How to migrate a Itunes library?

Hi all!
I got a new computer (yay!), and i migrate my itunes library on this computer but, all my music links are broken :S. I tried to modify it with the Itunes Music Library.xml but without success .
How we can migrate the library?
Thanks
Greatman

go to window's explorer. do tools -> folder options -> view. check the button that says "show hidden files and folders".
then plug in your ipod and it should show up in window's explorer as like another harddrive. double click on it and go to "ipod_control" then to "music"
copy everything in that folder (there will probably be a few subfolders in there) into a seperate folder on your desktop (make a new one and call it "my music" or something easy to remember) Make sure all of the files are in one single folder, not a bunch of sub-folders like you originally found them. Their names will be very scrambled and unrecognizable but no worries on it for now.
then, open up itunes and make sure your library is blank. if it is, go to Edit -> Preferences. In the advanced tab go to the "general" sub-tab and select the folder where you just put all of your files (the "my music" or whatever you happened to title it)
then make sure the box that says "keep itunes music folder organized" and click ok and exit out.
Then, in itunes, click "file" then "add folder to library". Select the folder where you put all of the music files earlier. iTunes will then unscramble the names of all of the files for you and add them to your library. Then you'll have all of the music from your ipod in your library and they will also be on your computer so you won't get "file not found" messages
make sure you uncheck "show hidden files and folders" after you're all done.

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