How do I move itunes to an external drive and use from there

Mid July 2010 Mini running 10.9.4, 320 gig HD, about 95 gigs left on drive and I need to add bootcamp/windows7 which will need about 90 gigs, maybe a little less for what I need to do with win7. Next problem will be figuring out how to make bootcamp work. Like how do I make a ISO out of a dmg? That's for another post. Excuse me.
What do I move to an external drive? The media folder? Do I move iTunes? Seems to me iTunes needs to be on the MacHD and it pulls media from the drive to be rendered or played. Do I drag and drop? From where? Why doesn't Apple have simple easy to understand certified answers to issues ordinary people have? Something about once "it" is moved, do you restart and then I think hold control down while starting iTunes? What about iTunes Match? Should that be off? If it is off during the change over and then after restating Match will it matter that now the media is all in a different location? Absolutely at a loss.
Can someone please shed light on this?
thanks,
tom

Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Open iTunes and immediately hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) so you get a prompt to select a library, then guide it to the 'iTunes Library.itl' file in the moved iTunes folder.
If this is to a new computer and you put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)
iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music [library] to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527 - a somewhat bewildering and not always easily understandable set of options.

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I redirected iTunes to an external drive and moved my iTunes library and folder, but my hard drive is still low on space. How can I be sure that my music is all on the external HD ONLY, especially with the new iCloud technology?

I redirected iTunes to an external drive and moved my iTunes library and folder, but my hard drive is still low on space. How can I be sure that my music is all on the external HD ONLY, especially with the new iCloud technology? It doesn't look like I created any more space by doing this, AND I totally lost all my iTunes playlists. I'm not sure if because I added old library materials manually if this messed up my playlists, or if the new location is just not reading my moved library. In any case, I followed step by step instructions and found a few holes and thought I'd just "figure it out" but I guess I'm not as smart as I thought since I'm still scratching my head many hours later.
Thanks for any support ;-)
Eaglerocker

Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Open iTunes and immediately hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) so you get a prompt to select a library, then guide it to the 'iTunes Library.itl' file in the moved iTunes folder.
If this is to a new computer and you put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)
iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music [library] to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527 - a somewhat bewildering and not always easily understandable set of options.

How do you move pictures to an external drive to open space on the Mac hard drive? Or what is the best way to store photos safely?

How do you move pictures to an external drive to open harddrive space? Or what is the best way to store large photo files? Ive tried copy/cut and paste and it doesnt work. I have nothing on my Mac but photos and its telling me startup disk is too full to download updates.

Are the photos being stored in iPhoto now?
How is the external disk formatted?
Allan

Is it possible to have your music and videos saved on different external drives and use the same iTunes library?

Is it possible to have your music and videos saved on different external drives and use the same iTunes library?
I am running out of space on my external hard drive and would like to split the movies and music between two external drives while using the same iTunes library is this possible.
My library is stored on the external drive all of my music etc is stored.

Yes.

How does one move iTunes (& iPhoto) to external hard drive?

How do I move iTunes and my entire iTunes database to an external hard drive? What folders and files do I need to move? Do I need to create a "music" folder on the external drive? I have an enormous music collection -- some 700 CDs -- and I would like to have them all in my iTunes database, but there is not enough room for them all on my MacMini hard drive.
Similarly, I would like to move my iPhoto database to the external drive. What folders do I need to move?
Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.8) iPod 80 Gb

Thanks - I had a look and they are both there on my external HD, the same name, size and date as on my computer, so that's ok, I must be backing them up as you say.
But, they don't have the same icons - the XML file is described as a "REALbasic XML project" instead of "Text document", while the iTunes Library file doesn't have the iTunes logo, and is described simply as "Document" and not "iTunes Database File". Does that matter? Will it matter if I ever need to restore from them?
iMac G5 17" 1.5Gb RAM Mac OS X (10.4.7)

I have a laptop with a bad hard drive, my iTunes library is on an external hardrive. How do I move iTUnes to a new computer and have it work?

I have my iTunes Library all saved on an external hard drive. I have iTunes on the desktop of my laptop. The hard drive in my laptop is going bad. How do I move iTunes to another computer and be able to use my external hard drive? This may be easier than I might think. I hope so.
Thanks

Hey oob,
Thanks for the question. You may find the information in the following article helpful in moving your iTunes library via external drive:
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Thanks,
Matt M.

How to transfer itunes library to external drive and keep playlists and ratings

I don't have much space on my laptop. I have attached an external drive. I want to access my Itunes library from
the external drive. All attempts to move the library now result in me losing my "playlists" and even more importantly
my ratings and genre information.
How can I move the library with all my associated data intact such as the playlists, ratings, genres?
I want this external drive to be the main location where I access my Itunes library.
Once that is done I will work on backing it up, as that will be the only place that the data exists.
Also, will my Apple TV be also be able to access my Itunes library with playlists. thus far I have not been able to do this.

Start by consolidating your library. 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: Consolidating your library - Windows
Then copy the iTunes Folder to your 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?
Disconnect your external drive and connect it to your new computer, copy the iTunes folder to the new pc. When you copy the iTunes folder make sure you put it into the default location on the new computer. On a PC this is \Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\My Music\ (or C:\Username\Music\ in Vista). You should also use the same version of iTunes on both computers.
Once you have copied everything over hold down the Shift key in Windows when opening iTunes. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to an existing one. Navigate to where you placed the copy of the library file and open it up: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file
If you have any iTunes purchases in your library don't forget that you'll need to authorise your new computer to play them. Also if you are disposing of the old one remember to deauthorise it so you don't use up one of your allowances: About iTunes Music Store Authorisation and Deauthorisation

How to back up itunes to a external drive.

