Complexity of iTunes music on NAS

Hi,
I've got a couple of questions. Thanks for your help, and your patience.
Background:
I have moved my library of music to an NAS device on my home network (running an iTunes server). My wife and I both have laptops that we can use to access the music files here (she Mac, me Windows). I set my "iTunes Media folder location" to the directory on the NAS. We each keep separate, local XML database ("iTunes Library.xml") files on our laptops. Also, she has an iPod and will "sync" tracks to her iPod while she is on the network. All this seems to work fine.
Of course I take my laptop off my network sometimes. I want to use it like a big iPod, keeping local copies of some tracks on my laptop harddisk. I don't want TWO entries for the same track in my library file. I want to "sync" it like an iPod. How to do this?
I purchase a new CD and rip it to my laptop harddisk. Once I'm back on my home network, I want to "consolodate library" to copy it to the NAS. I only want those new tracks to get copied, without re-copying the tracks that already exist on both my laptop and the NAS. How to do this?
Lastly, when I leave my home network and the NAS library of music is inaccessible, iTunes seems to be smart enough to point to "the default location" on my laptop for music: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\Media. Is there a way to change that default location to something like: C:\nobackup\iTunes\Media?
Thanks!
Cheers!

Anyone been able to do this. I'd like to do exactly the same thing of basically using a netbook as a big Ipod.

Similar Messages

  • How to move itunes music library from an old to new NAS?

    I'm moving to a larger LaCie NAS and need to move my existing iTunes music files from the old LaCie to the new LaCie. My iTunes library files are on my mini, but the music files are on the NAS.
    I have 2 questions:
    1. Since I'm making this move, can I move all my iTunes files to the NAS (the whole iTunes folder in my user folder - library file, apps, artwork, etc.)? Are there advantages / disadvantages to this (e.g. for sharing with other MACs in the house)? (Currently only my music files are on the NAS - everything else is on the mini.)
    2. What is the best way to make this move? I assume I could copy the files manually, I could use iTunes organize / consolidate functions to do this, or maybe there are other options. I'm not exactly sure how to do any of the options...
    Thank you!

    Sorry, I wasn't responding to you, just the original poster. I didn't look at the date on that posting and didn't realize that you'd added a post that wasn't quite the same problem. In future, you'll find you get better answers if you start your own thread. You're issue really is a bit more complicated.
    If iTunes currently recognizes all the music on both internal and the external drives, it should work. You have to make sure that both drives (old and new) are mounted. Make sure you have both "Keep iTunes music organized" (you probably already do) and "Copy files to iTunes..." (you probably don't) checked.
    If not all of the music is currently in your iTunes library, perform the procedure with the music that is a part of the library and add the other stuff afterwards.
    Best of luck.

  • ITunes Music on a NAS box

    Hi all, I am actually going mad trying to work this out so any help would be appreciated (even if it is "it doesn't work like that so stop banging your head against a brick wall").
    OK, here's the scenario. I have all the family's CDs ripped as MP3s in a folder on our home lan NAS box. I have a main windows machine that has iTunes on it to manage that music folder and library. I changed the iTunes media folder to point to the NAS box, then selected add folder to library. All good so far and spent the last 2 days deleting duplicates, manually adding albumn art, etc. Shared it using home sharing and even got it playing to a hifi with AirTunes controlled by my wife and I's iPhones. Great!
    Until, I accidentally shut down the NAS box before the machine. The first thing that happened was that the library defaulted the local My Music folder but all the library and artwork still remained. Again all good I thought. I turned the NAS box back on and under preferences changed the iTunes Music folder back to the NAS share. After about 20 mins of it going through everything, again all apeared to work. Except when I duplicate files I no longer get the option to remove the file, it just takes it from the library database.
    It somehow seems to have lost the association with the music folder and whilst the library points to and plays from it, none of the management functions (renaming files, deleting them appear to work).
    Any clues? Any hints and tips for running a music library on a NAS box, so if I do manage to fix this that I don't have to keep repairing it if the NAS gets turned off?
    Thanks so much,
    Dave

    Sorry that should say "when I delete duplicate files" not "when I duplicate files"

  • I have downloaded the tv shows Homeland and Dexter. They have ended up in different places. Dexter is where is "belongs" in my itunes library on my NAS drive. Homeland ended up on my hard drive in the itunes/music/tvshows directory. Anyone know why?

