IMacIntel migration problem: iTunes library broken

I recently upgraded my 500mHz TiBook to a shiny white 17" iMac. Overall it has gone smoothly, except for iTunes. My TiBook had a hard drive condition that precluded a direct transfer, so I had to clear a partition on an FW drive and use SilverKeeper to put the data from my TiBook on a clean drive. In the process I moved my iTunes library, which was on that drive, to a subdirectory on another FW drive. Now my library is broken. It does show all of the songs, but there is an exclamation point before the name and upon clicking on one I'm prompted to find it.
Again, ALL THE SONGS IN MY LIBRARY ARE DISPLAYED IN iTUNES, so it's unfortunately not just a matter of reimporting the XML file. (I've tried that.) Also, the library is now broken on the TiBook, too. (If this post needs to be moved to the iTunes section, sorry about that.)
Is there a solution to get iTunes to find all my songs? I'd hate to lose my playlists and sync preferences for my iPods. As I have just under 17,000 songs in my library I'm not going to manually point it to each one, either....

Just for the record, should anyone else have this problem here's how I fixed it.
1) I exported all of my playlists to XML files.
2) I deleted my iTunes library.
3) I reimported all my songs.
4) I reimported all my playlists.
All things considered, it didn't take too much time to fix - gotta love the speed of that SATA hard drive! - and the only downsides are that I lost info from the "Date Added" and "Play Count".
17" InteliMac, rev. A Mac mini G4, rev. A 17" iMac G5, 500mHz rev A TiBook Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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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.

Migrating my Itunes Library from An External Harddrive to a NAS

I have a 20" IMAC and currently store my 350 GB Itunes library with roughly 6400 tracks on a 1 TB external Harddrive. I just purchased a 5 TB Network Attached Server that is attached to my wireless network. What is the best and fastest way to migrate my Itunes library from my external harddrive to my NAS? I am concerned that if I do it over my wireless connection it will take forever. I am also concerned that Itunes will get confused in trying to locate the files on the NAS. I have successfully used the consolidate library function in the past but am worried that it will not work with a NAS over a wireless connection. Should I try using a direct ethernet connection with the NAS hooked directly into my IMAC and then re-connect the NAS to my router? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Please don't repost the same thread
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=7786712#7786712

I will soon be purchasing a new PC running Windows 7. I need to know how to migrate my iTunes Library and apple devices to the PC. Is there a previously published support document on this topic? Thank You.

I will soon be purchasing a new PC running Windows 7. I need to know how to migrate my iTunes Library and apple devices to the PC. Is there a previously published support document on this topic? Thank You.

Connect a blank powered external drive to the PC.
Right click on the Disk in the File manager and choose format: exFAT
(if it's a XP machine, first install exFAT from Microsoft and reboot)
navigate to your user account folders on the PC and drag and drop copy (or copy and paste) to the external drive.
(if a program has your files, then export them out first)
Hook up the drive to the Mac, and transfer files to the desktop or to their same appropritate folders.
Import photo's into iPhoto program, import music into iTunes etc and they will manage those files.
You can continue to use the external exFAT drive between Mac's and PC's
Do not format the drive NTFS or FAT, NTFS can't be written too by the Mac and FAT can't hold over 4GB sized files.
If you format exFAT on the Mac, it likely won't work correctly on the PC.
"Migration" type programs are a utter waste of time and effort between PC's and Mac's for the fact that only certain files (and no programs or anything else) will work between them, also it's a hassle and takes too long. So don't even bother with it.

How can I migrate my iTunes library, playlists, etc from XP to Windows 7?

I apologize if this has been asked and answered before. I cannot find a relevant article with google or the
search here on Apple support.
My iTunes library is on an external drive. iTunes keeps a few folders in XP
on the C: drive under
Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Apple,
Documents and Settings\Mike\Application Data\Apple,
Docuemnts and Settings\Mike\Local Settings\Apple, and
Docuemnts and Settings\Mike\Local Settings\Apple Computer.
I copied these folders to my external drive and hooked it up to my new computer
that runs Windows 7 where I had already installed a new copy of iTunes.
I tried copying the folders that were on the (XP) C: drive to my best guess as to where
they would go on the (W7) C: drive. Microsoft being Microsoft, they cannot let
the names of anything remain the same.
I set the preferences on my W7 iTunes to point to the external drive as my library
location. Nothing happened. I tried restarting iTunes, but still my existing data was not
acknowledged.
I then used the import files from folder option, using the location of the ITUNES folder
on my external drive. This ran fairly quickly. But, to my dismay, all my ratings were
lost and (thinking about it, not surprisingly) none of my playlists were there either.
So, does anyone have any experience on what files should be copied from XP to W7
and where? It seems to me this should not be that difficult. After all, the data is
all there, right?
One article I read suggested using the iPod as a backup device to transfer the files.
Would this work? Would it also transfter the playlists, ratings, etc? My concern
(again based on another article I read) is that I will wind up with duplicate copies
of all the music in my music library.
(As a precaution, I have backups of my iTunes library and the (XP) C: folders on
two other external drives. Also, the XP PC still has iTunes on it, so I could easily
reconnect the external drive there and do other stuff if necessary.
When I purchased my new iPod, it took almost 24 hours to transfter my music library
to it. It also takes almost 24 hours to do the drive to drive backup. (Maybe my new
computer will be faster.) Based on this experience, I would like to avoid having the
migration of data take that long.
If the changes I made to the W7 PC need to be undone, I can easily just remove iTunes
there and start again.
I hope my question is clear and I thank you for your time.
Cordially, MZ
PS: The XP box is an IBM and the W7 box is a new Dell. Both are desktop models.

