Backing up iTunes library to CD/DVD

Each time I back up to CD/DVD it finishes the disc. Is there a way I can keep backing up tunes that are added to the library until the disc is full.

Do you have an external hard drive? If not, you might want to get one. Much easier to back up the library that way...
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.
Additional info...
Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307074
Cheers,
Patrick

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Backing Up iTunes Library Using a DvD-RW Disc

I have attempted to back up my "Purchases" using a DvD-RW Disc, however, if there are items already backed up on that disc it asks for a blank disc. I thought I could add songs to the DvD-RW and it did not have to be blank as there is the option to "Add recent purchases since last backup."

A file level backup to another hard drive or memory stick is better yet. Use something like SyncToy 2.1 and subsequent backups will only need to copy new or updated files. Copy your entire iTunes folder and you can even "prove" your backup by holding SHIFT when launching iTunes and then opening the backup library.
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How Can I Back Up Itunes Library to CD/DVD with New Itunes

I have the newest version of itunes 10.5.2 and theres no longer an option to backup to a cd or dvd. I need to move all of my apps,songs,videos, ect to a new computer. If i can not use a DVD anymore, whats the easiest way to move EVERYTHING, purchased and non purchased, to a different computer?
Thanks so much for any help!

Backup your library using this User Tip.
Deauthorise the old computer if you won't be using it for iTunes.
Restore the library into the music folder on the new computer.
Install iTunes and sign in to your account.
tt2

HT1766 How do I back up my iTunes Library (Windows) to DVD?

I am a Windows user (XP) and have alot of licensed iTunes songs, tv shows and movies. i need to back up my Library and want to back up to a DVD. In the past, I could backup to a CD or DVD and now that option seems to have disappeared. is there another way to make a local back up?

See this previous discussion:
Back up iTunes library to hard drive...: Apple Support Communities

I upgraded to iTunes 10.5 and now I can't back up iTunes library to disc. In previous versions it was in file library backup to disc. In iTunes 10.5 that is gone!

I upgraded to iTunes 10.5 and now I can't back up iTunes library to disc. In previous versions it was in file>library>backup to disc. In iTunes 10.5 that is gone!

Some of us have our enture itunes library backed up on CD/DVD - what a waste of time and effort as now presumably you can't use these discs to restore itunes on a new computer! WHY NOT APPLE?
Very unimpressed with itunes 10.5/ios5 - wifi tracking apps have been removed from the store (and won't function in ios5), it's impossible to sync photos (I have spent a whole day trying to sync my iphone 3GS with itines 10.5) to no avail and now, no CD backup facility.
I have never had problems with apple before - I was thinking of upgrading my whole system from PC to Mac but now I am doubtful - if this is typical of apple software, I will stay with windows!

Back up itunes library

i've backed up itunes library then went back to update cd using option( only back up items added or changed since last back up)using an unformatted disc or formatted i get messages : please insert isert blank disc or disc is not blank. so either way i can't update the disc. the ony way i found to do it is to use a formatted disc and go to source folder and copy from there. not ideal.

If you want to back up everything to an external drive, copy the entire iTunes folder.
Or you can use any backup program to do the same.
Is it also possible to back everythign up in MP3 format to a CD or DVD?
iTunes prefs -> Advanced - Burning.
Set to Data CD/DVD.
Create a Smart playlist where Kind contains MPEG audio file.
Click Burn.

Moving/backing up iTunes library

I have read the help and understand how to back up the library onto cd/dvd. My pc however is connected to an external file server and I could put the back up data on here rather than burning a number of dvd's (I guess it would be 'a number of' if the library is big). Is there a way of doing this. iTunes seems to only allow burn to cd/dvd. Can I somehow specify a mapped drive.
I need to do this before wiping my pc for a fresh install of everything.
Thanks for any advice.

You might find these articles interesting/useful:
iTunes - Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
iLounge - The Complete Guide to Backing Up your iTunes Library

Trouble Backing up Itunes Library

I am backing up my library on CD's. I backed up plenty of discs, stopped and resumed. Everything seemed to go well, now when i try to back up the files to discs, itunes checks the files and constantly spits back out the CD and asks for a blank cd. How can i fix this problem?
Toshiba Satellite Windows XP Pro

Hi
First of all thank you for taking the time to answer me.
Nope, I do not have a external harddrive. That is why I wanted to back up the Itunes Library onto blank dvd/cd's so that I can make the transfer later on when I get my new laptop.
I just wanted to know if:
1) this burning /back up issue that I am having is Itunes glitch or if it has something to do with my burner/computer
2) is there another folder in my computer that stores all the Itunes music files that I can goto directly and try to drag and drop from there?

I lost songs on my itunes library n i have same songs kn my iphone. So how can i get them back to itunes library?

I lost songs on my itunes library n i have same songs kn my iphone. So how can i get them back to itunes library?

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

Can't Back up iTunes library - DVDs keep getting rejected

Have just upgraded to iTunes 7.1. Tried to use the Back Up function mentioned in "What's new...". Unfortunately, every time I try to back up the iTunes library to a blank DVD-RW, the computer fails to work out what the disc is and then spits it out. Why would that happen?
Are some brands of DVD-RWs incompatible with Macs? Have tried TDK 4.7GB DVD-RW & Panasonic 4.7GB DVD+RWs. Both rejected.
Any advice appreciated. Apart from buying an External HD; too strapped for cash!
PowerBook 17" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

DVD-R or DVD-RW, either should be fine; it's the +R disks that won't work.
The fact that -RWs won't work suggests to me that you may have a hardware problem with the drive (it's quite possible for a drive to be able to work with CDs but fail with DVDs or vice-versa). In any case, it's not an iTunes problem, so you might want to take the issue up in the PowerBook DVD forum. Someone there may be able to suggest something to try to determine if it's an OS or hardware problem.

