I wish to move my itunes media to an external drive.

i wish to move my itunes media to an external drive.
currently i am managing my own folder structure, but have decided to bite the bullet and let itunes organize my media.
i moved the media library location in advanced options to the external drive i would like iTunes to us, checked 'keep iTunes media folder organised' and copy files to iTunes media folder when adding to library'.
approx a third of my music transferred. the remaining music is now greyed out. when i click on information on the greyed out tracks, the location is given as iCloud. how do i download these songs?

benefit: To move the library in the future you drag the whole iTunes folder to the new drive, hold down the option key while starting iTunes, point to new location, iTunes starts as if nothing happened. You can also use the library with a different computer. It's easy to back up when it's all together.
You cannot simply move a media-only folder to a new drive by dragging unless you maintain the folder structure exactly, and the new drive has the same name as the old one. Yes, there's fixes but it's not as fast.
The main disadvantage to having the whole library on an external is if for some reason you keep some media on the external and some on the internal. You can use iTunes with a bunch of broken links for media on an unattached external if you only want to play the files on the internal. Then, of course, you need the library file (library.itl) on the internal drive.
What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html
Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

Similar Messages

How do I move my itunes media to an external drive?

My hard drive is getting full. I would like to move my tunes media to an external drive but now I have music all over. Has anyone done this succesfully?

Copy the entire iTunes folder to the root of external drive, e.g. as X:\iTunes where X: is the drive letter. Click the icon for iTunes and immediately press and hold down the shift key. Keep holding until asked to choose or create a library. Click choose and browse to the file X:\iTunes\iTunes Libary.itl. Use File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files and click OK. iTunes will create local copies of any stray files in the media folder. You can then delete the originals stored elsewhere.
Backup the library with this User Tip. (And yes, that means you really need another drive.)
tt2

How do I move an iTunes library from one external drive to another?

I need to move my iTunes library from one external disk to another, because the original disk is about to fail. So, I went into iTunes Perferences --> Advanced, and set the library to a new, empty folder on the new drive.
Nothing changed. I expected all my music to vanish from iTunes, so that I would have to re-import it. However, all the music remained, still on the old disk. At this point, if I were to recreate the library on the new disk, I would have all of my music twice.
Is it possible to move an iTunes library from one external drive to another, or am I stuck with my original choice until I buy a new machine? If I can move it, can one of you clever folks explain how it could be done?

Paul Seymour1 wrote:
However, those are all dealing with old versions of iTunes that still contained the Advanced --> Consolidate Library command which is no longer part of the app. (I'm on iTunes 10.6.1.)
Consolidate is still part of iTunes.
It is in iTunes menu File > Library > Manage library > Consolidate.
The article you linked to is old and it is (and was) a hacky way of doing it.
Just copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to new location, hold Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) when launching iTunes.

How do I move my iTunes Library to an external drive and retain everything?

I'm sure this is a common [stupid] question, but I couldn't find a clear answer and I want to be sure I'm doing it correctly.
To clarify; I want to move/relocate my iTunes Library folder to an external drive (FW800 two-disk RAID1) to free up my system drive and have a backup. Do I redirect iTunes to the new location and use File>Library>Consolidate Library, or, can I just move or copy the 'iTunes' folder to the external drive and then change the iTunes 'music folder location' to the new location? Will this now save all subsequent imported/purchased music, movies,,..etc to the external drive and retain all my library details?
Message was edited by: Sakahara

Hello, Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Below you will find more information about your options of relocating iTunes Library and backing it up.
iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Music folder
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
How to use your iPod to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1329
Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
How to back up your media in iTunes
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1382

I have my iTunes media on an external drive but I would like to know if I keep the library file back to my internal hard drive so it gets backed up by Time Machine.

I have all my media on an external drive for space. Is there a way I move the library file back to my internal had drive so that Timemachine will keepa backup of the file. Recently my library file became damaged and I lost all my playlists and playcounts and all that good stuff. Thanks for your help.

I never lost any media mind you just the library file that tell iTunes where everything lives.
On this point, you can keep a copy of of the "Itunes Music Library.xml" file, which contains the itunes metadata for your music library (songs & playlists).
Obviously, you would still need the files themselves for this to be of any worth, but if you ever find yourself in the same situation you can use the .xml file to recreate iTunes as it was. Keep in mind that you must import the .xml file into iTunes for this to work, you cannot simply move it via the finder.

HT1751 How to transfer iTunes media files from external drive to another external drive and bring in the library from the main drive.

I have my iTunes media on an external hard drive while the library is on the main computer drive. I want to move both to a larger external drive. How do I get both together? When I consolidate, it only transfers the media files. Help.

Since I already consolidated, can I just move the library to the root level of the external drive then option click to point to that library? But using that method, all the media files are at the root level along with the iTunes folder. So nothing will be in the iTunes media folder itself. WIll that work?

