Ethernet hard drive and iTunes

I have a MacBook with 60GB and a PC with 100GB Hard drive, both connected trough a wireless router. I usually play my music (iTunes) in the Mac, but I dont want to fill it up with music.
If I buy an ethernet external hard drive, can I play the music from there. In other words, the transmission of the information is fast enough or the music will not play properly?
Or should I buy an external hard drive and plug it in the PC when I listen music there and switch it to the Mac when I listen music in the Mac?

Hard drives do not usually come with Ethernet connections. They usually come with FireWire or USB connections. If both of your computers are on the same wireless network, why not just turn on iTunes "sharing" from your PC and then you can find the songs from the PC while using the MacBook? If all the songs are already on the PC, no need to put them onto another device and keep unplugging it and plugging it into a different computer all the time. I share my iTunes in between my Mac mini, iMac and MacBook all the time through my AirPort network at home, it's plenty fast enough.
-Doug

Similar Messages

  • How to use external hard drive and iTunes together?

    how to use external hard drive and iTunes together?

    Yes I did get to that part.... I went trough external to retrive itunes folder... When I selected the folder, it said that it was locked, choose another folder... I then went to my external again to my itunes folder and and used command I to see if folder was locked and it wasn't.... it was suggested on another forum to reboot.. which I did and still same problem... All I want to do is link my external hard drive that has my itunes playlist from another Mac to my new one.. and to also use the external as the main source for adding new songs to my playlist...

  • New Hard Drive and iTunes and iPhone 3Gs

    My hard drive crash and I just replaced it. I installed a new hard drive and have just installed iTunes. Okay, I will admit it - I did not back up the iTunes (actually I tried, but it didn't work). Okay, so I have restored the Windows Vista software. I installed iTunes and am now trying to sync. iTunes is "saying" that my iPhone is sync to a different library and that everything on my iPhone will be replaced by what is on my laptop, including my pictures.
    Am I out of luck? Can anyone provide advice for all these pictures and apps and music I have purchased?

    Yes, It will erase the content and replace with content from the new hard drive. This is one of many reasons to always maintain a backup (not just try to backup once failure is certain).
    You can transfer itunes purchases: Without syncing: File>Transfer Purchases
    You can e-mail your pics to yourself - they will not be of the original quality as the are re-sized for viewing on iphone. Another reason to always maintain a backup.
    Unlike music, you can re-download apps:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519

  • Copied Library to External Hard drive and iTunes cannot find

    I copied my iTunes library to an external hard drive last night and went into preferences and changed location and then deleted the original folder...now iTunes is empty... If I go onto hard drive and select a song it tranfers it into iTunes (and back onto computers hard drive)...obviously did something wrong...anybody have any suggestions on how to fix?

    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

  • DJ with an external hard drive and itunes

    Hi,
    I have been asked to play music at a venue on Saturday and I have over 800 albums on my external hard drive (mp3 format).
    The venue uses a PC hooked up to a mixing desk and they have itunes as the preferred MP3 player.
    The owner of the venue uses his own music (stored internally and through an external) all set up as an itunes library.
    My question is this – is it possible for me to take along my external hard drive and plug it in, create a playlist and just drag the mp3’s from the external as and when required onto the playlist without problems?
    I hope this makes sense!
    Cheers,
    Al

    gusaphit wrote:
    so because you have kept your itunes folder and library on an EHD, I take it you have also deleted the actual Itunes program folder from your computer's C drive?
    Not the program folder, iTunes folder where your music library and ancillary files are kept. I haven't had my iTunes music on any internal hard drive on any computer for years.
    I am trying to delete the music/movies off of this PC as it is my work station as well.
    What steps do I need to take in order to successfully ensure that my Itunes will be secured on my EHD and fully operable should I want to add more music, purchase more music, or delete/re-arrange music as I am doing now.
    Check in Preferences>Advanced to make sure that iTunes is pointed to your EHD. If it is, you should be fine. Then, just to make sure that everything is where it should be consolidate your library: File>Library>Organize Library.
    Follow-up: If I move the program over to my EHD does that mean I can use any PC to download music into the Itunes library from my EHD?
    I don't think you want to move the iTunes.exe file to your EHD. As I understand it, iTunes isn't really happy there and it takes some work to get it there. Just move the library.
    I'm asking because you responded and you're cute.
    Very happy to help but really, I'm not that cute.

