Keeping media on an external drive, why i tunes imports the files to the Mac drive? it doesn't do that on windows?

I keep music and video media on an external drive. When using itunes on mac it copies media to mac hard drive. this uses lots of space of course. on itunes for windows it keeps the files on the external drive which is great. is there a way to use itunes for mac to sort and manage the library without copying media to the mac drive?

Well, I can say that the question is partially solved.... while most of my music library popped up, much of it did not. The only common denominator I can see is that the music I transferred off of disc may not have transferred over, only the itunes purchases? I can't see for sure. I am still trying to figure out how to get the new itunes app on my new hard drive to see everything without me having to click on every file thats missing. Let this be a lesson to all to back everything up on time machine. I thought that having my data on a seperate hard drive would be ok. Seriously wish I had used time machine.

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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.

How Can I Keep Music on an External Drive?

I've dealt with this issue before and asked questions about it, but I STILL don't understand how iTunes works when it comes to its "Library" "Media Folder" etc.
Can anyone break it down for me exactly how it all works? Is there a good resource to explain it?
The basic problem I have is the same one that many people have: I keep my actual music on an external hard drive. However, if I launch iTunes when that hard drive isn't plugged in, iTunes somehow changes so that all my music vanishes no matter what I do. Plugging in my hard drive doesn't help. iTunes has created a new Library that contains a list of all my music but with no idea where that music is. I try to tell iTunes where that music is, but nothing works.
You'd think an easy fix would be to always plug in the hard drive first. However, even that doesn't help. iTunes will sometimes not see that hard drive when it is plugged in, and I have no way to predict when it sees the drive and when it doesn't. I start adding new music or podcasts, and it might all be being added to some new library iTunes created and I'm totally lost once again.
On the Preferences/Advanced tab there is the option to change your Media Folder location, but that doesn't work. My music is on the external hard drive, but there is no Media Folder there. The iTunes Media Folder is here: My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media
I've read that you can hold down the Shift key when you launch iTunes and then you get the option to "Choose Library" or "Create Library." The idea is that iTunes has created a new empty Library and that you just have to select your old Library to get things back to normal. However, there is only ever one Library file listed. There is no new one and old one to select from. There is no Library file on the external drive, either. So I have no idea what I'm looking for.
If I choose "Create Library", it then asks me for a "Folder name". I don't know what that is, either. I thought I'd just have to give my new Library a name. The more I try to deal with this issue, the more confused I get.
To further muddy the waters, under the "General" tab on the iTunes preferences page, it lists my library as "Doug's Library", the name I gave it long ago. However, the option to choose "Doug's Library" never comes up. I've never seen a file with that name or a Library with that name. So what is that all about?
I've used Windows Explorer to go into the iTunes folder to see what files are there, and then it gets more confusing. There is a file called "iTunes Library" and a second file called "iTunes Music Library." Why does the music have a second Library file?
Any suggestions or guidance? There has to be a way to cut through all this confusion. I've had so many problems with iTunes along these lines that I've literally stopped using it to listen to music. It's just not worth the hassle. I spend far more hours trying "fix" iTunes than listening to music with it.
Thanks to anyone who can point me in the right direction.
Doug

I do the same thing as you do...
My music is on an external drive as to not use up gigabytes of storage that need not be used for media.
There are a couple basic principles to iTunes that I believe you should know.
1. iTunes is not a media storage program. It does not store your media "in iTunes". It simply is an organization tool for your media already on a hard disk.
2. As iTunes is not a storage mechanism, it has no way to "know" whether or not the media that is listed is actually there. This is where the "design" of iTunes comes into play.
I like to think of iTunes as a bread-crumb trail. The "music" in iTunes, isn't actually there. The bread crumb is the location on the external hard drive.
If that bread crumb trail disappears (in this case the external drive you use). If said external drive is not plugged in, that bread crumb trail is not able to be followed. iTunes is "lost" and unable to find the media. The only way to remedy this is to place the media on your local drive.
To address your issue of the library. If you hold down shift, you can select your library on your external drive. It will be a file with an .itl extension. The folder name will be your external drive.
I go into edit > preferences > advanced and set my library to the correct location. Make sure you check the box "Copy to iTunes Folder when importing" (or whatever it says).
You can't fix the issue of iTunes not seeing the media if your drive is unplugged unless you physically move the content to your OS HDD...Or any other HDD you use.