Problems accessing iTunes media folder on external drive via Mac

I have recently got a Mac Book Pro and assumed it would be easy to access my iTunes library - which I store on a Buffalo external drive and normally access via my Asus vivobook laptop running windows 8 - by simplying plugging the external drive into the Mac Book Pro, opening iTunes while pressing on the Option key (as I understand it is called) and then selecting the iTunes library .itl file when invited to choose a library. However, when I do this, I get a message saying that "the .tl file is locked, on a locked disc or I do not have write permission for this file".
If I click on the .itl file in the external drive via my Mac, it takes me straight into iTunes but, of course, without any of the content of my iTunes media folder.
I can access the media on the external drive when it is plugged into my Mac and am not aware of ever having introduced any restrictions on the library .itl file (I normally switch the external hard drive between my Dell desktop and my Asus laptop).
I have restarted my Mac Book Pro and quite iTunes etc. I also have the media folder correctly identified on the external hard drive in my iTunes preferences, Advanced Settings.
I would be most grateful for any ideas as to what could be the problem here.
Thank you (in anticipation).
Best,
Michael

Get info on the drive. Check the format. If it says NTFS it is a format that Macs cannot write to, only read, unless you install special software. It is a common issue with using Windows drives on Macs. "Locked" may mean iTunes cannot open it for full use since it needs to write to the library file as well as read it.
Your solution may be to reformat the drive to something a Mac can use fully too, such as FAT (beware file size limits with large video files). or trying to work with a NTFS driver for Mac.
NTFS drivers for Macs (there may be others):
Paragon NTFS - http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/ - recommendation: https://discussions.apple.com/message/18708633
Tuxera NTFS 2012.3.2 - http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/33122/tuxera-ntfs
NTFS for Mac OS X 9.5.3 - http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/26288/ntfs-for-mac-os-x
http://macntfs-3g.blogspot.com/ and http://i.vishalagarwal.com/post/30387627819/ntfs-write-on-lion-or-mountain-lion

Move my itunes account to an external drive

I need help to figure out how to move my itunes to my new external hard drive.

find the external in my computer. then do a backup, click on what you are going to be copying (ex. C:\Documents\My Music) and let the backup finish
if you did it correctly, there should be a my music folder in your C drive and your F drive (which is the external)

HT1364 I need to reload my operating system on my computer. I created a folder, itunes media, on a external drive. When I download itunes again how do move my library information back?

I have to reload my operating system. I created and copied my library info to a folder, itunesmedia, on a external drive. when I download itunes again, how do move the files back?

You need to follow the moving media per: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1364

How do I move my itunes library to an external drive?

I moved my itunes media folder from laptop C:drive to external E:drive. I redirected itunes to the new media folder in Preferences,but in the moving and deleting, messed up the placement of the itunes library folders. Now itunes is empty (just like when you first install it). If I "add folder to itunes", it rebuilds a media folder on the C: drive.
Is there a way to move the whole itunes package to the E:drive, and just have it launch from/save to there?

might this help: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive ?

Help! Just copied iTunes media to second external drive and now have broken links in the original drive??

Hi everyone
I wonder if anyone can offer me some advice to rectify the problems I'm experiencing in my itunes?
I have been saving my media to an external hard drive since rebuilding my itunes collection, while keeping the library on the hard drive of my MBP. This was working well with no problems but as my media reached 300GB on my external I thought I would copy it to another external hard drive as back up, and after that I decided to also make a copy of my library data to the same second external drive so I would have a full back up of itunes in case of failure of my main hard drive...
So after copying my media from my first external drive to the second, and then copying the library data from my MBP hard drive it seems the copy of my media and the copied library are working fine on my second external hard drive, but now when I open the first external drive where I originally was saving my media files I am suffering quite a lot of broken links???...I followed the copy process as I have done in the past although I did not tick the check box for renaming and moving my media as it was about to be copied,and I thought that was correct as I used the consolidate function to copy it..
Been trying to figure out how to rectify the problem tonight and am getting nowhere fast. Can anyone offer suggestions as to how I can sort the issue on my original external hard drive as it's the one I prefer to store my media on and it was functioning perfectly before?? from having a tidy and clearly functioning itunes I now have a mass of problems....
I hope this is clear to someone.....as I was hoping to have it fixed in readiness for a new MBP...am I missing something obvious?

