Best way to move large iTunes library?

I have a large (nearly 1Tb) iTunes library of music, videos and TV shows and have almost reached the capacity of the HDD they currently eside upon.  At the moment they ae on a Wester Digital My Book, attached by USB to my TimeCapsule.  I have just ordered a larger La Cie drive to put them on and plan to attach this to my iMac directly, by Firewire (I don't have a Thunderbolt iMac).  The TimeCapsule is attached to the iMac by Ethernet cable.
I know the best way to move an iTunes library is to point the library at the new location and then 'Organise Library' from the File menu.  I suspect this will take a while, with so much data to transfer.  I am wondering if I would be better to attach both drives to my computer directly and transfer the files across, then point the iTunes library at the new location - would this work?  It is vital that whatever I do keeps all the metadat intact, as I spent ages tagging all my DVDs.  I don't care about play counts and my Playlists can easily be remade, so I don't mind losing them.
Any advice is gatefully received,
Steve

I have a 270 gig iTunes folder and a 260gig Iphoto Library and used this technique to massively speed up the transfer to an external USB3 drive.  It uses terminal commands i found here:
http://www.cnet.com/au/news/using-the-os-x-terminal-instead-of-the-finder-to-cop y-files/
I used this command successfully to achieve 3 GB per minute transfer.
First open Terminal app (easy to find in spotlight)
Type the following noting that all content in () is an instruction for you to complete or a spacebar between text. "c (space) -av (space) (drag source folder directory onto open terminal app window) /* (space) (drag destination folder onto open terminal app window) /"
Your transfer should begin
NOTE: If you are using this for your iPhoto or Aperture libraries there are many index files containing meta data of your photos.  This may appear to not transfer large amounts of data while transferring these files before getting to the .jpg or .RAW files.  Don't worry, be patient, once these are done the speed will pick up considerably.
I hope this helps,
Matthew

Similar Messages

  • Best way to move/copy iTunes library from PC to Mac

    Hi,
    What's the best way to get my iTunes library from my PC to my new Mac?
    The two computers are both networked.
    Thanks.

    Greetings David:
    I have just completed this task... It took many attempts to get the two computers talking (windows xp pro, and new Imac g5). When I finally got them to talk to each other, the file transfer was brutallly slow. I used the ether-net cable to connect the two machines directly. The system was not very stable and crashed continuously. I would get one or two songs transferred and then the mac would lock up and require a restart (command option esc), via force quit of finder. Relaunch would not work, and I had to shut the machine off with the on off switch each time.
    Today I finally burned the tunes on 2 CDs and simply dumped them into the music file. The PC burns a full ( ~ 800 megs) in about 10 minutes. Mac can down load the CD in ~ 6 minutes. This adds up to less than 20 minutes. Using the direct connection (indicated 100 Mbts/sec on the PC) the process was pathetically slow (hours restarting and horsing around).
    One of my goals was to get the machines talking to each other, having accomplished this, it think it is not a worthwhile effort.
    Best of luck to you,
    Mike

  • HT1751 What is the best way to move my iTunes library from an external PC drive to a Mac external drive?

    I just make the move to Mac computers.  My iTunes library is currently on a PC formatted external drive.  I would like to move it to an external drive that i have formatted for Mac.  What is the best way to do this?

    Is the entire library on the external drive or just the media folder? If it is the latter, and you still have access to the PC then see make a split library portable.
    If the drive is in FAT32 format you can connect a portable library directly to the Mac, holding down Option as you start iTunes. Otherwise you either need to copy it to a local drive (Mac should be able to read NTFS) or install a full service NTFS driver so that the library can be read and updated.
    tt2

  • What is the best way to move my itunes music library from my old computer to my new one?

    what is the best way to move my itunes music library from my old computer to my new one?

    Home Sharing is option A.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3819
    Option B is consolidating the library to an external HD.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1364
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1751
    Or you can use one of the other 8000 methods. I just prefer these two.

  • What is the best way to transfer my iTunes library to my new mac book pro?

    WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRANSFER MY ITUNES LIBRARY TO MY NEW MAC BOOK PRO?  I AM A NOVICE COMPUTER WIZARD!

    From your Old Computer... Copy your ENTIRE iTunes FOLDER to an External Drive... and then from the External Drive to your New Computer..
    Backup iTunes to an External Drive
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
    Moving iTunes Media Folder (Mac)
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
    If your Old Computer is a PC... See Here...
    Move iTunes Library from PC to MAC
    http://www.macworld.com/article/146958/2010/03/move_itunes_windows_mac.html

  • What is the best way to share a iTunes library between 5 users on the same computer?

    What is the best way to share a iTunes library between 5 users on the same computer?
    Currently I have a common itunes library in a shared folder that each user is linked to.  The problem is that when one user adds music to the shared file, it does not automaticaly appear to other users when they open their iTunes.  They have to go to the shared library and select the new music in order to make it visable in their iTunes.
    Would iTunes file shareing fix this problem?
    Thanks

    aapl.up wrote:
    Rick, are you saying that if you try to share a folder outside of home and use sharepoints, then the other mac wont prompt you to log in? Have you tried that? It is hard to believe that is the case
    I am sort of saying that. Have you tried it? I know it's hard to believe, but you really need to help us out by trying some steps that you don't believe.
    We can't see what your exact situation is. We sort of know what's worked for us out here. Just trying to help you get this going in less than 24 hours!
    Sharepoints manages the samba configuration file. It's free software that puts a pretty face on an otherwise cumbersome config file.
    Give it a shot.
    windows will not prompt for passwords, I have tried this with multiple computer at home for both vista and xp
    As I stated. You will not get prompted on windows, if you have set up sharing in an insecure fashion. You are not using a secured sharing situation.
    No argument with your statement.

