ITunes Media folder external drive location not found at restart

How can I force iTunes to remember where my iTunes Media folder is located? I have followed the Apple iTunes Media library move instructions to the letter and the new folder location is correctly shown in the iTunes/Preferences/Advanced tab. If I close and reopen iTunes it finds the folder OK however when the laptop is shutdown it appears to forget. After a laptop restart and iTunes relaunch I get a media location failure warning and I have to manually direct it to where the media folder is every time, very annoying. The media library is actually located on an Apple Time Capsule which Time Machine happliy finds/connects to every time it backs up but for some reason iTunes does not. Any advice/tips much appreciated.

Hi Chris
I have now experimented a little more and discovered that although Time Capsule (TC) is showing in Finder as a Shared Drive at laptop startup (and showing a status of a connected user, me) it is not actually 'mounted' in the true sense of the word i.e. the unmount/eject symbol is not showing next to it nor either of the drives connected to the TC. By clicking on either of the 2 drives (i.e. the TC 'Data' disk or the TC USB-connected drive) the status changes to show the dismount symbol on both the selected drive and the TC in the Finder side bar. Launching iTunes after this intervention works every time as per your advice. Not the Apple 'it just works' that I have come to expect and appreciate but at least I now understand how to make it work reliably..........many thanks and I hope Apple just makes it work sometine in the future

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Win-7 64bit: moving iTunes media folder from default location to D drive

Dear all,
I cannot move iTunes media folder from default location on C drive to D drive on win-7 64 bit.
What I did was:
- Under iTunes> Edit > Preferences > Advanced I choosed new location for iTunes media folder on D drive
- Under iTunes > Library > Organize library > I choose consolidate fiels and then ok ( this should create a new library on new location )
Next I delete iTunes media folder on C drive and hope that on re-start iTunes goes to new location on D drive and picks new file arrangement.
But it does not happen - no matter what I do iTunes goes to its default location on C drive ....
I called apple senior advisor - and she told me that it's kind of "my fault" I have windows7 installed on PC and because iTunes is Mac oriented they will not give me support... And referred me to Microsoft ... What a lousy support!. I paid for it $25!! What for?

By the way, I followed instructions as per link http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1364 - it did not work either. Can anyone share their success stories ? My C drive is not big and my music library ~ 100gB - I really need to keep iTunes media files in another location ... not a default place under User Login

I have files in my iTunes media folder that somehow are not in my library. How do I get iTunes to scan my media folder and add missing files to my library without making a copy of each file in the same location?

I have files in my iTunes media folder that somehow are not in my library. How do I get iTunes to scan my media folder and add missing files to my library without making a copy of each file in the same location? If I use add file / folder to library, it scans the folder and then makes a copy of any file that is not in my library in the exact same location; I recal in older versions of iTunes being able to just drag my media folder into my library and it would update missing links.

Only the songs that are connected to iTunes will be copied when you consolidate to a new folder.
Splitting the media folder away from the usual location makes it harder to move iTunes in the future.
Are you go move everything back once you've tidied up or are you going to leave it that way? Either way I'd recommend you create an iTunes folder at the new location, an iTunes Media folder inside that, and consolidate to this new iTunes Media folder. You should also use the option File > LIbrary > Organize Library > Rearrange files in the folder "<Media Folder"> if you have not already done so.
tt2

2 user accounts, 2 itunes libraries, 1 shared media folder - external drive

Hi--
I've researched this to death, and have not found any answers.
So my wife and I each have individual
- Apple IDs
- user accounts on a shared mac
- itunes libraries (in our user/music folders)
We have one massive 500 GB media folder on a non-startup drive, that I'd like to be the source for the actual music in our respective itunes libraries. I've pointed the the "iTunes media location" (under Prefs > Advanced) at this folder repeatedly.
The media in that huge folder does not show up in my wife's itunes. It is too big to be moved to the startup drive to store in Users/Shared or Public.
I have tried alias and symlinking to no avail. I believe it may have to do with permissions and have downloaded Batchmod but am unclear what I should set the permissions on
Also I assume this has nothing to do with File Sharing?
Somebody out there must have gotten this to work...
Thanks for all advice!