How to move itunes library .New vista pc &keep music on an external drive?

I'm moving from a Windows XP machine to a new Vista machine. All my music is on an external hd that I conenct via usb. Before giving away my old lap I backup the itunes files named itunes.itl,itunesmusic library.xml, albun art work folder
I installed itunes 7.2 and then I go to the edit preferences and change the music folder to f;//my music son itunes gets the music from my external hard drive.
Then i copy the itunes files that i back up into the the c ;users itunes folder.
WHEN i open itunes it start loading my library but suddenly stops and somtekind of error as file lock appears. son i unistall itunes an reistall it. but need to install it rigth so i can keep with my playlist etc.
I aloso
tried to add all my music to the new library. So i go to add folder to library and itunes starts getting some songs (i have more than 10000) but after a few minutes it suddenly stops and no songs were added to the library. and itunes freezes, so the only way to go ,is control alt delete ,stop itunes and start again.
I triend adding folder by folder , my music is organized as example. each floder has artist album and songs but I have to many folders . i tried adding one folder each time it ,instead off adding the my music folder with all the subfloders and it seems to work but it is going to take me months to finish.
does some one knows what should i do ? or why itunes sotps suddenly? or what is the right procedure i should follow to keep my music in the external hard drive and continue with my play lists.?it is like a new installation with all the music in an external hd, an I want to keep it that way.
Does some one know if i have to do something with the ituneslibrary files befre copynig then to the new ditunes directory created with the new installation , in refering as permits or porperties ets?
what i want to do is a clear new installation of itunes and keep my music in the external usb hard drive , but keep or restore my playlists and library that i back up before.?
hp pavillion dv6220 Windows Vista hard drive connected via usb ,nortoninternet security software

I do the same thing as you do...
My music is on an external drive as to not use up gigabytes of storage that need not be used for media.
There are a couple basic principles to iTunes that I believe you should know.
1. iTunes is not a media storage program. It does not store your media "in iTunes". It simply is an organization tool for your media already on a hard disk.
2. As iTunes is not a storage mechanism, it has no way to "know" whether or not the media that is listed is actually there. This is where the "design" of iTunes comes into play.
I like to think of iTunes as a bread-crumb trail. The "music" in iTunes, isn't actually there. The bread crumb is the location on the external hard drive.
If that bread crumb trail disappears (in this case the external drive you use). If said external drive is not plugged in, that bread crumb trail is not able to be followed. iTunes is "lost" and unable to find the media. The only way to remedy this is to place the media on your local drive.
To address your issue of the library. If you hold down shift, you can select your library on your external drive. It will be a file with an .itl extension. The folder name will be your external drive.
I go into edit > preferences > advanced and set my library to the correct location. Make sure you check the box "Copy to iTunes Folder when importing" (or whatever it says).
You can't fix the issue of iTunes not seeing the media if your drive is unplugged unless you physically move the content to your OS HDD...Or any other HDD you use.

I need advice: I love my apple TV. But my laptop at home, only has a 750gig hard drive. Is there a possibility of having all my media on an external hardrive to still connect to the Apple TV?

I need advice: I love my apple TV. But my laptop at home, only has a 750gig hard drive. Is there a possibility of having all my media on an external hardrive to still connect to the Apple TV?
Is there like in a hard drive of which iTunes can read the media, which will not require me to add and delete media onto iTunes, because of a lack of space on my laptop?

just get an ext HD, and point your itunes library to that drive so now you'll just keep all your media on this ext

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

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

HT1589 I moved my media to an external drive so that I can access it from either of 2 computers. I can't seem to get my whole list in the library of the second computer. How do I get this reconnected?

