro

cgb33,
You can use the Add Folder to Library option as explained in this article in the Apple Knowledge Base.
Note that while this will add the songs themselves to iTunes, playlist and related information will not be included.

Backing up iTunes Library to an external hard drive

i have an iomega portable firewire/usb 2.0 hard drive and i've been trying to figure out how my back up my itunes library on it but my attempts have proved futile... help?!

you don' need to have the same hard drive as me to respond... just if you have some idea of how to back up itunes to an ehd!

I moved my iTunes folder to an external hard drive, now itunes wants to sync all of music to my iPhone twice.

I copied my whole itunes folder to an external drive as id run out of space on my PC. I then changed the location of the folder on iTunes through preferances, but it gave me a warning which i just pressed no/cancel to without reading it, but i didnt realise that then it had not saved the new folder location. When i deleted the original folder, everything dissapeared from itunes meaning i had to reload everything from the new, moved, itunes folder. This wasnt a problem, except it had lost all memory of playlists and play counts etc. But now, when i try and sync my phone, it tells me there is not enough space on the phone as it must be trying to add all of the music from itunes to the phone as well as what is already on the phone.
Is there a way to upload everything from the phone to itunes, including play counts and playlists?
if not....
How do i just sync my phone to itunes without having to reset the phone and losing photographs, and without itunes trying to add everything twice?
Last question, why do Apple want to make this so difficult for me? What is wrong with plane old 'click and drag'??
Help me would be greatly apprerciated!! Thanks.

Close iTunes. Click the icon to start it, then press and hold down the left shift key. Keep holding until asked to choose or create a library. Choose the iTunes folder on your external drive. That should bring back all your playlists, ratings, play counts etc. You may have to settle for removing and reloading the media onto the device again. That's not too bad, but what you don't want to have happen is your apps being removed and reloaded as then you can lose settings and data. If that looks likely backup and then restore the device rather than sync it.
If for some reason rebuilding the library the way you did has moved files around then the restored library may have trouble finding things. If so post back and I'll explain what to do...
tt2

Do I need to back up itunes library to a portable hard drive?

I'm in my late 50's and I'm totally new to ipod & itunes. I have just purchased the ipod classic 160g mainly because I want to store all my CD collection & download all the new stuff too. Have loads of tunes in my library & have been given mixed messages about backing up. If iTunes is stored online is the sole purpose of backing up just incase laptop goes down? Also, can I access my iTunes account from another computer?

I would definitely back up your iTunes on a seperate hard drive, iTunes is only stored on line if you've either bought the music from iTunes or if you subscribe to iTunes Match. Even if you have iTunes match, it isn't designed to be a back up, besides, why trust a third party with your valuable music?
You can have your iTunes account on 5 seperate computers. I wouldn't try to download music to a different computer using your iPod though, it might work if you sign in to your account on the other computer first but it'd be better to transfer from a portable hard drive.

How do I put content from my iphone back into itunes after installing a new hard drive?

How do I put content from my iphone back into itunes after I have installed a new hard drive on my computer?

See Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
tt2

HT1589 iMac: How do I move my iTunes folder from one external hard drive to another external drive?

Due to file size reasons, I found myself several years ago with the need to move my iTunes Library from my desktop's internal drive to an external drive [which I also used via partition for a backup of my internal drive] I now have to move to a different external hard drive -- again for more space. I've copied the iTunes Library to the new drive, but can't seem to get iTunes to recognize and run it.
What specifically do I need to do to get this done?

You could plug the WD drive straight into the TC but it will be much faster to do it with the WD drive plugged into the computer.. and just mount the TC hard disk in Finder.
To move itunes library you must follow the Apple instructions.. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1449
You may need to reconnect itunes to the library before you try to move it.. !!

Just bought new PC with windows 8.1 and installed the 64bit tunes as instructed by the new PC. Only a small part of my music library is now showing but can see all the files in the itunes folder on an eternal hard drive linked to my old XP pc.

Problem - changed PC to one with Windows 8.1 ( previous from 2006 with Windos XP). Previously all ITunes stuff on an external harddrive as 80 gigs of music too much for the old PC
When attached Harddrive to new PC was told needed to install the new 64 bit iTunes as 32 bit iTunes not compatable.
Did so but only a very small portion of my music is showning - though rest of Library is still on the external drive in the folder.
Help please
Thanks

Again many thanks. I have tried to tidy up the folders as per your idiot guide- which term is appropriate for me
Under iTunes Media though I do not have folders for Books,iPod Games, Mobile Applications, Movies, TV Shows so I only have Auto Add to iTunes, Music, Downloads and Podcasts - My question here is is this OK.
Next - Library files that you mention are there but do not end .itdb
Next - in the main iTunes folder followingon from Artwork and Media folders there is some other iTunes database stuff like Library Extras, Library Genius, Library and Music Library(xml) all dated 10/02/12 plus MimiPlayer .dll dated 21/02/14 and Set Up Short Cut dated22/03/14
AND there is also a Programme Files folder with a sub folder holding file folders called CD Configuration,iTunes Resources, iTunes Help Resources, iTunes Mini Player Resources and Mozilla Plugins all dated 24/03/14 ( when I downloaded the new iTunes) and then a lot of application extension stuff from 2011
To recap I unistalled the old 32 bit iTunes and installed the new 11.1.5 (64 bit) version over the weekend SO is any of the old stuff listed above required.
Outcome right now is that as previously I can only call up the Downloaded music not Podcats or CD copies.
Regards
David Pugh

How do I create an iTunes library on an external hard drive?

I have a MacBook Pro running OS10.6.8 and iTunes 10.3.1.
I have simply run out of hard drive space on my laptop.
I want to create a secondary iTune library on an external hard drive.
(I know how to create a new iTune Library - it ends up in my Music folder on my laptop hard drive).
So how do I:
a) create or move this folder to an external hard drive, and
b) once done, how do I move my video files (television programs and movies) from my laptop iTune folder to the external hard drive?
Thank you for any assistance.

no need to create a secondary library - too troublesome, IMHO. you can spread your library over as many drives you can connect to your Mac (wired or wirelessly):
iTunes > preferences > advanced.
point iTunes media folder location to the external
on the same tab, ensure the copy files ... when adding option is checkmarked
okay out of preferences
highlight the content to be moved in iTunes and right-click
select consolidate files from the pop-up menu
wait for the process to finish
when done, you may delete the original files from your boot drive.
alternatively, you could move the whole shabang to the external HD:
copy the entire iTunes folder (not just the iTunes music or media folder) from <MacintoshHD>/users/<yourname>/music to the external, launch iTunes while holding the option(⌥) key, click on choose library when prompted, and select the iTunes folder you copied to the external.
when done, be sure to point iTunes media folder location to the external so that new additions to your library will be put there. also, you need to make sure the external is mounted on your desktop before you fire up iTunes.

Backing up itunes folder to a secondary hard drive

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