Backing UP ITunes Library - To DVD's

I have the most current ITunes on a Windows 7 Lap Top -
Backing Up the Entire ITunes Library to CD's or DVD's is gone -
I have 4171 Tracks of Music ALL Loaded from individual CD's - (240 Plus)
How can I backup the Library Now...

That feature has been gone for well over a year. Use Windows backup or the tools supplied with the drive.
Or get an external drive and backup properly with this User Tip.
tt2

Backing up itunes library to DVD -- process interrupted

I'm backing up my entire itunes library on dvd-rw and the burner will stop in the middle. then itunes will say: please insert another disc while the burning is taking place. The problem is, the burner won't stop burning. So, I stop the burner and am unable to pick up where I left off in the backing up process. I have over 50 g of music that i'm trying to backup before i take my lappie to the geek squad (long story). does anybody have any ideas how to specifically backup a particular section of my library?

SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS, BUT LET ME ASK U R U BACKING IT UP IN DATA FORM, I SUGGEST U CHOOSE DATA BURNING WHEN U BACKING UP ITUNES, IT SAVES U DISK AND IT IS BETTER.
1. OPEN ITUNES
2.UNDER EDIT CLICK ON PREFERENCES.
3.LOOK FOR ADVANCE
4.CLICK ON BURNING
5 AN LOOK FOR AUDIO FORMAT
6.CLICK ON DATA CD /DVD.
THIS SHOULD BURN IN DATA FORMAT. MAKE SURE ALSO U CHOOSE THE HIGHEST SPEED OF BURNING.
AND OPEN ITUNES BEFORE U INSERT UR DISK FOR BURNING. MAKE SURE THE DISK IS FREE AND NEW.
IF U ENCOUNTER PROBLEM RESTART ITUNES AND REBOOT UR COMPUTER. THIS SHOULD BURN UR DISK WITHOUT PROBLEM.IF U DO ,I SUGGEST U GO GET USB DRIVE AND SAVE UR ITUNES IN IT. THEN U DONT HAVE TO BURN THEM.
ALSO IF U ENCOUNTER LOTS OF PROBLEM, JUST DEAUTHORISE UR COMPUTER BEFORE U TAKE IT FOR REPAIRS. U SHOULD NOT LOOSE UR MEDIA, BUT IT CAN HEPPEN. THEY SHOULD REPAIR UR COMPUTER WITHOUT U LOSING ANYTHING. IF IN CASE U LOOSE EVERYTHING U CAN USE UR IPOD TO REINSTALL OR REIMPORT UR SONGS FROM IPOD TO ITUNES. SO MAKE SURE ALL UR SONGS ARE IN UR IPOD BEFORE REPAIRS.WHEN U GET UR COMPUTER BACK REAUTHOURISE UR COMPUTER AGAIN, DO UPDATE AT APPLE.COM THEN U USE UR IPOD TO REIMPORT UR SONGS. U CAN DO THIS VIA A THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE. U CAN USE IPOD2COMPUTER.COM. THERE ARE MANY OF THEM THOUGH. JUST GO ONLINE AND TYPE IPOD TRANSFER SOFTWARES. U WILL SEE MANY OF THEM. U SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEM U JUST PAY THEM ABOUT 22 DOLLARS AND ALL UR MUSIC WILL BE TRANSFERED BACK TO ITUNES WITH NO PROBLEM, SO U KNOW WAT SLEEP EASY.

Back up itunes library to usb drive instead of cd or DVD-how do I do this?

I just got a great deal on a Seagate Free Agent 500gb drive. I've formatted it for Mac, now, I want to backup my iTunes library to it and still use iTunes on my laptop-I don't want to burn a zillion cd's or dvd's to do it-that's why I bought this drive. Can anyone help me? I am just not able to figure this out, maybe because I was raised on PC.

If you don't want to run iTunes from the EHD & you are simply backing up, just copy the whole iTunes folder onto the Seagate.

How do I get back my Itunes library after it suddenly disappeared?

Looked at my ITunes library last week to try and make a new playlist but all my years of music/videos etc has disappeared without me doing anything? I have had very bad luck with Time Machine as well and realised not long ago that for 4 years it has only been backing up 'Desktop' and not the whole computer. I backed up all my photos and docs on various DVD's and CD's once I realised but I cant see that I backed up my Itunes library. I am only hoping that on the 'Desktop' external hard drive back ups that I can find it again? If it is on there, how do I get it off as I have heard that you can not retrieve certain items from an external hard drive especially with Time machine although I have never needed to before. Do you think all my songs etc have gone forever now??....Help!!
Im not even sure what version of I Tunes it was. I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8 on a 2008 Macbook

If you didn't knowingly change libraries then it is more likely that your original library file become corrupted and was replaced with an blank copy. It should be possible to restore your previous data as follows.
Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash
Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping. In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library as iTunes Library (Corrupt) and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.
The images are from a Windows system but the principle is just the same... Depending on when you initially installed iTunes the library files may, or may not, end with a .itl extension. Be consistent with the file that you are replacing.
See MusicFolder Files Not Added and Super Remove Dead Tracks for tools to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.
tt2

Backing up itunes library to a hard drive

I want to back up my entire itunes library to my hard drive but can only find instructons on backing up to cds, i have a very large library and dont want to lose any of my songs, please help
thanks

The instructions you saw are for using iTunes to back up to CD or DVD. You do not need them for backing up to an external hard drive. Just close iTunes. Make sure the hard drive is connected to the computer. Go into Windows Explorer, or "My Computer." Copy your entire "My Music" folder to the hard drive, along with anything else that you wish to back up.

Backing up iTunes library to CD/DVD

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