    Several months ago I bought and downloaded Homeland. Earlier this month I bought
    Dexter Season 7. They have ended up in different directories. My iTunes library is
    on a NAS drive and Dexter was stored there (where it belongs). For some reason,
    Homeland got saved to my Mac hard drive in the itunes/music/tvshows directory.
    This seems odd everything else I have downloaded, music, other tv shows, movies
    have been saved to the proper place. I haven't changed the path to my iTunes
    library in years.
    Now, iTunes has kept track of these two tv shows and I synced them both
    to my iPad. The only reason I know they are in different places
    is because my wife couldn't find them on the NAS drive.
    Mostly out of curiosity, I'd like to know why this happened and how to keep it from
    happening again.
    Oh, it's iTunes 11.0.3 running on a MacBook Pro with OS X 10.6.8.
    Thanks
    Bob

    I don't think it is easy to move part of a collection unless you don't care about the metadata such as date added, etc.  You can copy the files to the other drive, delete in iTunes the references to the copies still on your computer, then hold down the option key while dragging the files on the external to iTunes so it doesn't copy them back to your internal but just references them where they are.  You have to remember to do this each time.  Either that, or set preferences so iTunes does not automatically copy any file to your media folder when added but leaves them all where they land on your computer.  You can move them by hand around the computer, but not between drives.
    You could try Dougscript "Move Files To Folder" but I don't know if this enables iTunes to track items moved to a different drive.  iTunes doesn't really like using multiple drives.
    As for using Time Capsule, I have seen various takes on this.  I recall reading somebody saying it isn't a good idea to have a backup drive competing for dual purposes.  My take on it is, TC is a backup, period.  If you keep your movies on it and the TC drive dies, you lose your only copy of the movies.
    How often do you really watch these movies?  Yes, it is nice having them appear in iTunes, but unless you are watching them every day then it isn't a huge burden to have them on another drive.  Frankly, if I had iTunes movies I would probably make a whole different library for them and start from it with the external drive turned on when I was in a movie mood.

  • Is there a way to have two iTunes music libraries: a library on my computer and a shared library on a NAS server (cloud box)?

    I would like to know if I can have two iTunes music libraries: a library on my computer and a shared library on a NAS server (LaCie CloudBox). I want to have some music files on my computer and a larger collection of songs with cover art on a shared CloudBox (NAS server) so that also my family members can listen to the music on the Cloudbox. Is there a way to do this?
    I know I could just copy the music files to the CloudBox, but that way only the songs are shared, not the cover art. I could also just keep the files on my computer and share the library via home sharing, but that way my computer would have to be always on. So is there a way to have a shared library on the cloudbox that works regardless of my computer being on or not?
    Thanks,
    Jay

    Try homesharing. I am not sure if this will keep them seprate but this is really close to what you are looking for.http://www.apple.com/itunes/inside-itunes/2010/01/sharing-itunes-libraries-at-ho me.html

  • Unable to open iTunes music folder on NAS after 10.5.6 update

    I just updated my system to 10.5.6 and am now unable to open my iTunes music folder on my Sans Digital MN2L NAS. I can connect to the device and open every other folder but not the music folder. When I try to open the folder the finder window shows the spinning whatever in the bottom right corner for about 10 seconds and then restarts. This occurs when I connect using Bonjour and SMB. I can open the folder in question through my windows laptop without problem. There are approximately 1200 subfolders contained within the Music folder. My iMac and NAS are both connected through the same gigabit switch via CAT 5e.