  • What is the Best way to move large mailboxes between datacenters?

    What is the Best way to move large mailboxes between datacenters?

    Hi, 
     Are you asking with regards to on-premises Exchange? With Microsoft Online SaaS services (aka Exchange Online) there is no control and no need to control which data center a mailbox resides in.
     With regard to on-premises Exchange, you have two choices: you can move it over the WAN in which case you would either do a native mailbox move (assuming you have Exchange 2010 or later you can suspend the move after the copy so you can control the
    time of the cutover) or create a database copy in the second data center and once the database copies have synchronized change the active copy.
    The other choice is to move is out of band which would usually involve an offline seed of the database (you could conceivably move via PST file but that would disrupt access to the mailbox and is not really the 'best way').
    In general, Exchange on-premises questions are best asked on the Exchange forum: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/home?category=exchangeserver
    Thanks,
    Guy 

  • What is the best way to move my itunes from one computer to another and retain all files?

    what is the best way to move my itunes from one comupter to another?

    I assume you mean the media and playlists, not the iTunes application.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527

  • What's the best way to import my itune library from iMac to macbook air?

    what's the best way to import my itunes library from my imac to my macbook air?

    Use Migration Assistant to copy your entire user folder from old computer to new computer.
    -> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889

  • What is best way to upload my iTunes Library to the iCloud?

    What is the best way to uplaod my iTunes Library to the iCloud?

    What do you mean?
    Icloud is a service from which you can redownload your itunes purchases ( as long as they are still offered in the itunes store).  You need do nothing at all for your itunes purchases to be in icloud.
    You can purchase itunes Match.  This service allows you to keep your music, not itunes purchased, in the cloud.

  • What is the best way to move an iPhoto library from one internal drive to another internal drive?

    the drive where my iPhoto library is store is just about full.  I have a second internal SSD that I'd like to move (not copy) the library to.  What is the best way to do that and still ensure that iPhoto will access the library in its new location?

    Just drag the iPhoto Library package from the one drive to the second disk.  Launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select the library in it's new location on the second disk.  Once you're satisfied that it is working satisfactorliy you can delete the copy on the first disk.
    OT

  • What is the best way to restore my itunes library, etc.?

    My imac started to meltdown last week to the point I couldn't get it to boot. After many tries, I finally was able to access my HD using diskwarrior. Even target mode wouldn't work!
    The good news is that I was able to copy my libraries, etc onto my external drive and I have all my music, podcasts, etc.
    Bad news is that I had to completely scrub my imac and do a complete reinstall. Now that I have a fresh install of itunes, how can I get it back to the way it was before the meltdown?
    When I attache my iphone, itunes wants to wipe out the iphone and sync with the info in itunes, which there is none! The data and setup on the iphone is current and itunes is not. So, in line with my rebuild of itunes, can I trick this new install of itunes into thinking it is my old itunes?
    Thanks!

    From your Old Computer... Copy your ENTIRE iTunes FOLDER to an External Drive... and then from the External Drive to your New Computer..
    Backup iTunes to an External Drive
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
    Moving iTunes Media Folder (Mac)
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
    If your Old Computer is a PC... See Here...
    Move iTunes Library from PC to MAC
    http://www.macworld.com/article/146958/2010/03/move_itunes_windows_mac.html

  • What is the best way to back up itunes library

    I have my imac time machine program set to back up my computer every day to an external hard drive. I recently updated itunes and I lost some of my songs. I tried to find them in time machine but I couldn't find them. itunes support was good and I was able to download them again but I'm wondering what is the best way to back up my songs so I don't have to ask to download them again. I have a lot of podcast that I don't want to keep hard copies of they aren't as important to me.
    As of now I have all the songs burned to a music cd but I just want to know if others think that time machine isn't the best back up for itunes and the cd's are the way to go.
    Thanks for the help.

    see _*The Complete Guide to Backing Up your iTunes Library*_.
    JGG

  • What is the best way to save your itunes library?

    What happens if my computor completely crashes and I lose all my files including itunes and all the music I have put on there? Is it possible to save my library to anything so that in such event I am simply able to load my itunes library onto another computor. Any Suggestions??

    Hello Rebecca and welcome to discussions,
    The very best way is to back it all up onto an external hardrive, using a cloning or back up Application. Using this method - if your computer does crash or fail you can just transfer all the music back to another computer.
    You can also back up onto DVDs if you have a burner thats suitable.
    Back up back up back up - Always back up. Its always worth doing.
    Hope that helps some.
    Regards
    Ian

  • Best way to manage large photo library

    I currently use iPhoto to manage my 14,000+ images, but I am experiencing a few problems with it and wonder if ALR is a better alternative. My computer is running more and more slowly every time I add more to the library. I am worried it will crash the computer or make other applications inoperable, but am not sure what is the best way for me to manage the library.
    My concerns are:
    1. I have the files backed up on an external drive, but I don't want to also remove them from iPhoto because (I think) I will lose the captions I have entered for each image and the folders in which they are organized.
    2. I want to increase my library of images (plus captions) and allow it to be utilized in the near future by others at my workplace by putting the library, I suppose, on an external hard drive. Can that work with ALR?
    Thank you, in advance, for suggestions.

    Elisaa,
    LR2 is a much better storage and retrieval system than iPhoto. Plus, the LR2 editing features are simple and powerful. iPhoto has a file size threshold that is much lower than LR2.
    My LR2 database is 122,000 images (has been 150k) and does just fine.
    Other users are problematic with LR2; it is a single computer application with no network capabiity. Yes, you can have the database on an external drive and pass it around, but that kind of thing would not be convenient.
    Chris Crumley http://chriscrumley.com

Maybe you are looking for