Backing up iTunes to a mobile hard drive

I have been going around in circles trying to back up iTunes music to a mobile hard drive so that they can then be transferred to my new laptop. This seems my only option because the desktop on which I have my iTunes is pretty old, and also isn't able to burn to a CD or DVD. (It can only read them.)
What I seem to have transferred in the XML document is a playlist, and no music, and even that didn't show up in iTunes on my laptop. (The name of the playlist is there on the left with the default playlists, but the list is empty.)
Also, because the tunes I've bought have been loaded to my aged desktop, I can't get them from the Store. I've done the Authorise Computer thing, and read everything in iTunes help related to backup, export, import but they all seem to involve being able to write to a CD or DVD.
And trying to network the two pcs hasn't worked. The laptop can ping the router, but not the desktop. It's a long story, and I've given up on that.
When I try to copy the iTunes folder in My Music, it happens suspiciously quickly, so it's hardly surprising there's nothing in it to arrive at its new home. Any help as to how I can find the actual music on my desktop, copy it to the mobile drive, and then import into iTunes would be very much appreciated.
And thanks for reading this!
Dell Windows XP
Dell Windows XP

I've had success with copying files indivually to the flash drive from the My Music folder. As in, the individual artist files in the My Music folder, just drag and drop them to your flash drive. It would appear that the iTunes folder by itself only contains XML and not the actuall music file.
Once you connect your flash drive to your new computer, drag them right into your iTunes Music folder. You may need to use the iTunes Import function to get iTunes to see them. You can find this in the File Menu of the iTunes application. Just select Import and tell iTunes where you put the files when prompted.
I just did this as a test and it worked for me. Hope this helps!

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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.

Re: Best Way to (Continuously) Back up iTunes Library to External Hard Drive

Hello friends :
My iTunes music library is getting rather large and I feel it's time to "properly" back it up to an external hard drive.
I understand that you can back up your iTunes music folder to an external hard drive by the simple old "click and drag" approach using Windows Explorer.
What I'd like to know is ... after intially copying the entire iTunes music folder onto the external drive, how can I achieve regular back-ups where only the files, playlists, etc. that have changed since the last back up are then added to the external drive . . . rather than having to copy the entire rather large folder all over again (and again)?
Hopefully, you know what I mean! Thanks for your help.

The first time I backed up my iTunes on an external drive, it took a 1 hour +. Do I basically need to start over on my external hard drive? Or is there an easier/faster way?
Yes there is a faster way.
Check this out -> Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy
Don't change the library location or hold Option to update the backup on the external.

How do i get back my audiobook back on itunes after deleted off hard drive

how do i get back my audiobook back on itunes after deleted off hard drive

Audiobooks are not available for redownload. If it is still in your recycle bin recover it from there, or your backup, or if it is on an iDevice reclaim it with transfer purchases.
Last restort would be to contact the iTunes store support staff and explain the circumstances in which you lost your only non-backed up copy and ask if they could possibly reissue it. They have no obligation to do so, but you may get lucky if you ask nicely.
And please, make a backup!
tt2

Backing up iTunes to an external hard drive

One more question from me. Previously, I'd used the official iTunes backup feature, through the "file" menu.
However, I've recently purchased a 500GB external hard drive, and I'd rather back up to there than have dozens of DVDs lying around.
How do I do this? iTunes only gives you the option, when you select backup, to insert a CD or DVD. Is it a matter of simply copying my iTunes folder over to that external drive?
If that's the case, then how would I "restore" it when the time comes that I need it? Simply by replacing the Library file on the C: drive with the backup version I had on the external drive? Because if I were to use the "restore" feature in the menu, I'm assuming it would want me to insert CDs or DVDs.
Apple really should make this easier.
Thanks.

I am working on trtansfering the itunes files and my music library to and external hard drive - XHD (WD, 750GB). I have transfered the files and the music library to my XHD but when I delete music selections from the cumputer c drive, the XHD updates it's files with the reduced music selection. I have also tried the to back-up the files by giong to start, accessories, system, etc, but I do not have an op[tion to back-up files. All that I have as faras options are the file and settings transfer. Please Help. -Hmanrose-

Backing up iTunes Purchases to External Hard Drive

I tried to download the 2.0 upgrade for my touch last week. It completely crashed my system. Corrupted my user log in on Windows. I was able to transfer my purchases from my touch back to my computer, but I'm wanting to back up my purchases to an external hard drive before I try to download the 2.0 upgrade again, in the event it crashes my pc AND my touch. I've read the info on backing up to disc, but unfortunately my pc is on the out, and the cd burner isn't functioning properly. Any suggestions? Is the backup file a document? Can I export my library to a desktop file, and then send it to the external hard drive? Any help would be appreciated greatly!

Open the folder \Documents and Settings\yourname\My Documents\My Music\iTunes where yourname is the name of your Windows 2000 or XP user account, and drag the purchased content to the external drive as you would any other file. If you're using Windows Vista, look in the \Users\ folder for your iTunes library, or right-click a song, get info for it, and look at its location. Rented movies won't have a listed location.
(34411)

Back up iTunes purchases to external hard drive

Can someone please tell me how to back up just my iTunes purchases to an external hard drive? I don't want to save my whole iTunes library.

