How do i get itunes to read from an external harddrive without transfering it all on to the computer

I have 1.5 terrabytes of movies on an external hard drive. my internal hard drive is only 1 terrabye. Every time I try to link my movies it starts to transfer everything back to the internal. is there a way to make it read just movies (music is on the internal) on the external, without duplicating it all on to my mac?

Hold down the option key while dragging items to the iTunes window. This will override iTunes copying the media to its media folder and simply add it in its current location. There can be disadvantages to this, particularly when the day comes you wish to relocate items to a new external drive. You will have to re-add those items to the library again, losing things such as ratings, playcount, etc.

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How do I get iTunes to read from my external drive?

Ok, before you post this link http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301748 please read this. That link only seems to give advice if you have your music on your computer's hard drive and you want to transfer it all to another drive. My problem is that all of my music is currently on an external drive. There is nothing to transfer or consolidate from my computer. I've gone into the preferences and set the iTunes music folder to the location on my external drive. The part about consolidating doesn't seem applicable in my case. So now that I've set the location of my iTunes music folder why isn't anything showing up in my iTunes library? Why can't I play any music?

So have any of this "external" music ever been added to iTunes? If not, go to File>Add to Library. Then navigate to the external hard-drive folder that contains the music.

I have a windows pc, and a 2Tb portable HD, this contains all my music folders, what settings do i use or how do i get itunes to read my portable HD on F;/ drive ?

i have a windows pc, and a 2Tb portable HD, this contains all my music folders, what settings do i use or how do i get itunes to read my portable HD on F;/ drive ?

Hopefully you have the library files on the drive too, or access to the original computer where the library still works. See Make a split library portable.
tt2

How do I get iTunes to read and import track information?

How do I get iTunes to read and import track information from compilation CDs? Typically, the compilations have been burned to disk using iTunes or Toast 8 Titanium. I have checked data boxes as available with both softwares. My REGA Planet CD player as well as my car CD player can read the track info but neither my nor my friends' iTunes can read the tracks for importing.

I don't believe that iTunes can read CDText.
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How do i get itunes to read my ipod touch

how do i get itunes to read my ipod touch

Try this:http://www.apple.com/support/ipodtouch/assistant/itunes/

I moved all my music from c: drive(because it was full) to an external harddrive and now itunes can't find any of my music. Is there a way to get Itunes to find music on external drive without having to place all the music back onto the c: drive? Thanks

I moved all my music from c: drive(because it was full) to an external harddrive and now itunes can't find any of my music. Is there a way to get Itunes to find music on external drive without having to place all the music back onto the c: drive? Thanks

Hopefully you moved the entire iTunes Media (or iTunes Music) folder to a new path on your external drive. Copy your iTunes library folder out to the root of the external drive, e.g. X:\iTunes (where X: is your external drive), then move the media folder inside it. Hold down shift as you start iTUnes and keep holding untila asked to choose or create a library. Choose the library at X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. Should all be good.
Failing that, download and run my FindTracks script and point it at the new location of your media folder.
tt2

How do you move itunes and iphoto to an extrernal drive, and have them still recognized on the computer

How do you move itunes and iphoto to an extrernal drive, and have them still recognized on the computer.

Step 1 - copy the relevant folders to your external drive.
For iTunes, that would be yourusername/Music/iTunes (and everything underneath it, exactly as is).
For iPhoto that would be yourusername/Pictures/iPhoto Library
Step 2 - next time you start iTunes (and iPhoto) hold down the Option key while you click the application icon. You will get a question box that will allow you to point iTunes (and iPhoto) to the new location on your external drive.
Step 3 - after verifying that everything is working correctly with the libraries on your external drive, delete them from your internal drive. Be sure to empty the trash.
As always, it is best practice to always have a backup copy of your data ... just in case something goes wrong.

How can i get itunes to read my CDs again

I cannot get iTunes to read my CDs. It keeps telling me to reinstall iTunes, and I did, but it still will not read my CDs

Hey there wesley254,
It sounds like your audio cds are not being seen in iTunes when you insert them into your drive. I would use the troubleshooting in the following article about that very subject:
iTunes for Windows doesn't recognize my audio CDs
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1584
Verify Windows recognizes your optical drive
If Microsoft Windows recognized your optical drive, but doesn't recognize it now, follow the instructions in iTunes for Windows: Optical drive is no longer recognized, or "Disc burner or software not found" alert after install.
Check for software updates
Microsoft or your computer's manufacturer may have released updated software. Check to see if there are updates to Windows or to the software that controls the drive. Check your computer manufacturer's website for updates, particularly for updates to the CD or DVD drive. If you bought the drive separately from the computer, check the drive manufacturer's website. In some cases, software drivers for other devices (such as video and sound cards) could affect how the CD or DVD drive works. Make sure your video and sound cards have the most current drivers.
Check for firmware updates
From time to time manufacturers publish updates to a CD or DVD drive's internal software (known as firmware). Check your computer manufacturer's website for firmware updates first. This is important because the internal drives used by some companies (including Dell) require special firmware. If an update is not available from the computer manufacturer, check with the company that made the drive. In some cases, firmware for other devices (such as video and sound cards) could affect how the CD or DVD drive works. Make sure your video and sound cards have the latest firmware as well.
Important: Use special care when installing firmware updates. Incorrectly installing a firmware update could damage the drive and make it unusable. Always check with the computer manufacturer first before checking with the drive manufacturer.
Additional steps
If you have more than one optical drive, try using iTunes with each drive.
Burner software conflicts
If iTunes had previously been working and you recently installed some software that also includes CD burning capabilities (including Napster, Audible, or other online music store software), you may need to do a Repair installation of iTunes.
If iTunes still does not recognize audio CDs after you try these steps, it is possible that third-party software has installed device filters on your computer that are contributing to this issue. Learn more about device filters and how to resolve issues they cause.
To assist Apple in identifying affected drives, please provide feedback by running CD Diagnostics in iTunes
Click here for more information.
iTunes for Windows: Can't Import or Play Music From Audio CD
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Regards,
Sterling

How do I get Itunes to read my itouch?

