How do I get my itunes to access music files on external disc hooked up to my imac?

how do I get my itunes to access music files on external disc hooked up to my imac?

assuming copy to ... when adding to library is checkmarked in preferences > advanced, drag the files from the external into an open iTunes window while holding the option (⌥) key.

Similar Messages

  • How do I get iTunes to access music files on external hard drive?

    We moved all of our music to an external hard drive. The hd is always on and I connect to it wirelessly. I don't know how to get iTunes to use the library that is on the hard drive, can anyone help me please.

    iTunes expects to find its library in the ./Music/iTunes folder. To get iTunes to see music on another drive, you first have to create the library on your internal drive. Once you've done that, you copy the iTunes folder over to your external drive, and redirect iTunes to that drive, using an alias. (I originally did this in Tiger and it continues to work fine in Leopard. I don't know if doing it originally in Leopard would make any difference.)
    Note: If your external drive library is already too large for your internal drive, simply use as much of it as you can to create the original library on your internal drive. You can add the rest of it once you've got iTunes looking at the external drive. In this case, remember to name any "iTunes" folder on the external drive to something else, so you don't erase everything in the following procedure.
    Load up as much music as you can on your internal drive, making sure it appears in iTunes.
    Quit iTunes and copy the iTunes folder from your internal drive to your external drive (be sure you don't erase whatever's already on the external drive). Copying that folder to the root of the external drive is OK.
    On your internal drive, rename the 'iTunes" folder to something else (like orig_iTunes) -- or move it out of the Music folder.
    Open your external hard drive to the directory containing your iTunes folder.
    Cmd-Option drag the iTunes folder from the external hard drive to the internal hard drive Music folder, creating an alias in the internal drive's Music folder.
    Launch iTunes. You should now see the music from the external hard drive. If necessary, you can now add back any missing music, and it will automatically create the necessary music and library files inside your iTunes folder on the external drive. Once you've got them all added, you can delete both the orig_iTunes folder, and the folder on your external drive that served as the source for adding your library back in.

  • How do I get into iTunes to access Netflix, when I get "iTunes unable to connect until time has been set", after submiting my password?

    How do I get into iTunes to access Netflix, when I get "iTunes unable to connect until time has been set", after submiting my password?

    You need to follow the instructions in this article that best apply to your situation:
    Forgot passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled - Apple Support
    If you do not have a backup in either iCloud or iTunes, then you will have no way to retain the information on your device because you will have to restore it in order to access it again.
    Sorry,
    GB

  • I had a iPod befor it was on my moms laptop and know I got a iPhone and my own laptop how do I get my iTunes account on my laptop so I can hook my phone to my laptop on the same account as my iPod

    I had a iPod befor it was on my moms laptop and know I got a iPhone and my own laptop how do I get my iTunes account on my laptop so I can hook my phone to my laptop on the same account as my iPod

    Welcome to the Apple Community.
    You first need to sign into the account in iTunes on your laptop, then you need to transfer the content from your moms laptop and import it into iTunes on yours. You can do this in a number of ways, either over a network, with an external drive, or even a USB stick.
    If you go to iTunes preferences > advanced on your moms laptop, it will tell you where the original files can be found.

  • How do I get my iTunes to playing music  when laptop is closed?

    How do I get my iTunes  in my mac book pro to playing music when laptop is closed?

    Mac notebooks: How to use your computer in closed clamshell
    InsomniaX

  • Accessing music files on external hard drives with Home Sharing

    I use my iMac as a computer and music server.  I have it connected via USB and SPDIF to my audio system, and access my music files with the Remote app on my iPhone.  It works fine except when the Remote app occasionally wants to take a brief break.  The problem is that I have a LOT of high-res music files, and my IMac's hard drive is filling up and slowing the processor down.  Is there a way to access music files located on external hard drives (I have two) AND the files located on my iMac using Home Sharing and the Remote app on my iPhone.  I'd like to move some of the files off of the iMac's HD to free up space.  Thanks.

    The best thing to do is to get an external drive that is large enough
    and has sufficient room for growth and move your entire iTunes
    folder to it.
    Then start iTunes holding down the option key and when the dialog
    box comes up, select choose library and navigate to the new iTunes
    folder location.
    This way, nothing will be lost, confused, or otherwise messed up since
    the entire library will be intact.

  • HT1364 How to install iTunes, but access music library from external drive?

    I tried to install iTunes (11) on a new computer with Windows 8.  I keep the iTunes library on an external drive.  I tried to move the media files over to the newly installed iTunes within the hard drive program files, but it doesn't seem to work.  The relevant threads in the forum are a bit over my head (I am brand new to Windows 8, having leaped over from XP).  Is there some simple way to straighten out the paths on iTunes so that it will properly play songs from the external drive, show my old songlists, etc?
    I've now uninstalled iTunes from computer.  Would like to reinstall without too much headache ...