  • New hard drive and itunes not getting along

    I purchases a new external hard drive for my i mac dv 400. the hard drive was getting too full. I need to put itunes on the new hard drive but during install it tells me that i tunes needs to be in the start up volume. what does this mean? is it still possible to get the bulk of itunes on the new drive. or am I stuck again

    Hopefully someone there can help me with this problem which is related to backing up using external hard drives and two MACs. I back up using my Laptop and G5 by periodically copying the most up to date Itunes library to the other one. I use the external hard drive to copy them back and forth while at the same time, having a 3rd copy. However, everytime I do this, when I go to play a "purchased" song from my purchased songs in the library, I get the message that this is the 2nd and then 3rd and the 4th....computer I am downloading to and I only have 5 allowable downloads. Evidently, Itunes is not recognizing that this is a same computer that I have been using as a back up. Hopefully this problem is clear to those of you reading this. Any suggestions?
    Thanks,
    Skip

  • I replaced my hard drive and itunes wants to wipe my music off my iphone

    How do i re-install my music from my iphone to my computer after replacing my hard drive and re-installing itunes?  It tells me my music will be lost if I try to sync.

    Can you remember what the permissions problem was that you had before? You may need to reinstall OS X from scratch and not reinstall anything from your Time Machine backups. To be on the safe side you should reinstall all third-party applications from scratch, as well. Then only restore from your backup your document/data files.

  • Two very mobile laptops, one external hard drive, and iTunes?

    I'm very sorry if this has been answered, but I've searched a lot and haven't quite found the precise question I'm asking...
    My household has two iBooks (G3 and G4) wirelessly networked through an original Airport. Our music is completely digital, and we have no stereo. Each iBook has a different iTunes library. When we want to play the G3's music, we connect the G3 to a good set of speakers (pretending to be a stereo) through the mini jack. Same for the G4. This would be fine, except we're both running out of internal hard drive space.
    So, what we want to do is buy one external hard drive, both store our music files on it, and play music. A new drive in the mid-range should tide us both over till we can afford new computers.
    But this has raised a whole host of questions:
    1. How do we share a hard drive when we both have laptops that move about the house all the time? Sometimes the G3 sits on the desk playing music while the G4 sits on the couch checking email, and vice versa.
    2. Can we set up just one iTunes library on the hard drive that is fully accessible to whichever computer is connected to it, both in terms of playing and in terms of updating?
    3. But wouldn't that be terrible, anyway, because I couldn't sit on the couch and download new music into my iTunes folder automatically?
    4. And this leads to what I really, really, want, which is an external hard drive that is independently wirelessly accessible by both computers.
    5. Which in turn leads to the true wishlist, which is to be able to use AirTunes too. Then I could sit anywhere, access a shared library on either computer, and then stream it to my stereo.
    Is any of this possible? Am I missing the forest for the trees? Is there some big picture that I am just not seeing? I just want both computers to be mobile, to each have more space to store music, and each still be able to play that music without the other one having to be involved.
    Thanks a bunch -- Discussions is one of my favorite places to lurk for hours.
    - Kendra
    (BTW, I'd upgrade my Airport if it helped, or buy an Express. And I've seen a lot on Sharepoints, but am not sure if that's what I'm looking for.)

    Well to answer several questions at once, there are Ethernet (aka Network) Hard drives you can buy that hook up via ethernet. you could plug it in near your router and then plug the ethernet cable into one of the Router's ethernet ports and set up a network drive. It doesn't have to be connected directly to a computer. Here are two examples (shop around for price, size and features)...
    http://shop3.outpost.com/product/5031245?site=sr:SEARCH:MAINRSLTPG
    http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3945658?site=sr:SEARCH:MAINRSLTPG
    Patrick

  • Moved Itunes to External hard drive and Itunes can't find them

    I went to the Apple Store at the Grove on Friday. An employee there printed out these instructions:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301748
    I followed the instructions. All my music is on my external hard drive now (My Book). When I open Itunes all the songs in the entire library have a circle with ! in them.
    It says the song could not be used because the file could not be found. When I search My Book the song plays and the ! is removed. I have several thousand songs. Do I have to do this with each and every one?
    Also, I can't import new cd's now.
    Can anyone help?
    Thanks, Vicki

    Try this -> iTunes Track CPR v1.3

  • I have a new hard drive and itunes and my computer (windows XP) no longer recognise my ipod. I also had the problem with the registry keys not being present but this has now been fixed. However i can no longer link my ipod up with itunes.