You will need the iTunes Library.itl file which generally lives in ~/Music/iTunes/. You can recover this from the backups you were making before the HDD died. Otherwise, you cannot recreate the library.

How do I migrate my itunes library from an external hard drive to my mac mini's internal hard drive?

I have my iTunes library on an external hard drive because my macbook pro's internal hard drive didn't have enough room. I would like to migrate or transfer the itunes files while continuing to keep my playlists. Is there a way to do that with the migration software?

Thank you for your help. My biggest concern is losing all of my sorted music into playlists. I have 124GB of music and resorting it will very difficult. When I moved the itunes library with the help of a supervisor at apple tech to the external HD I had to resort it.
Will it move the entire library and setting as they are now?

How do i migrate my iTunes library to an external hard drive

I have burned a lot of movies and have a lot of music and it's maxed out my computer hard drive. How do I migrate it to an external hard drive and not lose it all? And what steps do I need to take to access my iTunes? Just have it connected all the time? Or should I just wipe a computer and use it only for iTunes?

1. Drag the entire iTunes library.
2. Yes.
3. Check that the library works and is backed up, and then delete it from the internal drive.
(109152)

How do i solve the problem "itunes library.itl" when downloading Itunes for windows7?

i tried to install itunes on my Pc but i always get an error message" itunes library.itl cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of itunes" how do i troubleshoot this problem?

See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash.
tt2

HT2518 can I migrate my iTunes library from pc to iMac

I have just changed to the iMac from years of windows, Can I migrate my iTunes from my pc to Mac ? . I'm learning a little more each day, but it's a slow
process.

Yes.
MacWorld - Move an iTunes library from a Windows PC to a Mac

Migrate OSX iTunes library to Windows 7

I just got a new Windows 7 laptop - all my old music is in iTunes from my Mac. One complicating factor: I was on OS X 10.3 so iTunes version was something like 6 or 7. Now I'm using iTunes 10 on Windows 7.
I copied my Mac iTunes files into C:\Users\<userid>\Music\iTunes. I tried the trick of Shift-Clicking iTunes to open, which does prompt it to ask for the new library.When I select the .itl file I copied from my Mac, nothing happens. Windows iTunes starts and shows no music.
Any thoughts? I would REALLY like to maintain my settings like ratings and playlists from my Mac. Thanks!

Thanks... that's kind of what I was afraid of. I've done a little XML editing in the past, so I'll poke around the file and see if there's anything obvious I can do. Otherwise, sounds like it's another trip to the Genius Bar.

Migrating iTunes library from Mac to Windows

Please bear with me if this is an obvious question. My brain is scrambled trying to wrap it around the problem...
Is there a way to migrate an iTunes library from a Mac to iTunes on a Windows PC, still using the same iPod, with a mix of iTunes Store files and CD burns?

Assuming you have the newest version of iTunes, using home sharing is a really easy way. Just set it up on both your Mac and PC itunes.

Migrating iTunes library from a Windows PC to a Mac

Hi.
If I previously have iTunes on a Windows PC and want to migrate the enitre library to a Mac, how do I do it? I've got all the files transfered over the traditional way - via an external hard drive - but I can't bring the playlists over. I'd hate to have to start creating playlists again.
Cheers...

Migrate Your iTunes Library from Windows to Mac (and keep your ratings, play counts and date added)
http://www.tunequest.org/migrating-your-itunes-library-from-windows-to-mac/20061 105/
A Guide to Switching iTunes from Mac to Windows (or Vice Versa)
http://ipod.about.com/b/2007/03/11/a-guide-to-switching-itunes-from-mac-to-windo ws-or-vice-versa.htm
Cheers,
Patrick

Migrating iTunes Library

I'm looking for the cleanest way to migrate my iTunes library from one Mac to another.
On my old MacBook, I have all my music & podcast files on an external hard drive. My media files location folder then points to that external HD. I also have "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" checked. It looks like my iTunes Library is on the HD of the computer under Music > iTunes.
I'd like for my new MacBook Pro's iTunes to pretty much have the same setup. Keep all files on the external HD, and have iTunes keep things organized for me.
Is it as simple as exporting the Library on my old computer, then importing the playlist on my new computer? I've used the Consolidate feature before, but it doesn't seem like I'll need it this time around since I'm not moving actual media files around, just setting my new computer to point to where they're currently stored.
Thanks!
B

Copy the iTunes folder (not the iTunes Music folder but the entire iTunes folder) from the old computer to an external hard drive. Then transfer that folder from the hard drive to your Mac's Music folder. Open iTunes when the option key down and choose the location of your iTunes folder. Navigate to the Music folder and everything should be all there meaning playlists, play counts, ratings, etc...

PC to Mac ITunes Library Migration

I got a Mac recently and am converting from a PC on which I have synced all Apps on my IPhones and IPad. How can I migrate my ITunes library from the PC to the Mac so that my Apps are retained on the devices?

iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music [library] to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
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), then guide it to the new location of the library.itl file in the moved iTunes folder.
Windows users see tip at: https://discussions.apple.com/message/18879381

How to migrate iTunes Library from MacBook to MacMini?

I have a MacMini next to the TV and would like to "migrate" the iTunes library from my MacBook to the MacMini and play it there through my music system. What files need to be moved? or are there better ways? Thanks in advance. Cheers, Veit

I also have somewhat the same question. I will be going from a MS Windows platform to an IMAC. I hope I don't have to reload all of my CDs.
Rich Dunklee
NR2D

IMacIntel migration problem: iTunes library broken

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