Chris - again many thanks. I think I am 95% sure I'm understanding.
As you've laid it out below, if either one of us rips a CD in our individual accounts, the actual MP3s (or AACs) WILL be added to the giant itunes media library on the external.
HOWEVER, those newly ripped songs will ONLY appear in the account of the person who did the ripping. So the only workaround is to periodically "re-add" the entire giant media folder to each person's library? (assuming this won't create duplicates)
Chris CA wrote:
redzep wrote:
Chris, Thanks so much for your prompt and helpful reply. Just to clarify:
1) I need to "add to library" and select the entire 500 gb media folder
Yes.
Mkae sure iTunes prefs > Advanced - iTunes media folder location is pointed to the iTunes media folder on the external.
BUT make sure that
"Copy file to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" is UNCHECKED, right?\
This should be checked so when either of you adds antyhthong, it will get copied to the iTunes media folder on the external.
If the other adds something to their library by selecting something already in iTunes media folder, it will not get copied there again.
Then she should see the same music, be able to drag/drop to her iphone, make her own playlists etc. right?
Yes.
The iTunes library,itl file (tells iTunes where everything is, what the playlists are, ratings, etc.) is in the /Music/iTunes/ folder on your internal.
2) But if either one of us adds some music, it will not dynamically update in the other one's itunes? Does this apply to both music ripped from CD as well as itunes purchases (from our respective accounts?)
Correct. it will not update the other person's library.
This applies to everything.

ITunes Media on External drive locked, internal - okay

First I am running OSX 10.8.3 & iTunes 11.02. I have split my iTunes library being that I have ripped a significant amount of my DVD & BluRay collection. I keep the Movie & TV media on a 6TB external drive while the music on the internal 1TB drive. Recently I haven't been able to fill in any of the meta data in the 'get info' of the movie & TV files. They are greyed out. The music files on the other hand are fine and I can edit them to my hearts content. Here's a screen shot of my movies Info folder:
This is basically the same permissions as the rest of the system, internal start up drive as well. Except for my home folder and everything included (e.g. Music, Pictures, etc.) which is as follows:
It leads me to believe this as more of a permissions issue rather than an iTunes issue. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
(This permissions thing is a real downer)

Copy the iTunes Library.itl file from the old computer. iTunes can handle a change in drive letters as long as the relative paths from the database to the media is the same - typically where you have an iTunes folder (preferably in the root of the external drive) that contains both the iTunes Library.itl file and the iTunes Media folder, as follows:
See turingtest2's user tip on Make a split library portable for steps that may be necessary to bring your library into this layout.
Then, hold down SHIFT as you start iTunes, and when you see this prompt:
click on Choose Library..., navigate to the iTunes folder on your external drive, and select the iTunes Library.itl file.
Note also that the iTunes Media folder location setting in Edit > Preferences > Advanced does not provide iTunes information about the location of your library (that info is all within the database file). This setting is used, in conjunction with the Keep iTunes Media folder organized setting, to determine where iTunes stores new media when you add it to your library.
Once everything's sorted out, use a second external drive to create and maintain a backup of your library.

ITunes Media on external drive and moved to new PC laptop

Environment: Dell PC laptop, Window 7 32-bit, iTunes 12.1.1.4
I have all of my iTunes Media on an external hard-disk drive. I want to keep it on that drive. I have a new laptop and have connected the external drive to it. I have installed iTunes on the new laptop and in Advanced Preferences I have changed the iTunes Media folder location to E:\iTunes and I have checked the box "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized." I have also checked the box "Copy files to iTunes media folder when adding to library."
When I open iTunes, the software does not seem to recognize the content in E:\iTunes. It does not recognize that I have already downloaded most of my purchased content (everything previously downloaded still has the little cloud icon in the bottom right corner) and it won't play anything I've already downloaded. Also, music that I have previously imported from CD's is not accessible.
I have read through some of the other support discussions and have seen situations similar to mine, but not exactly like mine. I would copy the file "iTunes Library.itl" from the old computer, but I have one concern: on the old laptop the external drive was Drive G: and on the new laptop it is Drive E:
I tried File --> Library --> Consolidate Files, but nothing happened.
I'm not sure what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Brandon

Copy the iTunes Library.itl file from the old computer. iTunes can handle a change in drive letters as long as the relative paths from the database to the media is the same - typically where you have an iTunes folder (preferably in the root of the external drive) that contains both the iTunes Library.itl file and the iTunes Media folder, as follows:
See turingtest2's user tip on Make a split library portable for steps that may be necessary to bring your library into this layout.
Then, hold down SHIFT as you start iTunes, and when you see this prompt:
click on Choose Library..., navigate to the iTunes folder on your external drive, and select the iTunes Library.itl file.
Note also that the iTunes Media folder location setting in Edit > Preferences > Advanced does not provide iTunes information about the location of your library (that info is all within the database file). This setting is used, in conjunction with the Keep iTunes Media folder organized setting, to determine where iTunes stores new media when you add it to your library.
Once everything's sorted out, use a second external drive to create and maintain a backup of your library.

