ITunes Locking Up When Using External Hard Drive

Has anybody else had any trouble with ITunes locking up for about 30 seconds at a time. The music keeps playing but the cursor locks up and you can't click, use hot keys, etc. I'm using a 150GB external hard drive to store my music and while it's locked up the hard drive is crunching something, almost like ITunes is looking for something. All of my files are organized, no viruses or spy-ware that I can find. Doesn't happen with any other audio program, just ITunes. I've watched the CPU usage on Task Manager when it happens and the only thing that is running is ITunes. Please help!

I came across your post because, I have been having issues for a while with the same description, except that I am using separate partitions on my main drive.
What I noticed is that if I set my podcast downloads to go to my NTFS main partition, there is no lag... but the moment I set it to my FAT32 partition, the lag starts back up.
I believe that the issue is with the slooow write time to FAT32 in large drives. (And in my instance, the move command apple does to put the podcast, which writes to the FAT32 partition and removes the NTFS temp download) Do you see the same lag or alot shorter if the drive is formatted to NTFS?
I don't really have any space currently to format my partition to test the issue, but I the fact of the downloads speeding up when set to my NTFS main disk makes me think that this issue could be lessened by using FAT32.
a side note for me, I'm considering reformatting my drive to NTFS, after backing up due to the advancement of ntfs3g in linux, so this could solve my problem at least.

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Kernel panic when using external hard drive for library

I have been using an external hard drive to manage my iTunes library for over a year. As of today, I have had three kernel panics when trying to use iTunes. I was downloading a purchase from the music store and the first panic occurred. Subsequent panics occurred immediately on startup of iTunes. Using the guest account (with default internal drive library settings), everything works fine. Both drives have been verified by Disk Utility and all software is up-to-date. No clue how to proceed.

Yes, but you need to have the external drive on and mounted when starting iTunes. You can add the external HD to your log in items list in System Preferences -> Accounts to handle this.
This explains how to move your files: iTunes for Mac-Moving your iTunes music folder: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

ITunes locking up after changing external hard drives?

I recently got a new external hard drive, and moved my music from the old one onto the bigger new one. (They're both the same brand, so I know it's not a compatibility problem.) I seem to have everything loaded into iTunes fine, but when it goes through and tries to get the album artwork, or determine the gapless playback it freezes, and I can't even force quit it. The only way for me to close iTunes is to log out and log back on.
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I came across your post because, I have been having issues for a while with the same description, except that I am using separate partitions on my main drive.
What I noticed is that if I set my podcast downloads to go to my NTFS main partition, there is no lag... but the moment I set it to my FAT32 partition, the lag starts back up.
I believe that the issue is with the slooow write time to FAT32 in large drives. (And in my instance, the move command apple does to put the podcast, which writes to the FAT32 partition and removes the NTFS temp download) Do you see the same lag or alot shorter if the drive is formatted to NTFS?
I don't really have any space currently to format my partition to test the issue, but I the fact of the downloads speeding up when set to my NTFS main disk makes me think that this issue could be lessened by using FAT32.
a side note for me, I'm considering reformatting my drive to NTFS, after backing up due to the advancement of ntfs3g in linux, so this could solve my problem at least.

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The ethernet service has nothing to do with the cable plugged or not, and the ethernet cable is working fine with the other system, so definitely the issue with your other OS. Forget about the working OS for now and boot into the OS that has the problem and select the ethernet service from the service list in System Preferences > Network then click on minus button then apply the changes then click the plus to add it again.
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I have the mid 2009 MacBook, and recently started having issues when plugging my 500GB Seagate external hard drive into the usb ports. I plug it in, it shows up in finder with the name, but when I click on it to view the contents, the grey screen comes rolling down and asks me to hold down the power button to reboot.
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What are seeing is a kernel panic*:
http://www.macmaps.com/kernelpanic.html
Since it only happens when plugging in your external hard drive, it sounds like either there is a hardware issue with the ports, the drive has specific software that has not been tested with Snow Leopard for connecting the drive, or issue with the cables you are connecting with. Follow my tip for isolating your issue.
- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Hi
Can anyone suggest what is happening and how to get around this? In worst case is there a way to move the files outside of imovie that will still allow them to be properly displayed within imovie?
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most probably end up as un-reparable.
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Yours Bengt W

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how to use external hard drive and iTunes together?

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Either use the startup key commands or use System Preferences>Startup Disk to select the external hard disk before you shut down.

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Hi skoorb1,
When adding music to iTunes, you can set it to either make a local copy of the file, or simply point to the original location of the file (for example, on an external hard drive). If it is set to do the latter, it will not be able to play or transfer those files when the external hard drive is not plugged in. You may find the following article helpful:
iTunes: About the Add to Library, Import, and Convert functions
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1347
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My itunes Library is on an External Hard Drive, but my internal hard drive crashed, I have to re-install windows XP--What do I do to re-associate my Library on the external drive and not wipe my iphone when I synch?

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You're Welcome...
This Link explains the correct way of putting iTunes onto an External Drive...
If you have have not done it this way that could explain a lot...
Backup iTunes to an External Drive
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751

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I recently put all of my music on an external hard drive to free up space on my computer,
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I don't know enough about iTunes for Windows to help you with this. But if you post your question in the Using iTunes for Windows forum you will get help from people who know more about this.
(This is the forum for Apple's Mac OS X web browser, Safari.)

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Is it that I need a Firewire conection possibly? If so, is there any way around that? Any help would be appreciated!
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Gateway Laptop running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
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Change the drive letter for the external drive.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93499

ITunes Locking Up When Using External Hard Drive

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