    When I first tried itunes with my new hard drive there was the problem with the registry keys but something also flagged up about needing a signed driver. Is this anything to do with why Itunes and my computer no longer recognises when my ipod is linked up? Whatever i try under 'devices' my ipod is never available to sync up. If anyone can help I would be most grateful.

    Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately this has not worked. I didn't have quicktime to begin with so I don't know if that makes a difference? After following the instructions, I get the "registry keys missing" problem appear again (which I've subsequently fixed again) and then when I connected the ipod I got the following message - 'Device driver software was not successfully installed'.
    I've tried windows update but this doesn't do anything as '...the service is not running'.
    Any suggestions?

  • External Hard Drives and iTunes, on Mac Book Pro and PC?

    If you transfer your iTunes library from PC to an external hard drive, can you use itunes, from the external hard drive when you plug it into Mac Book Pro?
    I'm very confused about this!
    All my music is on PC and I want to save it to my external hard drive. But I will no longer be using that PC afterwards.
    I would like to use itunes on my Mac but it only has 128 Gb, not enough storage for my iTunes library.
    So, can you use your transfered itunes library from the PC to external drive on your Mac?
    Another question I have is, when your itunes is on your external hardrive can you still sync, make playlists and add new songs?
    I don't know very much about external hard drives, but I need the space.

    No.  Likely the drive is presently formatted NTFS which is no good on a Mac unless you want to buy spcial software to enable it (given your scenario it is not worth it).  The best format for Mac use is MacExtended, but your PC cannot write files to that.  The intermediate solution is to reformat the drive to DOS FAT, but as I already said this isn't ideal.
    If it were me I would:
    1) With the PC copy the entire iTunes folder to the current external, presumably formatted as NTFS.
    2) Buy the new second drive I know I will need for backing up both my computer and my old external drive.  Format it as Mac extended.  In the long run you want to configure this for use with Time Machine but I can't help you with that because I can't run TM.  For the time being you are using it to temporarily store files.
    3) Using the Mac make sure the new drive is formatted to Mac extended.
    4) On the Mac copy the entire iTunes folder from the old drive to the new.
    5) With the Mac reformat the old drive to Mac extended.
    6) With the Mac copy the entire iTunes folder from the new drive to the old one which is now in the Mac friendly format.  Start iTunes with the option key held down as described earlier.
    Others may be able to help with some details on formatting drives because I use an older system.  I know with my system version when you reformat or partition you lose all files on a drive which is why you have to have somewhere to temporarily store your library. I think they did some changes but I am not sure of the details.

  • External Hard Drive and iTunes Help

    iTunes
    Here is my impossible question that many people keep giving me the wrong answer or at least differing answers.  This involves "senior advisors" in apple. 
    Few things to note:
    - I'm using iTunes 11.0.1
    - I have the newest gen Apple TV
    - I have the newest gen AirPort Extreme
    - I'm using a western digital (for Mac) external hard drive
    I don't consider myself extremely gifted when it comes to using computers but I understand things from trial and error. 
    I don't want to have any music on my internal SSD (MacBook air).  I want to keep all of it on my external. 
    I downloaded all of my music from transmission and changed file location to my external HD. 
    I put my file location of iTunes media folder onto my external. 
    I also have my file location (opt+iTunes) to that media folder when I open iTunes. 
    All works great and works like it should.  I can unplug this external - and my iTunes won't open of course cause my external isn't plugged in.  I understand that.  When I plug it back in it works again and I'm happy. 
    Here's where things get difficult.......
    I unplugged my external and plugged it into my USB port into the back of my AirPort Extreme.  Connected to the external via MacBook Air. 
    When I opened iTunes all my music was gone. 
    I quickly unplugged my external from the airport and plugged it back into my MBA and my iTunes library was gone again.  Even when I directed it to my external. 
    I can transfer songs back but that's tiresome every time.
    I want to be able to access my big iTunes library wirelessly through my AirPort Extreme and stream movies/music through iTunes/ATV Then when I travel I can unplug it and have that same library connected directly to my MBA and do the same thing.
    Do I have to change my library location each time? 
    Please help!
    I would appreciate detailed instructions on what to do? 
    Everyone gives me wrong answers and many people say this can't be done! 
    Hope everything was worded properly and makes a bit of sense!  