    I just found a post on another board that appears to have solved my problem. The issue wasn't really with the NAS but rather with a file that the finder left in the Music folder in the NAS.
    The following is an excerpt from the post I found:
    DS_STORE files might very well have been the culprit. I was given the advice and link to the
    following:
    http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_16831&sliceId=2
    Now I've only just resolved it however I have accessed folders which previsouly always resulted in a
    crash. Some other links I was sent:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4553291&#4553291
    For removing .DS_store see
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4643556&#4643556

  • ITunes 10.5 won't play music off NAS, 9.2 did.

    Keep music on NAS drive so can be shared by 5 other users, the NAS does support iTunes. After upgrade to 10.5, iTunes won't play from the NAS. The drive does appear in the left hand column, but new library screen opens just briefly then closes. Same for both PCs and Macs. 10.5 working on each computer's own library.  What changed in 10.5? fixes?

    Nearly all NAS devices use Firefly as an iTunes 'server'. Firefly is based on the mt-daapd code. Both Firefly and mt-daapd are effectively discontinued and unsupported. While Firefly does not and never has supported newer technologies like the Apple Remote app for iPhones and also never supported connecting to an Apple TV2, it did work for basic use via iTunes for Mac or Windows.
    Apple have unfortunately been tweaking the daap protocol in iTunes and as a result have now several times broken compatibility with Firefly.
    The ideal solution would be for all the NAS makers to dump Firefly since it is well behind the times, and switch to an alternative open-source package called forked-daap which does work with Apple Remote and Apple TV2.
    I can say that NetGear have now issued a patch for Firefly running on their ReadyNAS boxes so it once again can limp along and work with iTunes 10.5. This particular occasions cause of the problem in iTunes 10.5 has been discovered and how to resolve it (clearly since NetGear have already fixed theirs) so it should not be too long before QNAP and the others catch up.
    In the long run it would still be better if they all switched to forked-daap.

  • Is it possible to run iTunes from a NAS hard drive so that the content is available to 1st Gen Apple TV and I can turn off my MacBook and still see the content of the library?

    I have a first gen Apple TV with a 160 gig hard drive, it is nearly full with films and music, my iTunes library is well over 190 gig and climbing, the only way I can access all of my music and films is to have iTunes open on my Mac. I have now moved my library to a NAS device and I want to be able to run iTunes so that my entire library is available on the Apple TV without having to have my Mac switched on. So the first question I have, is this possible? Secondly, if it is possible how do you do it?
    The ideal solution would be for iTunes to run from the  NAS as I have already told iTunes my library is there.
    Thank

    You can certainly put your library on a flash drive, though I'd strongly, strongly recommend that you have another copy of your library elsewhere, as flash drives are easily lost, broken or corrupted. You cannot count on tracks always being available for redownload from the iTunes Store, if you have any such.
    The easiest way to move your library is to just drag the entire iTunes folder (the _entire_ folder, _not_ just the iTunes Music folder) to your desired location. Then hold down the Shift key while launching iTunes. You'll be given a dialog box where you can select the iTunes library you want to use. Navigate to and select the iTunes folder in it's new location.
    Note that this procedure assumes that all of your tracks are contained in the iTunes folder. If they're scattered around your volumes, moving them becomes much more complex.  And don't launch iTunes with the flash drive not mounted or iTunes will default back to the internal drive. If it does, though, just mount the external drive and launch iTunes with the Shift key again.
    Don't delete the tracks from the old location until you've confirmed that they're working correctly from the flash drive.
    Regards.

