Copy or backup to external hard drive

Could someone help me copy or backup my music to an external hard drive? I tried, but what ended up on the hard drive doesn't look familiar to me at all.
thank you in advance

If the songs in your library are not all in the iTunes Music folder you should start by consolidating them. When you consolidate, any songs in the iTunes Library that are not in the iTunes Music Folder are copied to the Music Folder and the Library is updated to point to those new files. Files already in the iTunes Music Folder have no changes made to them: Copying all your iTunes files to one location - Windows
Once you have everything safely in the iTunes Music folder copy the iTunes folder from your internal hard drive to the external drive. Copying the whole folder brings with it the iTunes Music folder and also the iTunes Library (iTunes Library.itl in Windows) database file which holds all the information about your songs (Playlists, Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played, Date Added, etc). You'll get more information including the Folder/File structure in this article: What are the iTunes library files?

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Unable to copy or backup to external hard drive

Friends,
I just bought a new imac 27 i7 with 3TB fusion drive. Running Mavericks. I also bought a 4TB OWC quad-interface elite pro external hard drive. I am trying to use TM to create a backup on the OWC. The computer spontaneously and randomly will unmount/eject the hard drive, thereby interrupting the backup process. I know that the HD is able to write data because I used Superduper to copy data from my old (Mavericks) imac to the OWC without incident. I then copied the files I wanted from the OWC to the new imac. Copying files from the HD to the new machine occurred w/o any problems. I then partitioned the HD to use it as a backup for the new machine. There are two partitions.
I called Applecare and they were unable to provide solutions. I tried manually copying folders and files, specifically Aperture and FCPX folders, and I received an error -36 message, whatever that means.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!
Steve

I think the problem is that certain drives and certain files might have trouble copying. The OS's response is to disconnect immediately, rather than remain on-line and risk a broader corruption problem. If my theory is correct, it's not a bad idea, but it would be good if it was publicized.
FYI, I switched to a Lacie drive and everything works fine.

Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup. Error message: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

Trying to copy iPhoto Library to external hard drive for backup. Error message: The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "iPhoto Library" can't be read or written (Error code -36).

That code is
-36
ioErr
I/O error (bummers)
Make sure the EHD is formatted OS X Extended (journaled) and run Disk Utilty on the EHD and repair the disk. If that fails to help I'd try the following:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button,
navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the external HD as the location of the newly rebild library.
Click on the Create button.
Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.
Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
OT

How to backup an external hard drive plugged into a time capsule using time machine

How to backup an external hard drive plugged into a time capsule using time machine.
I want to move my itunes library from the mac HD to an external plugged into the time capsule, but I want to be sure this drive will still be backed up by time machine. I currentlly see no way to do this.

There is no way. You can connect the drive to your Mac and remove it from the Time Machine exclusion list. Then it will be backed up, but that will stop when you reconnect it to the TC. While it's connected to the TC, you can copy it manually to another AirPort Disk by following the instructions here (with a slight modification):
Using AirPort Utility to make a copy of the Time Capsule disk

I have copied videos onto an external hard drive. to free memory on my macbook. When I try to delete these I am warned that I will not be able to use this video in existing projects How do I point iMovie to events in my external hard drive so I can pl

I have copied videos onto an external hard drive. to free memory on my macbook. When I try to delete these I am woarned that I will not be able to use this video in existing projects
How do I point iMovie to events in my external hard drive so I can play projects which use them?
MacBook, iMovie 9.0.4

Hi
You can do this - by not doing it the way You describe as it will not work.
a. the external hard disk - MUST BE - Mac OS extended (hfs) formatted -
UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - will work for most things - BUT NOT FOR VIDEO (iMovie, iDVD or FinalCut doesn't matter)
b. Do not alter or move any folder named
• iMovie Event's - or -
• iMovie Project's
on DeskTop/Finder - at all
All moving's of Events and Projects must be done within the iMovie Application - then connections will not break.
(move them back and see if iMovie remembers them - then do move as described above)
Yours Bengt W

Why has iTunes seperated a album which I have copied over from my external hard drive into iTunes? How can you pull all the songs back together into one album again?

Why has iTunes seperated a album into indevidual songs, which I have copied over from my external hard drive into iTunes? How can you pull all the songs back together into one album again?

Steve MacGuire a.k.a. turingtest2 - iTunes & iPod Hints & Tips - Grouping Tracks Into Albums - http://www.samsoft.org.uk/iTunes/grouping.asp (older post on Apple Discussions http://discussions.apple.com/message/9910895)
Quick answer: Select all the tracks on the album, File > get info, and either give them all a single "album artist", or check the "compilation" flag (as in https://discussions.apple.com/message/17670085).
If these are from multiple-CD sets you may also need to enter the appropriate information in the disc number fields. If they are not a multiple CD set you still need to make sure the disc number fields are set correctly or all empty.