Well, I have Vista, but Im assuming the processes will be similar.
You can attach your external hard drive, make a folder in it. Then, open up iTunes and bring up the "Purchased" playlist.
Do select all (thats option+A for Mac's right?) and then, simply drag all of those purchases right onto the folder in your external. Then bam, the items will start to transfer, might take a while if you have lots of purchases.

Backing Up iTunes Library On External Hard Drive

Iv'e just bought and installed a LaCie Hard Drive for my mac.
As I have a library of 62gig I want to make a back-up just in case something went wrong and I lost the lot!
Does anyone know if there is an easy way to transfer the files to the hard drive, I have tried to highlight and drag the files to the hard drive folder but this will take forever, if you highlight too many items the computer just freezes.
Any help would be great, Brian.

The link William provided is about Windows computers. It will tell you the principles and the importance of backing up specific files.
If all your music is on your internal HD in the 'iTunes Music' folder (default setting), just drag the iTunes folder (in ~/Users/YourUsername/Music to the external HD.
This way, also your 'iTunes Library' file is copied.
If your ext. HD has a Firewire connection, it will copy about 1GB/min.
To make regular incremental backups, you have to use a 3rd party backup application.
M

How to back up iTunes Library on external hard drive & computer, after purchasing new music?

I keep my iTunes library on my computer's hard drive and also backed up on an external hard drive. I have added more music to my library since my previous back up, and I want to back up the new music to my external drive.
What's the best way to do this?

The first time I backed up my iTunes on an external drive, it took a 1 hour +. Do I basically need to start over on my external hard drive? Or is there an easier/faster way?
Yes there is a faster way.
Check this out -> Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy
Don't change the library location or hold Option to update the backup on the external.

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I want to store my audio books currently in iTunes to WD Passport 120G external drive but when I export them they appear as encoded text. How do I get them stored so I can bring them back into iTunes to listen or download to my iPod.

Outside iTunes, copy the files to the external hard drive. If you have not done it already it might be a good idea to backup to external drive anything purchased from iTunes also.
Audiobooks are generally stored under the authors name in the iTunes folders.
Message was edited by: camoracer

My iTunes on my external hard drive

I've been getting messages that my startup disk is full. I have an external hard drive and I was wondering if I can put my iTunes library on the external hard drive. All of the articles I've seen on the board here concern backing up iTunes on to external hard drive. However is it possible for me to put my library on only the external hard drive and not on my computer so I can free up space?
Thanks!

Yeah, that's my question too... My Linkstation LAN disk holds all of my iTunes collection, but whenever my computer goes to sleep and wakes up again, the mount to the LAN disk is broken temporarily, causing iTunes to constantly be reverting to it's default file location on the Macintosh HD (internal). This is horribly irritating. Every day, sometimes several times a day, I have to keep going back into the settings, changing it back, then manually copying all the file it accidentally put onto the internal drive back to the LAN disk, then going in and resetting the pointers on each individual file in iTunes to the external location. If I try using the consolidate library, for some reason it starts re-copying my entire 500+GB library from the beginning. Arghh. I want iTunes to stop defaulting back to the internal drive without asking me. Is there a way to set that?

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Somebody told me that as soon as I connect the Ipod to the computer, Itunes will will wipe it clean and install what is in the Itunes library (which is nothing) and that I would need some sort of software to accomplish this. Does it matter that the tunes on the Ipod were all uploaded from cd's and not purchased?

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Type move itunes library into the google serach bar.
It has always been very basic to always maintain abackup copy of your computer. Do you not have a backup copy?

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How do I back up my entire itunes to an external hard drive and restore from same if necessary.
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This is where iTunes stores backups for different operating systems: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946
I do not use a Windows machine, have a Windows Vista Dell I rarely startup now. But, from what I remember with Win boxes is, you will have to create on the external hard drive a file system like that one iTunes normally uses, and then in the iTunes preferences or control panel edit the location for the storage to specify the name of the external hard drive, or its letter code, with the name of that file system you created on the exernal drive.
I would also move all of the files from the internal file system to the external since you have now told iTunes that is where they are...before deleting from the internal drive, test iTunes to see that it goes where you want it to go.

I had to reformat my computer and put my Itunes on an external hard drive. Once I fixed my computer and put Itunes back I can't itunes to open on my PC. I see it but it appears locked now.

I reformed my PC and placed my Itunes on a external hard drive. I have moved them back to the PC but can not open. How are i get my Itunes working I can see them in my files but they are locked.

I'm sure when it was taken to reformat, he just put everything from my computer onto the external. I know he did't save them to any back up disc's. When he moved everything back is when I lost my Itunes library and it only shows as that XML. I do have an old back up I can restore most.
Any way to import from my touch what is on it, I have not connected it to my PC since.
I did get all my music purchased on, but under purchased I can't find my movies.
Thank you!!

Backing up iTunes to a mobile hard drive

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