  • Multiple macs and iTunes library on NAS device

    My iTunes library is stored on a Buffalo NAS drive. 
    I have an older Mac desktop - running OS X 10.6.8; on this machine iTunes 11.4 is set up to use the library on the above noted NAS device.  This is working fine; all my burned and purchased music is playing no problem. 
    I have a new (latest) version Macbook Pro Retina - running OS X Yosemite 10.10.2.  I proceeded to set iTunes 12.1.0.50 on this machine to use the exact same shared location as is being used on the desktop noted above for the library location.  On this machine, however, I am only able to view my purchased music (with the download cloud displayed). 
    Anyone know why two Macs pointed to the exact same iTunes library shared folder location would result in one working fine and the other only showing purchased music available for download?   
    Thanks

    How exactly did you set it?  You do not do it in preferences (a common mistake).  You do it by starting up iTunes while holding down the option/alt key whereupon iTunes will irreversibly convert what it sees as the library, namely the iTunes Library.itl file, to a version which will only work with the newest version of iTunes you run (your 12).  Clearly you can't use 12 on your old computer so there is no way to share the same library file. Each version of iTunes will have to run its own library file which will essentially maintain its own independent list of entries, though they can share media.  This means changes you make to one library will mostly not appear in the other but if you do something such as delete media in one library the other library will fuss it can no longer find the file, etc.
    If you are going to start doing advanced iTunes things you need to learn how iTunes works.
    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html
    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391
    iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/message/26404702#26404702
    Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392 and making an iTunes library portable.
    One other tip. Just about every mention I see of people using iTunes with a NAS is something with a problem that results from using iTunes with a NAS.  iTunes is likely not written with NAS use in mind.  It may work, or it may not.  Keep regular backups.

  • Streaming iTunes music to home stereo

    Hi! I'm trying to stream my iTunes music to my home stereo receiver; doesn't have to be wireless, wired is fine. Here's the catch: I'm using NAS and two notebook computers...the iTunes music doesn't live on either notebook, only on the NAS drive. I want to be able to access the music without having to turn on a computer.
    Is there a device that I can attach to my stereo receiver and the network that will let me access the music files from the NAS drive? Having a heckuva time with this, any input is most appreciated!

    Sorry, I missed the bit about wanting to not use a computer.
    Try this -> http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_overview.html
    You still need a server running but you don't use the computer to access it.

  • Setting up iTunes on a NAS?

    OK, lot's of threads about this topic, but here's my dilemma:
    I have a Drobo NAS with thousands of AIFF files on it (about 2.5Tb), which I had used with a Sonos system until I hit the 65,000 track limit.  So, I want to keep the files on the networked Drobo, but access them through iTunes on a MacBook Pro.  I'd like to set up a new iTunes Library on the laptop, and access the Drobo through the network.  The issue I have is every time I start to set up the new Library, iTunes tries to make a copy of the files, either on the laptop or on the NAS (depending on which method I use to add the files), rather than just creating an indexed path to the files.  I had tried option-dragging the various folders from the NAS to the open iTunes window to do this, but it still copied the orignal files to the laptop (I found this method on another discussion thread and thought it had worked, then discovered it was copying the files, rather than just indexing).
    I want to keep all the metadata associated with the files, and currently they're organized into multiple folders by genre, artist, and then individual album folders are labeled starting with the year (I'm an organization freak).  I don't particularly like the "Keep iTunes music folder organized" option since I don't really like its method of organization, but I believe I need to do this to keep the metadata intact, correct?
    Is "Add to Library" an option?  If so, can I just choose the main folder holding all the subfolders and "Add to Library" and keep the metatdata intact?  Makes me nervous, as I have years of time adding info/album art/notes, etc. to the files.
    BTW, the path I set up to link to the Drobo was this: /Volumes/Drobomusic/NAS Music.  I had assumed this would reorganize all the files into a new iTunes Music folder in that new "NAS Music" folder on the Drobo, but when I tried both option-drag and also command-drag of a test folder of music into an open iTunes window, it still copied the files. 
    So, can anyone shed some light on how to best set up a large library like this?  Thanks!

    Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings:  Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive.  Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes.  At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.
    If this is to a new computer and you put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music  then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there.  (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)
    Windows users see tip at: https://discussions.apple.com/message/18879381#18879381
    Consider moving everything from your Windows PC to your Mac in a single move, including your iTunes library: About Windows Migration Assistant - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4796 - Learn about how to use Windows Migration Assistant to migrate your files from a Windows PC to a Mac.