Can time capsule backup an external hard drive

Trying to backup an external hard drive to time capsule, through time machine. Possible?
My drive is greyed out in the Time Machine exclude options.

Yes, when the drive is formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or if other means are used to back the drive's contents up.
(68487)

Cannot copy itunes from one external hard drive to another.

I have been using an external hard drive for storing my itunes and iphoto for a while now. I have never experienced any issue copying it to a larger drive for back up. My current drive is only 80 gigs (LaCie) and is almost out of space. I bought a new g-tech 500gig mini drive to replace it. Every time that I try to move the files from the old drive to the new one, I get the following error message 10 gigs into the transfer-
[You can’t copy “Music” because it has the same name as another item on the destination volume, and that volume doesn’t distinguish between upper- and lowercase letters in filenames.]
There is nothing on the new drive. I even took the iphoto folder off to make sure there was nothing on it to cause this message.
Is this an external drive issue or a Finder issue? I had no issue moving the iphoto library onto the new drive, fwiw...

I am getting exactly the same problem. It's just with the music folder. I dont get the problem copying other folders over. It gets about 22gb into copying 100gb from one external hard drive to another then I get the error message "You can’t copy “Music” because it has the same name as another item on the destination volume, and that volume doesn’t distinguish between upper- and lowercase letters in filenames." So I tried just copying the itunes folder and I still get the same message. Any advice welcome.

HT1175 Apple Time capsule to backup my external hard drive - on exclusion list???

I want to set apple capsule to backup my external hard drive, but it is currently in the exclusion list.
I can't remove it from the exclusion list, because I can't select it and the - option is greyed out.
It is a WD Passport, used for document files only.
With thanks.
D.

Time Machine can't back up drives in some formats, such as FAT32.
(75713)

How can I backup an external hard drive using Time Machine?

How can I backup an external hard drive connected to my MacBook Pro using Time Machine?

Attach drive, open Time Machine preferences, be sure external drive is not in the Exclude list.

Time Machine won't backup my external hard drive.

I am trying to get Time Machine to backup my external hard drive. I have the external drive formated as Mac OS Extended (journaled) and I have also removed the drive from the Excluded list. I put some 'test' files on the external drive and told TM to do a backup and when it is finished the only way I can see my external hard drive in TM is if it is connected to the computer. It doesn't seem to be backed up anywhere in TM that I can see. Please Help
Thanks.

Chihuahua Rancher wrote:
My thinking is that if my external hard drive craps out it would be ok because it would be backed up on the TM (what I'm trying to get it to do) How would I open the external drive if it was damaged and then invoke time machine?
#E3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting shows how to do that.

My computer was totally destroyed & I do not have backup or external hard drive with my iTunes library. Will I be able to access my iTunes library when I purchase a new computer? It was the only computer authorized to play library.

My computer was totally destroyed & I do not have backup or external hard drive with my saved iTunes library from it. That was the only computer authorized to play library. I do not have an iPod or iPhone with any of that library (which has over $2K in music purchases & over 5K in songs I ripped). Will I be able to access my iTunes library when I purchase a new computer?

You should be able to access your past iTunes purchases. You'll need to re-rip your CDs See: HT2519 - Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store.
See also this backup tip so you don't get caught out again.
tt2

Time Machine Backup of external hard drive connected to IMAC

I have an external hard drive connected to my IMAC. I also have a 2TB Time Capsule connected to my network. I store all of my video (both events and projects from imovie) to the external hard drive to save space on the IMAC. Does the Time Capsule backup this external hard drive? When I open Time Machine I don't see where the external hard drive is backed up? The drive is formatted MAC OS extended (journaled).

nujac,
Time Machine backs up all locally attached drives unless you specifically exclude them in System Prefenences > Time Machine > Options.. icon.
You should be able to see this in Finder, enter TM and highlight the external drive. Click back to a prior date. Sometimes it takes a little while to fully populate the display since it's reading across the network, give it a few minutes.
Regards,
Captfred

Why Can't I Copy Files from an External Hard Drive or SD Card?

Major problem here... Why when I try copying files from an external hard drive or an SD card onto my internal iMac hard drive, it doesn't work? The status bar that pops up, shows that it completes the transfer of the files to 100%; however, when it does in fact finish, the files actually do not appear on my hard drive.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is one of many problems I have been finding with OS X Lion and am very much on the verge of going back to Snow Leopard.
Thank you.

Have u tried the usual? Safe boot. Delete finder plist files? etc. And the drives are formatted for mac yes?

HT2518 i would like to copy files from an external hard drive to my Mac. I intend to do this several times. Does Mac identify this files which have already be copied over or does it re- copy them every time?

i would like to copy files from an external hard drive to my Mac. I intend to do this several times. Will Mac copy the same files every time or can it segregate and only copy new files from the external hard drive?

Only copies the file or files you select. The selection will remain unless you change it in case you wish to repeat the same copy to another location. Multiple and different copy operations can be run simultaneously.

Copy or backup to external hard drive

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