How to move itunes media to external drive

I'm running iTunes for Windows 10.6.3.25 and have 3000+ songs in the library. I'd like to move the music files to an external hard drive, without losing the dates added, plays, genres or the directory structure. I've already made a copy of all the folders and music files to my external drive (I've called it M: for Music), but now I need to tell iTunes to look there for the music and not at my laptop's D-drive. Changing the iTunes media folder in the Edit-Preferences-Advanced tab doesn't seem to have any effect on the existing songs.
Anyone out there with tips or advice?
Thanks
H-tac

Type "move itunes library" into the search bar at the top of this page or your favorite search engine and follow the instructions.

Moved iTunes media to external drive but...

Hello all,
I followed the instructions for moving my iTunes media folder to an external drive (it had taken up most of my mac book's memory) and at first I was able to access the DVDs and CDs I had ripped but no longer. I can go into the external drive and they are still in their respective folders but only the music and movies I have purchased from the iTunes store show up in my library. Does anyone know how to get my iTunes to accept these into my library without re-importing the into my hardrive?
Thanks much,
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Which instructions? There's lots out there and some are flat wrong.
Close down iTunes. Turn on the external drive and start iTunes again. Does it work? If not try to play a track. When it asks you to find the file it should play, find that file on the external drive. It should ask if you want it to find the rest.
I suspect you have omitted details in describing the situation. Normally iTunes does not lose links to external files unless the drive is not on when iTunes is started. Even then trying to play a file will get it to do a second check and find the drive is really there. You probably have to do something such as renaming the drive, or have a completely corrupt library in order for it to lose track of the media.
Unless you have to keep only media on the external drive it is much better to keep the whole library together. Make a split library portable

ITunes Media on external drive; populating iTunes

I've got my Media folder on my external and just did a clean Mavericks install. I remember previously pointing iTunes to the Media folder and then drag+drop'ing the folder into iTunes. Is there a better way than this? Since I've told iTunes to look at the external HDD can't I just tell it to populate from there?

Hi bobsbarricades,
If you have questions about moving your iTunes media folder, you may find the following article helpful:
iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1449
Regards,
- Brenden

Move Itunes media from external drive

Itunes media file located on failing external drive. Need to move time machine backup copy (on a different external drive) back to mac hd. Advice on this procedure please

Open Time Machine, find the iTunes folder you want to restore, select it, right click and select Restore to... and select /Music/ on the internal drive.

Import iTunes Media Library, some files were not found problem

Hi guys,
I am trying to restore my music library info via importing from iTunes Media Library xml file I backed up. During import, iTunes gave me error message box saying that some files were not found and therefore won't get imported. After it's done, I checked the iTune and I noticed many of the music files did not get imported at all, even their locations are correct. Is it because iTunes stopped importing at the first entry that it found its location not existed and therefore skipped the rest all along? Even later ones might be valid. Is this the case?
Is there an easy way to find out what those entries are? So perhaps I could go and edit them directly in the xml file. The message box did not give much information
Any help would be really appreciated,
Thanks alot
Windows XP Pro
Windows XP Pro

Hi Chris
I have now experimented a little more and discovered that although Time Capsule (TC) is showing in Finder as a Shared Drive at laptop startup (and showing a status of a connected user, me) it is not actually 'mounted' in the true sense of the word i.e. the unmount/eject symbol is not showing next to it nor either of the drives connected to the TC. By clicking on either of the 2 drives (i.e. the TC 'Data' disk or the TC USB-connected drive) the status changes to show the dismount symbol on both the selected drive and the TC in the Finder side bar. Launching iTunes after this intervention works every time as per your advice. Not the Apple 'it just works' that I have come to expect and appreciate but at least I now understand how to make it work reliably..........many thanks and I hope Apple just makes it work sometine in the future

USB 3 external drive volume not mounting on restart

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I think this might be due to the fact that my iMac as a fusion drive and it boots so fast that the exteranl drive isn't finished starting up when OS X is looking for drives durring it's bootup.

Can i use my external itunes media folder on mac and windows

Ok, i have moved my media folder itunes to my external drive.
But i also have installed windows 7 on bootcamp
I want to use the same itunes media folder external on my osx and windows is this
possible didn't tryed it because i was afraid that i could damage the data.