  • I use itunes to store my music but I use Virtual DJ Broadcaster to play it. Somehow itunes has changed from Itunes Music Library to Itunes library. Virtual DJ does not Recognize the change.

    I use itunes to store my music but I use Virtual DJ Broadcaster to play it. Somehow itunes has changed from Itunes Music Library to Itunes library. Virtual DJ does not Recognize the change. Virtual DJ  at present seeing an older version of my libraries. Is it possible to Save my last library and Playlist and re-name everything else in my itunes account so it will again show "Itunes Music Library" Past libraries are of no consiquence . I'm hoping removing everything except  the last Library on my computers will make Virtual DJ  recognize it. I tried renameing  the Library to "Itunes Music Library" but it did not work. I fear the problem is in the Registry and without the correct path I am reluctand to play around  in there. Any help would be appreciated.

    Incidentally, my first thought was to map a network share from the NAS to my computer, so that my music files appear on the Z: drive, say on my computer. I could then set up iTunes to store music etc in that folder, and to copy all new items to that folder. However, if I do that, all that'll happen is that on my NAS, the library file will become out of date as I add music to the collection but not to the index.

  • Determining volume/gapless playback freezes iTunes when using NAS

    I finally copied my CD collection onto a NAS/Squeezebox Server but after adding it to my library iTunes freezes trying to determine the volume and gapless playback info. The only thing I use iTunes for is moving songs onto my iPhone so I don't care about gapless playlists or the relative volume.
    I've seen this issue in numerous other posts but none of the solutions have worked for me. I've tried to turn off Soundcheck in both properties and the burn menus but it doesn't help.
    Any help would be appreciated.

    Can you see which song iTunes is hanging on? If you can, before opening iTunes, delete (or move it) from the iTunes music directory. It may be corrupt and causing all your problems.

  • Offloading itunes library to NAS

    Hi,
    Through all these years i have made a huge library of itunes music.
    Now i am preparing to offload my library to a NAS (thecus 4200). I use windows for my iTunes , other devices, iPad4, iTouch4, iPhone 4s & Apple TV 3rd gen.
    I have understood the stepsto offload but there are few things which i want to know :
    - Only music is offloaded or movies too are offloaded?
    - In case i download a movie on ipad/apple tv, will it be downloaded to the NAS or not? Very important.
    - In case my windows is powered off, will i be able to sync all my devices on wireless? Very Important.
    Thanks in Advance.
    Deepak

    deepusurana wrote:
    Hi,
    Through all these years i have made a huge library of itunes music.
    Now i am preparing to offload my library to a NAS (thecus 4200). I use windows for my iTunes , other devices, iPad4, iTouch4, iPhone 4s & Apple TV 3rd gen.
    I have understood the stepsto offload but there are few things which i want to know :
    - Only music is offloaded or movies too are offloaded?
    - In case i download a movie on ipad/apple tv, will it be downloaded to the NAS or not? Very important.
    - In case my windows is powered off, will i be able to sync all my devices on wireless? Very Important.
    Thanks in Advance.
    Deepak
    Most NAS boxes run Firefly as an iTunes compatible server and Firefly can only do music.
    If you download anything on the iPad/AppleTV it will not be automatically copied to the NAS
    If the Windows box is turned off you cannot sync any device, nor will an iOS device be able to stream directly from the NAS. (Firefly only supports Mac and Windows clients.)
    There is a newer alternative to Firefly called forked-daapd but this is not included as standard on NAS boxes, and forked-daapd has not been ported to most NAS boxes, if forked-daapd is available for yours then it would support streaming to iPad/AppleTV.

  • Itunes library on NAS, new laptop, old one dead

    Hi,
    My itunes music library is on an external NAS, my laptop has died, so I have bought a new one. Do I just install itunes 9 on the new laptop and point it as the NAS? Will it then find all my music ok?
    cheers
    Andrew

    can anyone help?

Maybe you are looking for