OK, this should sort you out...
Move the following files and folders from /Volumes/Backup/iTunes up to /Volumes/Backup/
Album Artwork (folder)
iTunes Library.itl
iTunes Library Extras.itdb
iTunes Library Genius.itdb
iTunes Library.xml
sentinel (hidden)
Launch iTunes. It should warn that the library is missing. Browse to the file /Volumes/Backup/iTunes Library.itl and open it.
Go to iTunes > Preferences > Advanced and change the media folder location to /Volumes/Backup/Music. Let iTunes consolidate files if it asks, if not use File > Library > Organize Library... Tick Consolidate files and click OK.
Close iTunes. Rename /Volumes/Backup/Music as /Volumes/Backup/iTunes Media. Start iTunes.
Go to iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, check that the media folder location now reads /Volumes/Backup/iTunes Media. If necessary, change and then close and reopen iTunes.
Go to File > Library Organize Library... and, if not greyed out, tick Rearrange files in the folder iTunes Media, then click OK.
Delete /Volumes/Backup/iTunes/iTunes Media which now contains redundant copies.
Move the following files and folders from /Volumes/Backup/ into /Volumes/Backup/iTunes
Album Artwork (folder)
iTunes Media (folder)
iTunes Library.itl
iTunes Library Extras.itdb
iTunes Library Genius.itdb
iTunes Library.xml
sentinel (hidden)
Launch iTunes. It should warn that the library is missing. Browse to the file /Volumes/Backup/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl and open it.
Go to iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, check that the media folder location now reads /Volumes/Backup/iTunes/iTunes Media. If necessary, change and then close and reopen iTunes.
Each time you change something and start iTunes just check that a track will play. If not, close iTunes and undo your last action.
That should be it. You can clone this iTunes folder to any other drive and the clone is a functioning copy of your library.
tt2

HT1364 If I already moved Itunes media folder to external drive and now music is not matching up in iTunes?

Dear Itunes Community~
This is my first time using glad you are here, but all the passwords!!
Question/Quandry:
If I already moved Itunes media folder to my external drive and now my music is not matching up in iTunes, what should I do? I have tried my solution !?, and now I have 17,000 songs, instead of 9,000!
Should I just uninstall Itunes, and then reinstall Itunes, and let it do it's thing, and then figure out how to move to the external hard drive later?
Help, I screwed it up all on my own!
Any/all help and Itunes educated suggestions appreciated!
Thank you very much,
Doris =:o
PS ~~ Is there anyway to easily delete duplicates?? Seems not?

I have a very similar problem. Hope I don't confuse people trying to help us since the solutions may be different.
I had my iTunes path directed to a 2nd internal hard drive. Everything was working fine - except I found that purchased Apps were still being downloaded to the Mobile Applications folder on my main hard drive instead of the 2nd internal drive. I decided to retry directing the iTunes path to my 2nd internal drive, hoping that might get iTunes to save my Apps there. Big Mistake. Suddenly, there were no Apps showing in my iTunes Library Apps window at all. I verified the downloaded apps are still in my main hard drive's Mobile Applications folder, but I cannot get iTunes to display them in my Apps Library window anymore.
I decided to try downloading a new app and, sure enough, iTunes once again downloaded it into the very same Mobile Applications folder on my main hard drive, where all my (now orphaned) original apps are, but the only one iTunes will only display in my Apps window is the new one. I read you can redownload purchased apps, but my apps are not missing. iTunes just won't display them in the Apps window anymore.

Moving iTunes media files to external drive broke connection

I recently moved my iTunes media files to an external drive. All other iTunes related files were left in my home folder. Everything worked great for about a month. Then, mysteriously, I went to access a movie and it said that it could not be found. I performed the search to my external and the movie played just fine. Somehow, my connection to iTunes has been broken. Incidentally, all media files in my external drive show up in the respective folders in iTunes. They just have exclamation points associated with most of them. Strangely, some of the files play just fine without having to search. Very confused. Can anyone provide a solution to re-establishing my link to iTunes? Thank you very much.
Bill

You had the drive plugged in and mounted before starting iTunes?
Sometimes a link will get broken, but then re-established, such as doing the aforementioned forgetting to start the drive first. When you double click the track it will try again and suddenly find it works again. It can be a nuisance having to test each track this way. You may find that Dougscript "List MIA" will help do this.
http://dougscripts.com/itunes/
I have not seen any successful automated way to re-form truly broken links. You have to either do it by hand or just add the media again. If you add the media again some things will be re-set such as date added (obviously), playcount, etc. I don't use any of those so it doesn't matter to me if I have to do this (and there are tricks to storing them in places where they will be kept).
Why they got broken? One reason mentioned before. Have you re-named anything or moved it? Have you ever had multiple drives with the same name plugged in?

How to save itunes media to an external drive

I want to use an external drive for my primary storage of itunes media (Western Digital My Passport). How do i set up itunes to move my files to the external drive?

Launch iTunes with the Shift key held down and create a new library on that drive.
(84013)

How can I move entire ITunes library to an external drive

How can I move the entire file to a new external drive & still add new downloads & use from the external G: drive?
Or can't this be done - I have the 80G Ipod & the files take up so much space that I want to move it to the new G: drive.
I thought I had it figured out but nothing would play from the G drive, so I had to restore everything back to the C: drive.
Thanks for any advice

This is actually the 5G iPod forum, not the iTunes folder.
However, To move your iTunes music...
1 Quit iTunes.
2 Move the entire iTunes folder including music to the external drive.
3 Restart iTunes holding the Shift key in Windows, Option key in Mac.
4 iTunes will ask to Create new library or Choose existing library. Select Choose existing library and select the library in the folder you just moved.
5 Move the old iTunes folder to the trash but do not empty it.
6 Restart iTunes normally and verify the songs work. If they do, empty the trash.

I wish to move my itunes media to an external drive.

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for