ITunes Library on External HD used with new OS install?

Hi All.
Macbook OS Update: I'm planning on performing an OS erase and install of my newly purchased copy of Snow Leopard. But I've got quite an extensive iTunes library that's stored on an external hard drive. I've pointed iTunes to the drive and it now works as it should (if a little slow).
Question is, how to perform the OS install and retain all of the iTunes library intact?
Do I just point iTunes on my freshly OS installed Macbook to the music library on my external HD? Is it the same procedure as when migrating the library to an external HD - holding down the ALT key when iTunes is loading and then choosing a destination for iTunes to source content?
I want to avoid having rip all of my CD's again!
Any pointers welcome.

Yetizone wrote:
Question is, how to perform the OS install and retain all of the iTunes library intact?
copy the entire iTunes folder (not just the iTunes music or media folder) to an external HD or thumb drive
perform your erase & install
copy the iTunes folder from the external to <Macintosh HD>/users/<yourname>/music on the new install (replacing the one already there)
connect the external with your media files
fire up iTunes

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I cannot find a way to back up my itunes library on DVD as before with new 10.5

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Perhaps posting in the appropriate forum would help.
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Migrating iTunes library from external hard drive to new laptop

Hi there, I am wondering if anyone can help me please? I am a complete newbie to this forum thing, I am just getting into this cosmic sharing world but find myself utterly frustrated with iTunes and my new laptop - with little help on the Support pages, so i am venturing into the unkown and seeking help from anyone out there.........slightly scary for me, this really is my first post on a forum - so be gentle with me :0)
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tonybassplayer wrote:
Thank Chris I have just done that. How do I now get them in to Itunes ?
If you simply copy the iTUnes folder to /Music/ and launch iTUnes, everythign will be there. No need to import anything.
This will work the same with iPhoto.
Simply copy the Photo library to /Pictures/ folder and launch iPhoto.

Former itunes installation from external hdd syncing with new installation.

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so, i'm going to mount the 2,5" hdd in an external hdd case with usb.
in addition, i get a new iphone due to fluid damage.
so my itunes with the iphone backup is on the external hdd, to run the external hdd as a boot hdd is not possible.
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thanks in advance

The iTunes library is not stored with the application - it is stored separately and accessed by the iTunes application so I'm not sure how installing an iTunes update or removing and re-installing iTunes would delete your entire iTunes library where all this data is stored. And you don't maintain a backup of your important data including music and video purchased from the iTunes Music Store? This is important regardless the platform but more so when using Windows with all the virus, adware and spyware concerns.
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Connect the external HDD to the iMac, launch iTunes while holding down the Option key. Choose the option to select library and navigate to the top level folder of the iTunes media on the external. Select it and click OK.

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Question.....
"I own an iPhone4, an iPod 3rd generation and an iPad 2. I use the same iTunes library but unfortunately synced iPad with a different computer before syncing to my own. Do I risk losing the films/apps I've downloaded onto my iPad if I sync with my iPod?"
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Im trying to update itunes version on my macbook pro to use with new mini ipad - Ive downloaded verion 11 but how do I update?? Thank-you

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What is the Operating System on your MBP...
Click on the Apple icon.. Top left in Finder...
 > About this Mac > Version...what does it say?
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See this older post from another forum member Zevoneer covering the different methods and software available to assist you with the task of copying content from your iPod back to your PC and into iTunes.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2452022?start=0&tstart=0
B-rock

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It should do so automatically, if not check it's staus this way.
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Match remembers you!

ITunes Library on External Drive - NO .xml file

i recently had some serious hard drive corruption on my old computer, and figuring it was time for an upgrade anyway I decided to buy a new MacBook.
i had been storing all of my iTunes music on an external hard drive. i'm trying to figure out how to get my new MacBook to be able to access the music. I've changed the location of my library to the external drive in iTunes preferences, but no luck.
I know that iTunes has an .xml file where it stores things like song titles, data, etc etc -- unfortunately, that .xml file is on my old, ruined hard drive -- all i have is my external drive with my MP3s.
what do i do at this point? how can i access all of these songs using iTunes on my new MacBook without that .xml file?

There are 2 files that give iTunes and other apps the info the need to perform. The files are iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library.xml.
The default location of the 2 files is HD>Users>User Account>Music>iTunes - do not move regardless where your actual tunes are located. If the files are not present in the default location then iTunes will create new files with no info in them until you add the tunes back to the library.
This is from the iTunes Help Menu with a search for "files":
What are the iTunes library files?
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Mac OS X
/Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library
/Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music Library.xml
Microsoft Windows
\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl
\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music Library.xml
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iTunes Library (iTunes Library.itl in Windows)
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MJ

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1. For some reason, it is not allowing me to write to the HD ("...could not be moved because Untitled cannot be modified"). How do I overcome this?
2. What is the process to add the library to my PC once I have transferred to the external HD (not much PC experience here!)?

What is the process to add the library to my PC once I have transferred to the external HD (not much PC experience here!)?
If you're running iTunes 7, you can just drag the entire iTunes folder to your external hard drive. Then hold down the Option key while launching iTunes on the Mac. You'll be given a dialog box where you can select the iTunes library you want to use. Navigate to and select the iTunes folder on the hard drive. When you move the drive to your PC, do the same thing (though you hold down the Shift key on the PC).
As to your problem with writing to the drive, can you copy any file by dragging it via the Finder? If that also fails, then you'll probably want to take that issue up in the Mac OS X forum as Chris suggested.
Regards.

ITunes Library on External HD used with new OS install?

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