    Hello there FunkyMuzak,
    iTunes can be set to use the library on the external drive, and save new content.
    To have iTunes open the alternate library on the drive use this option:
    Steps to create or choose a different iTunes Library file
    If iTunes is running, quit iTunes.
    If you are using Windows, hold down the Shift key and from the Start menu and choose All Programs > iTunes > iTunes.
    If you are using the Mac, open iTunes and immediately hold down the Option key.
    You should see one of the following screens:
    From: iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
              http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1589
    And to tell iTunes to save your new media when you buy songs or movies, etc., use this part of our article named Where are my iTunes files located? found here http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391
    Discovering and changing the iTunes Media folder location
    Note: You would usually only change the iTunes Media folder location to share music between accounts on the same computer. See this article for specific steps on how to accomplish this. Also, see this article if you want to know how to move your music to a new computer.
    Mac OS X: Click the iTunes menu and choose Preferences.
    Windows: Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences.
    Click the Advanced pane. iTunes displays the location of your iTunes Media folder.
    You can then:
    Note where your media folder is, such as for backing up your media.
    Use the Reset button to reset it's location to the default (which is the iTunes folder).
    Click the Change button to select a folder for a new location. Once you change this location:
    If you make a new or alternate iTunes library, the new location will be used by that library.
    Existing files will not be moved unless you choose File > Library > Organize library and choose the option to "Consolidate files."
    Cheers,
    Sterling

  • How do I save my iTunes library and iPhoto to an external drive and not to the iMac drive?

    how do I save my iphoto library and itunes library to an external drive and not to the imac drive?

    For iPhoto, see > iPhoto: How to move the Library folder to a new location
    For iTunes, see > iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder

  • How can I get just my non-cloud music from my external backup?

    I have my music collection (the entire iTunes folder) stored on an external drive.  I did a fresh install of OS X Lion and I like that all of my music lives in the cloud, but I know there are files currently on my external drive that I would like to have added to my current iTunes Library.  What is the easiest way for me to identify and retrieve those files without having to copy over the entire iTunes Media folder?              

    Why not just look at the folders and files on the external HDD and use the "add to iTunes" command in the file menu?

  • How do i get my itunes to save everything to my external hard drive instead of the regular one? like back my iphone and save updates to the external hard drive

    yea, i'm pretty much maxing out on my memory for my lap top and i want everything to save to my external hard drive. especially when i update my iphone and back it up. does anyone know how to get my macbook to do that?

    Type move itunes library into the google serach bar.
    It has always been very basic to always maintain  abackup copy of your computer.  Do you not have a backup copy?

  • How do I get QuickTime/ITunes to read .mov files on Iphone 4?

    All software advises that it cannot read the .mov files from Iphone 4.   Photoshop advises that there is probably a codec missing.  Download from??  Would a video adapter correct the problem.......?

    assuming copy to ... when adding to library is checkmarked in preferences > advanced, drag the files from the external into an open iTunes window while holding the option (⌥) key.

  • HT4527 How can I get my iTunes account on my new computer if I don't have access to the old one?

    My computer with my iTunes was recently destroyed.  How can I get my iTunes account on my new computer if I don't have access to the old one?

    Hi erikafromorlando,
    You can sign in and download your previously purchased items by following this article:
    Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519
    I hope this helps!
    - Ari

  • How do i get my laptop to access the itunes library on my external drive hooked up to my desktop via my home network?

    How do i get my laptop to access the itunes library on my external drive hooked up to my desktop via my home network?

    If you are willing to pay $24.99 per year for iTunes Match you can put your library in the cloud provided you don't have more than 25,000 tracks.
    iCloud- iTunes Match
    iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Match Availability
    iTunes Store- Troubleshooting iTunes Match
    iTunes- How to add a computer or iOS device to iTunes Match

  • HT1420 How can you get your iTunes music back when your iTunes Match expires & you no longer have access to the computer it ws stored on?

    How can you get your iTunes music back when your iTunes Match expires & you no longer have access to the computer it ws stored on?

    Try here:
    iTunes: Error 13019 during sync

  • How do I get my iTunes library from my old mac to my new one?

    How do I get my iTunes and for that matter iPhoto libraries from my old mac 15" Tetherball iMac running OS 10.4.11 iTunes ver. 9.0.2 to my new iMac running 10.6.2 but also using iTunes ver. 9.0.2? I used the migration assistant, and a firewire cable, to move my "Music" folder to the new mac, but it insisted that I create a new user on the new mac for the data, rather than giving me a choice to move it into my user account. Also, based on some info from The Missing Manual and the Take Control books I created a separate user that is not an Administrator on the computer to be my primary login. When I simply tried to copy the music folder - iTunes failed to open. And because I am not an admin I can't access the new folder to copy it while I am in my non-admin user on the new computer. I have looked through as many of the posts as I could wade through and didn't see anything quite as simple as I think my problem is. Thanks, in advance.

    Did you use Migration Assistant to move all you contents or did you create a new account on the new Mac before transferring?
    I had a similar problem when I got my MBP as I created an account on the new Mac at the store to confirm that the MBP was ok. Mistake. I got how home and had loads of issues so I ended up reinstalling the system on the new MBP and using Migration Assistant to move ALL my stuff from the old to the new.
    Another choice is to clone your old Mac to an ext HD then swap that cloned HD with the HD in your new Mac.
    Regardless of which way you go make sure you de-authorize your old Mac before getting rid of it.
    MJ

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