I updated my Itunes to the latest version and ever since I did that, Itunes isn't reading my itouch. I went through the steps on the Apple Support page, but it still isn't reading it. Is there any other way to get Itunes to read my Itouch?

Try this:http://www.apple.com/support/ipodtouch/assistant/itunes/

How do I get itunes library to move to external hard drive automatically?

I have a 250 GB Verbatim external hard drive. This hard drive has an existing itunes library from my PC. I figured out how to combine the two itunes libraries, (1 from PC and 1 from Macbook). I cannot figure out how to set up itunes to automatically save to external hard drive. In other words, I've gotten everything onto my Mac, but not onto the external, which is what I want. When I try to move the itunes folders to my Verbatim in Finder, it gives me the circle with the line through it. It will not let me move anything over to the Verbatim. Please help!

On the copying issue, if the drive was used with a PC initially it is quite possible it is formatted to NTFS. Macs can read NTFS drives but not write to them You could try to use a utility such as NTFS-3G to enable read-write, or you could use Disk Utility to reformat the drive to FAT (probably FAT32) which can be read by both PCs and Macs. FAT has certain disadvantages too, such as not being repairable by Macs, and there is a limit on single file sizes (2GB or 4GB depending upon the FAT version).
Once you get your whole iTunes folder (not just media) onto the external drive, start iTunes with the option key held down and show it the new location.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
do not confuse moving your whole folder and library with just storing media on another drive:
iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

How do I get iTunes to organize my library? It doesn't put all of the songs in the right album.

How do I get iTunes to organize my music by album? It doesn't put all of the songs in the right album.

Thank you very much for the help with organizing iTunes. It really helped.
I have just put a lot of new music into iTunes. These are CD's I purchased elsewhere (not from iTunes).
I synced my iPad2 to iTunes and got all of the new stuff on the iPad but when I tried to sync my iPad3, it said it was syncing but none of the new stuff showed up. Help?.

How do i get itunes to download on my external, and not my desktop?

I've been trying to get iTunes to download in my external hard drive instead of on my desktop; but every time I download iTunes it starts downloading automaticly onto the desktop. I don't have enough memory on my desktop to transfer all my music onto their, so how can I get it to download onto the external instead? If anyone could help me with this problem I would really appreceate it.

Download and install iTunes normally, launch it with the Shift key held down, and create a new library on the external drive.
(69383)

How do i copy files and folders from one external harddrive to another on the iMac?

For some reason when i drag the folder or file that i want to transfer or copy from one external harddrive to another, nothing happens when i drop it on the destination folder or drive. however, when i drag and drop to the desktop or any location on the Imac internal hardrive it works without any issue. The only problem is that i dont want to transfer or copy stuff to the computer. i want to copy it to an external harddrive. please help if your have answers to my question.
Thanks!

Check the formatting of the external hard drive. To do that, right click on the drive icon and select Get Info. (Or click once on the drive and type command +i ) The pane includes information about the drive format.
The drive should be formatted as Mac OS Extended. If it is not, run Disk Utility (App;ications / Utilities) and format the drive.

How do I get iTunes to read music from two drives?

I recently bought an external hard drive for my laptop to transfer some of my music files that I don't use a lot. I have transfered these files but when I go to play them from iTunes it can't find them and I have to manually locate each song, after that is done iTunes knows where it is at but there has to be an easier way than doing this for a thousand songs!!??

Mike,
This is just a little beyond the reach of iTunes at this time.
The correct way to move files to another drive is described here, but this only works when you want to move ALL files to the new location.

When copying Itunes to an external drive, how do I get iTunes to feed from the file on the external drive and not the computer/

I've already copied my iTunes folder onto my external hardrive. I'm having problems getting iTunes to pull the information from the external hardrive and not the computer's internal one, though. Any suggestions on how to get it to work?

iTunes works off of an ITL file in the iTunes folder
instead of dragging the folder out of the external hardrive and onto the desktop just do this
-hold shift key and double click iTunes to open it up
-you will get a prompt asking to create a new library or choose library, click choose library
-an explorer window will open up and you are going to navigate to the external hard drive and open the iTunes folder
-in the iTunes folder you are going to find a file that doesn't look like a folder but a page with a corner folded on it that is your iTunes library file
-double click the iTunes library file and your library will appear and you are good to go
WARNING: this is a good method for making sure your music doesn't take all of your computer's storage but keep in mind if you remove the external hard drive from the computer you may have issues accessing the library example next to the song titles

How do i get itunes to read from an external harddrive without transfering it all on to the computer

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