I need some help I just bought a Western Digital Elite Portable external drive and I want to back up my itunes in it. The problem is that I've never done it
before so basically I do not know how to do it. I been backing up to discs but I want to do it with the external drive now. I have itunes 7.7.1.11, and a second generation 8GB ipod nano.

lets say i put music videos on my external hdd
How are you "putting" them onto the external?
If you move them yourself, iTunes will lose them.
You need to Consolidate library in iTunes to move it.
Also, the external needs to be on and mounted before opening iTunes.

How do i setup itunes only on external drive with windows

well i have windows xp running on bootcamp. i have my main library on my internal drive on my os x partition.
i want to have music with xp without putting music on my bootcamp partition ( i think my size is 25 or 35 gig). how do i do this on my external drive? do i install itunes on my windows external partition and just copy my music folder there and then import?
i want to make sure i have a good idea of what to do before i start fooling around. my windows partition is fat 32 while my bootcamp is ntsf

Move the iTunes music folder to the desired location, and then drag it into the open iTunes window. iTunes itself must be on the startup disk.
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Want to Move iTunes library to external drive & access from home & work

I want to move my Windows iTunes library to my new external drive and be able to access my music library from my work computer and my home computer. I have read some discussions here about move libraries and I have some concerns:
1. What is the best solution to the problems people reported about iTunes Helper changing the drive letter back to C: if they booted the computer without the external drive connected?
2. Can I buy music and make playlists from both computers and not run into problems?
3. Any other advice to avoid gotchas?
Thanks,
Mark

If the drive is formatted NTFS, the Mc will not write to it. You need a driver installed to write to NTFS.
Or refomrat the drive to FAT32/MSDOS and it'll work fine.
If you have the entire iTunes folder on the external, connect it to your Mac, hold Option, launch iTunes and select Choose library... and select the iTunes folder on the external.
Note that the iTunes versions need to be the same between computers.

How do i install itunes on an external drive

How can i install iTunes on an external hard drive?

Thanks, but I'm not referring to the music library, I'm referring to the actual iTunes application. I've read other threads saying that it can only be installed on the C: drive, so guess i'm out of luck.
Thanks anyway!

I have my iTunes library on external drive and can access from any PC. However I cannot access from new MacBokk Air.

My iTunes library is on an external drive and been using it on two PCs with no problem.
Now that I got a new MacBook Air I want to access the same iTunes library from the external drive and keep all the library and media on that external drive.
When I try to change to another iTunes library by hitting "option" with iTunes and select the library on the external hard drive I get the following message:
"The iTunes library file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do noy have write permission for this file."
I have read many posts in which many suggest to go to the library or media file on the PC and right click to make sure the read only tab is not checked.
I uncheked the read only tab and gave full permission to all the iTunes files and folders.
The unusual part is that I can use this external drive on many PCs that I have tried with no problem at all.
I just select a different library, which is on my external hard drive and everything works, play lists and everything.
However, when I try it on a MAC i get the message stated above:
What can I do to be able to access my External iTunes library from new MacBook Air while keeping everything on the external drive like I can on PCs?
I am running latest version of iTunes and Mavericks.
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Here are the official Apple Support instructions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Ciao.

ITunes Media on external drive and moved to new PC laptop

Environment: Dell PC laptop, Window 7 32-bit, iTunes 12.1.1.4
I have all of my iTunes Media on an external hard-disk drive. I want to keep it on that drive. I have a new laptop and have connected the external drive to it. I have installed iTunes on the new laptop and in Advanced Preferences I have changed the iTunes Media folder location to E:\iTunes and I have checked the box "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized." I have also checked the box "Copy files to iTunes media folder when adding to library."
When I open iTunes, the software does not seem to recognize the content in E:\iTunes. It does not recognize that I have already downloaded most of my purchased content (everything previously downloaded still has the little cloud icon in the bottom right corner) and it won't play anything I've already downloaded. Also, music that I have previously imported from CD's is not accessible.
I have read through some of the other support discussions and have seen situations similar to mine, but not exactly like mine. I would copy the file "iTunes Library.itl" from the old computer, but I have one concern: on the old laptop the external drive was Drive G: and on the new laptop it is Drive E:
I tried File --> Library --> Consolidate Files, but nothing happened.
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Regards,
Brandon

Copy the iTunes Library.itl file from the old computer. iTunes can handle a change in drive letters as long as the relative paths from the database to the media is the same - typically where you have an iTunes folder (preferably in the root of the external drive) that contains both the iTunes Library.itl file and the iTunes Media folder, as follows:
See turingtest2's user tip on Make a split library portable for steps that may be necessary to bring your library into this layout.
Then, hold down SHIFT as you start iTunes, and when you see this prompt:
click on Choose Library..., navigate to the iTunes folder on your external drive, and select the iTunes Library.itl file.
Note also that the iTunes Media folder location setting in Edit > Preferences > Advanced does not provide iTunes information about the location of your library (that info is all within the database file). This setting is used, in conjunction with the Keep iTunes Media folder organized setting, to determine where iTunes stores new media when you add it to your library.
Once everything's sorted out, use a second external drive to create and maintain a backup of your library.

I moved my itunes library to external drive and now itunes wont work.

I moved my itunes library to an external drive and now itunes cannot find the library. I followed a youtube video and all seemed to work fine until i deleted the old library and emptied the trash. Prior to deleting and emptying the trash I checked preferences to verify the path of Itunes was to the external drive. It seemed to work even when I moved the original library to the trash.
Now when I launch itunes the song listings show but the songs cant be found. I checked the volume of my itunes that I moved to the external and it was about 4 GB that i moved. I have approx 2000 songs.
Any suggestions?

Hold down the alt/option Key when you start iTunes a dialog box will open
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How do I move itunes to an external drive and use from there

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