How to Get In & Out of Match, Get your Downloads and Run

Question

How to Get In & Out of Match, Get your Downloads and Run 
So you have read the marketing hype, and are thinking what you really want is to pay for the service to upgrade your low quality bitrate files to a bit better 256KBPS rate easily, as don’t fancy rebuying/ reimporting or other method
This guide should show you the fastest route to achieve you upgrades
It assumes you’re working from your main music library, and know something about IT, and have <25k of music files
Backup your music files
If you know how to do this, its simple right – so once done then move to step 2, if not read below so you don’t blame me for a loss
Transfer Hardware
your choice the transfer hardware, suggest offline harddrive via USB3.0 (blue USB connector/eSata/ 1494b/1GB NIC/etcetera but your call
If you use USB2.0/ 100MB NIC/1394a or other lower transfer method, accept the time hit
Don’t use Time Backup/local disk backup software unless you have RAID 5 setup or better (and if wondering what that is, you almost certainly don’t then)
Don’t use  internet backup service unless you live next door to the hosting company, with stunning internet connection to envy 99.9% of the human race, remember this is the fast method folks)
Transfer Software
I am assuming you know how to do a copy n paste/ robocoby/xcopy/drag n drop or whatever method turns you on via finder/explorer/cmd window ect
Caveat #01: If not sure how to do above, then stop now as you are not IT literate ready for this
Find your music files and back them up
Now keep the computer running, preferably with nothing else running from this point for ease of use bar an active internet connection, and power saving switched off
If you know where the files are great, backup the files, but some don’t so for them as below
Caveat #02: if you don’t know how to find them your most likely on default settings, or sitting with a legacy from a past upgraded machine - below should help but you might want to stop now if you have never been curious about the location before
Within iTunes , go to [Edit/Preferences/Advanced] and note down the location shown for Itunes Media Location
In the same location of preferences, hit [Keep iTunes Media Folder organised] and let the application do its stuff.  You will end up with the location in 1ciii a ready to copy location which for simplicity of topic, copy the whole folder and its subfolders.  You may end up with some extra copies of music files (an iTunes safety mechanism, but it won’t show in the folder location, and we can ignore later on)
Enable Match (after paying for the service)
Run Match
Accept that the Apple iTunes process is not perfect, may crash/stop/pause and reboots will be needed, and we can move on so to speak. Key here is you cannot do an unattended script or assume no end user interaction needed L
Turn on iTunes Match, notice the new ITunes Match on the left hand sidebar, click it, then hit the Start button – if it works and you eventually get to STEP 3 perfect.
If it fails before getting to STEP 3, reboot and restart
If this still fails to get to STEP 3, then create a new iTunes database (browse forums on how to do), read your media files from the location in 1civ
Stop MATCH  (the upload process only, not the service)
Once STEP 3 starts, CLICK STOP - ASAP, as all this does it upload data, and you don’t want to do this, just get your upgraded files (remember the title of this entry your reading!)
This also avoids future issues with Album art lost
Delete Matched low bitrate files
Create a NEW SMART playlist, with two criteria
Show all files with bitrate is less then 256
Show all files where iCloud status is MATCHED
In the new playlist, click it and it shows the files we want to blow away. 
Click Edit / Select All then
Click ctrl in windows/apple  (cmd) logo in mac, and press delete button, ensuring you do NOT tick the delete from iCloud Option.  Now want a few mins for it do do its stuff.
Download Upgraded BitRate Files
In the same location as 5, reselect all, and right click, and select the option to download all, and off it goes
On the lefthand sidebar in iTunes, click Downloads, and you will then see in the middle bottom screen an option for simultaneous downloads (select it)
Your done Just let the app now do its stuff. I would ignore the message saying you can get on with other things, and use anther machine, preferably not using the same internet connection.
Optional Steps:
Click randomly from the Itunes/Matched/256KBPS listed files, and play them.  Not all the files, one every 30 or so, and just the start, then last few seconds to check not dead or corrupt files.
Update your Step 1 backup with the new files, which is going to take up more space, guess at 40%.
Kill your iTunes Match account (both the recurring automatic subscription, and  the account if not continuing to use the store part of iTunes)

Answer 1

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