Hi
Yes there is a way to use the media folder with both OSX and Windows, however you have to have the drive formatted with windows NTFS and use something like Seagates NTFS for Mac program. If you buy a Seagate GoFlex Drive it comes ready formatted with the software on board to install on your mac, then anything saved on the drive will be readable from both OS.
I use a couple of these drives for just that purpose very successfully, unfortunately I haven't come across an alternative to buying the Seagate drive.
Hope this helps.
M.

How do I reconnect to an iTunes Library onan external Drive?

I have a huge iTunes library comprised of 10,000's of songs and 1000's of videos. I keep this library on an 8TB Raid 5 network attached storage device. I reciently had a catestrophic hard drive crash on the computer running my iTunes application (the local HD on my computer, not the network drive which is reasonably imune to an HD failure). Everything is gone from that computer's drive except for the files in scope of my automatic backups. There are two locations on my external hard drive that are candidates for the location of the iTunes files:
M:\Music\iTunes and
M:\SharedFiles\Music\iTunes.
Location #1 looks to be an early version of my library prior to consolidation into the "SharedFiles" location. My delemma is that I have attempted to point my iTunes (on my replacement computer) to location #2 and I don't get any of my library files. I am running Windows 7 (the old computer was running Vista). Looking at the M:\SharedFiles\Music\iTunes\iTunes Library.xml file (using a text edditor) In the first "<dict>" record I see: "<key>Music Folder</key><string>file://localhost/M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music /</string>". So, thinking that was the "iTunes Media Folder" I pointed my iTunes application to that folder. I used Edit->Preferences->Advanced to change the location of my library. This resulted in an empty iTunes (no music,no movies,no devices).
One thing I noticed is that before changing the iTunes folder was pointing to a default location of "C:\Users\Bill\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media". However, I do not have an "iTunes Media" folder at either location #1 or #2. Under location #2 I see sub-folders for "Album Artwork", "Automatically Add to iTunes", "iTunes Music", and "Previous iTunes Libraries". Within the "iTunes Music" sub-folder I see a "Movies" folder with sub-folders for all of my movies, and a "Music" folder with sub-folders for all of my music.
After all of this, my question is: How do I connect my new iTunes application to my networked iTunes Library?

I figured it out!
After setting the iTunes Library to M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music, I then used File->Library->Import Playlist and then navigated to M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes and added it. This then went to work for an hour or so reading my entire library. After that I connected to iCloud, Match, shared with home network, and connected to iTunes Store. I am now watching my movies on my big screen using Apple TV again.

Question on iTunes libraries on external drives

Back a few years ago I put my itunes music library lived in a NAS drive. If the drive was not mounted however when you launched iTunes the library would reset resulting in a blank iTunes.
This was such a deal breaker for me in the end I ditched the nas.
Now I have my itunes library on an external USB Harddrive. If for some reason the drive is not attached when launched, all that happens is you see your library of music but when you select anything a little alert icon goes next to it with a warning the music could not be found. When you attach the harddrive all is well again.
A friend has an extreme base station with his music folder on. And has just explined to me the self same issue as I used to have.
Can someone explain why iTunes will sometimes work fine, and sometimes reset depending on how it feels? Is there a way to predict this, and more importantly ensure that iTunes simply says it cannot find the tune, and not reset the whole library. Which is a most odd behaviour anyhow.

Your iTunes folder on your Startup Drive (in your USER>MUSIC>ITUNES folder) contains a file that is the roadmap to all of your songs, ratings, playlists, etc. Your iTunes application (in the applications folder on the startup drive) is, well, the application (like an engine) that runs iTunes.
By default, your iTunes Library (where all your actual MP3 files are stored) is in that iTunes folder (in your USER>MUSIC>ITUNES folder). However, when you store it on an external drive, you usually change it's location (in Preferences) so that iTunes knows where the Library is located.
So.....what's probably going on is that you have iTunes set up right for an external drive and it will run properly when that drive is plugged in. iTunes knows where everything is because all that info is contained in the file I mentioned. When you start iTunes and your external drive is not plugged in, iTunes will default to the iTunes Library in the folder on your Startup Drive (USER>MUSIC>ITUNES folder), which is probably empty. It knows where all your songs are on that external drive, but can't access them b/c the drive is off or disconnected.

ITunes Media folder external drive location not found at restart

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