    I can understand why you'd want to attempt this if you didn't want to drag your laptop all over your house, porting the external HD along, but do you really need full iTunes access in every room on the laptop? If not—if you basically use your laptop in one area, forget ever seving media from the base station; just connect your external HD to the laptop and turn on Home Sharing for ATV, streaming with AirPlay, etc... I have three computers connected to three externals, all serving via home sharing to three sepaprate ATVs. This works well.
    If you really need to hook up this drive to your AEBS via USB, first know that this option could be slow, depending on your drive (7200RPM is better) and connection (USB 3 may make this more acceptable, IDK). My only guess is that this may be possible by creating two libraries on the MBA. One, which you will set to keep your music organized and be the one you use to manage the library (however you want to do that—corded will be faster), and the other that will leave files as they are found. You will have to re-add your media to the secondary library, but it won't faff around with your file locations. This is only a test scenario, as I have no idea if this solution would work. You may find it useful to try out if your other options are exhausted.

  • New hard drive and ITunes won't recognize my IPod

    Hi, I recently had to replace my hard drive. I had to download Itunes again. While trying to upload the songs from my IPod, the Itunes application tells me that my ipod belongs to another library and my only option is to sync the library with my ipod (erasing all my songs from my ipod) or upload all "purchased" Itunes from my ipod (which are only about 10 songs!). How do I make it so my library recognizes my ipod as its own and not "another"?
    Thanks.

    Only the purchased iTunes songs can be copied from the iPod to iTunes - Unless you find some iPod hack program to access your iPod's library.
    The best way to make sure you don't lose your songs on your iPod is to manually update your iPod.
    Loading songs onto iPod manually
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iTunesWin/7.1/en/2580.html
    This setting allows you to drag & drop songs from your library to your iPod and won't ask you the "sync the library" question. You will have to manually eject your iPod before disconnecting it.

  • MacBook Hard Drive And iTunes

    Hi, I want to purchase a Black MacBook but the internal hard drive is not large enough. I wanted to purchase a Maxtor 300gb Network Hard Drive. I would be storing iTunes videos on it. How would the videos show up in iTunes and how could I download new videos to the external hard drive? Thanks

    Yes you will have to mount the network drive each time (although I believe you can have it set to automatically mount). iTunes will not need its preferences set each time. If the source of your tracks is not available it will only complain once you try to play each individual track.
    Yes, assuming the FireWire drive is already on and connected, when you turn on your MacBook the drive data will be immediately available to FrontRow.
    Assuming you are intending to leave both a network drive and a FireWire/USB2 drive (whichever you buy) on 24/7 you will have less issues with a FireWire/USB2 drive.

  • External Hard Drive and iTunes

    I've been having a problem lately with one of my USB outlets, and evidence of that is provided by the fact that my External Hard Drive icon on my bottom right task tray keeps repeating the fact that it's plugged in. The wire is loose or something, but it's the only free outlet I have.
    But that isn't the problem...
    I recently opened iTunes, for the first time since this started happening, to find a completely blank list. I opened it several times and nothing changed. My purchased list, Listen count, etc is wiped out from the library, but all of the songs are still on the hard drive itself. Do I have to keep importing the songs back into iTunes every time this happens, or is there a way to tell it "this hard drive may be removed?" I have a few thousand songs, so you can imagine how long it takes to import them.

    Welcom to AD!
    Take a look at the note from this article
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1364
    +Note: If you move your library to an external drive, you'll need to power up and connect the drive before starting iTunes. If you don't, iTunes will prompt you to either locate the library or to create a new library ( *which will result in an empty library* ). No matter what, it's always a good idea to have a backup of the media you have in iTunes.+
    There are only two things you can do:
    1) Move the music files back onto your hard drive
    2) Solve the USB hardware problem

Maybe you are looking for