Have iTunes music on external drive. How do I access it with new computer?

Hello. On my old laptop (which died) I had my iTunes music and videos stored on an external drive (changed it under Preferences). Now that I have a new computer and installed iTunes, how do I get it to use my external drive with all my music and videos? I changed it in preferences but it doesn't show up.
Thanks for your help.

I did an add file to library with the entire music library and after all day of processing it is now showing up and did not duplicate the setup. I had changed the save location to the music folder under preferances first. Thanks for the help. I guess it is time to figure out playlists next. Then go buy the iPod.
Doug

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Itunes music on external drive - how to get it back onto mac.

hi - some time ago I transferred my growing itunes library to an external hard drive. The database remained on the mac. My mac was an old powerpc imac. So far no problem. Things moved on and I have just bought a new imac i3 etc. I would now like to transfer my itunes content to the new mac as it has loads of space. Alternatively I would be happy to keep the music on the external drive. I transferred the contents of the old mac to the new mac without any difficulty. The database on itunes arrived seemlessly on the new mac. I plugged in the external hard drive and nothing worked. I had forgotten that the old mac was power pc and the new mac was of course intel.
My question is now, how do I get the library on the external drive back onto my old mac so that I can transfer it to the new mac? Any ideas. I am sure it is simple, but am not the best on computers. I can follow instructions.

mdockrell wrote:
will make sure both machine are running the same version and try again
again, the version shouldn't matter - the worst that could happen is that the newer version would need to update the library (which may take a while).
if you still have access the the PPC, try copying its iTunes folder once more to the intel. you can use a thumb drive or connect the two Macs with a firewire cable, boot the source Mac in _*Target Disk Mode*_, and copy the entire iTunes folder from <MacintoshHD>/users/<yourname>/music on the source to <MacintoshHD>/users/<yourname>/music on the target (overwriting the iTunes folder in place there).
connect the external to the intel and wait for it to mount, then launch iTunes.
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300 gig of music on external drive how do I access from Itunes

I bought a new 500 gig external drive and it came loaded with 300 gigs of music. It was supposedly installed with itunes, but I cannot access it when I install itunes on my machine. How to open an alternate iTunes Library file link, but it does not recognize the files. Am I going to have to create another folder on my external drive and then import the music into it a bit at a time (since I don't have enough room to do it all at once), or is ther a way to just index what I have into iTunes?
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I did an add file to library with the entire music library and after all day of processing it is now showing up and did not duplicate the setup. I had changed the save location to the music folder under preferances first. Thanks for the help. I guess it is time to figure out playlists next. Then go buy the iPod.
Doug

ITunes music on external drive how to get iTunes to see them

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I am using iTunes 9 and I have had to archive and install, but the problem now is that iTunes on my hard drive can't see the tunes on an external drive.
Ta

Open iTunes with the Option key held down, click on Choose Library, and point it there, or drag the songs or a folder containing them into the open iTunes window.
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How to use old library with new computer?

Hello,
I keep all my music on an external HD. Recently, my main computer died, so I had to start using another iMac. It's running Tiger and iTunes 6, but I have never used the iTunes before. How do I get this computer to "see" my old iTunes library (on the external)?

You are welcome. One thing that comes to mind is that I believe when you use an external drive to hold your library, it is important that the external is on and mounted when ever you start up iTunes. My understanding is if you start iTunes and the external drive is not available, then iTunes reverts back to the default location on your internal. You then have to reset it back to the external, but I think you also have to re-add everything all over again.
So be sure you always have the external up and ready whenever you open iTunes.
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HT4527 I have a new laptop/PC, and I want to keep content of iTunes on an external drive, how do I set this up?

I have a new laptop/pc, and I am trying to set up iTunes on it; but I want to keep content on an external drive (lots of movies/books/etc.). I know I will not be able to see when not hooked up to that drive, or sync with out it. What is the best way to go about setting this up.

Hi drnels,
Are you saying you still have access to the backup? If you do, you should take a look at [[Backing up your information]]. It will show you where all of your personal information is stored in Firefox and how you can copy it to a new install.
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I want to move all my music to an external drive as I am running out of space. Is there a manual that says how or does anyone have instructions to do it. read all the posts on here but they all say different things!.
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Copy your iTunes folder from yourusername/Music to wherever you want it on the external drive, then point iTunes to the new location.
Adapt my instructions here: http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=7778427#7778427
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WHY? When I set the Adv prefs in iTunes and point it to my music which resides on an external drive (Time Capsule) ~ that (upon launch) if it can't see the drive on the network it decides to create the default "mac hd/users/itunes" folder!!!
Of course it remembers the "keep folders organized" and create mayhem .... MAYHEM!
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This is a nuisance. It has caused my wife to import CDs multiple times. Redundantcy?! Bah!!!
iTunes: OH NO!!!
Me: Interrupted? A quick network ping or search brings it right back into use!
iTunes: "Oh no! I've lost the song (that is currently PLAYING)!!! What do I do??? I know! Make the DEFAULT User folder!!!
Me: Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

Thanks for your post! I used my wife's iMac to post the above rant...
Basically you've re-explained exactly what is happening. I have always pointed to external media, so I set up the iMac the same way.
Media and Library to me are the same things, but iTunes "Library" (.itl) file includes the prefs. (Which point to the external media collection of that .itl "user"... or they should, yes??)
When the drive sleeps, or isnt mounted, an iTunes launch is just being silly be jettisoning the prefs and going back to the ol' user/music/itunes folder nonsense, etc. It should pop up a dialog letting you know that the library is residing on a drive which cannot be found. (hundreds of in iTunes??? great!!!)
It also happens upon waking from a sleep, etc.
I'm just wishing it were a bit more robust and not so easily fussed up. Having someone remember to hold OPT key before launch each time ain't gonna be hapnin'...
Friends dont let friends post drumnk...
Now everything will be in "The Cloud" so... I'm not quite sure when the Cloud rains or if it's a sunny blue-sky day (ew... too Microsofty) that what the app will decide to do to your new CD that you bought at the concert last night and you're flying it into your library or media or cloud or whatever...

Moving iTunes Music to external drive

If I move my iTunes music folder to an external hard-drive because I'm running out of space on my PC's internal drive, can I then just go to preferences in iTunes and change the folder location and carry on as normal or do I have to act like I'm moving my music to a completely new computer and copy my music to a folder on my Ipod then copy it back to the external drive? Hope this makes sense...
Thanks for your help.

If I move my iTunes music folder to an external hard-drive because I'm running out of space on my PC's internal drive, can I then just go to preferences in iTunes and change the folder location and carry on as normal
Yes. Click here for more information.
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iTunes works off of an ITL file in the iTunes folder
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Have iTunes music on external drive. How do I access it with new computer?

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