I moved my itu nes media to an external drive so that I can access it from either of 2 computers. Now I can't see all my music in the library of the second computer. I was able to add 1 file to the library, but that will be exceedingly tedious to do for the whole list. There must be a better way.

File Add Folder to Library, and point it to the top folder on the external. That will cause iTunes to add all the files to the library.

I recently purchased a new iMac with an external drive. I want to transfer my files from my old iMac to the external drive, but I'm afraid that doing that will compromise the use of the external drive on my new iMac. Comments? Help?

I recently purchased a new iMac with an 1 Terrabyte external drive. I want to transfer my files from my old iMac to the external drive, but I'm afraid that doing that will compromise the use of the external drive on my new iMac. I have not downloaded the external drive's software onto my old Mac because of this concern. May I simply "drag and drop" the contents I want transferred to the external drive, then set up my new Mac with the drive and download there? or is there a better procedure? Comments? Help?

If your intention is to copy a just documents and data (word processing files and music for example) then yes, you can use drag and drop. If you want to transfer data and applications and permissions, it would actually be easiest to connect the drive to your old computer and turn on TimeMachine. Once TM is finished, connect the drive to your new computer and restart it holding the option key to get into Recovery mode. Then you can use the restore from TM option to transfer your data and programs to the new computer.

When I plug in my Lacie (thunderbolt) External Drive it doesn't show up on the desktop. I need to move some stuff out of my hard drive to make room.

When I plug in my Lacie (thunderbolt) External Drive it doesn't show up on the desktop. I need to move some stuff out of my hard drive to make room. I have very little room left on the hard drive and need to move an iPhoto library.

i have a lacie, and i encrypted it. i had to wipe it, because it kept dropping off over and over and re-logging in. so unencrypted i went.
at some point it wasn't recognized at all. sometimes disk utility would open it, but then it got to the point that it wouldn't recognize it either.
i hadn't realized that the power supply was dysfunctional. but i was able to recover it using disk warrior at the last deep breath it took. the disk itself still works, but not in that housing.

Why is LR importing duplicate files and adding a -1 to file name?

I need to locate some missing photos that disappeared from my library so I'm re-importing my photo collection again (from burnt DVD's) in hopes to recover all the missing images. When I insert a DVD to re-import the photo collection and choose "convert to DNG" and I check "do not import suspected duplicates" LR imports the same images that are already in the catalog and renames the images with a -1...for example, IMG_3664.dng is already in LR folder named 2008-06-14. When I re-import the images from that date, LR renames the image IMG_3664-1.dng and puts it in the same folder resulting in duplicate images side by side. Why is it importing the same image and adding a -1 to the file name?
I was expecting it to tell me there are XXX photos already in the catalog but it doesn't. It just adds a -1 to the file name and imports all the duplicate images and displays them side by side in the grid view.
Any ideas? I originally imported the images from the same DVD's I'm using now on a PC and placed the library on an external hard drive. NOw I'm using a new iMAC and I imported that same library from the same external drive location. I'm working with LR 1.31.
Can someone help? LR should recognize the files with the identical date/time stamp and tell me it's already in the catalog...but it's not for some reason.
Thanks

If you import them again, you'll get a "-2" instead of -1, and the -2 will list with the -1,and the original with no dash. The higher number distinguishes the most recent file of same title..
The file titles are identical as original, but it sounds as converting the file from the source,(PC, Hard drive) to DNG makes it another version of the file....do you type DNG in caps? should it be lower case?
Because the computer doesn't read the file as a duplicate, but the file name is the same, you'll get a -1.
This could probably happen,say, if your files are raw, and you had burned them as jpeg onto dvd storage. Even though you want them back as raw, converting them isn't duplicating them.
I hope this helps...I don't even own Lightroom; I'm shopping around between this and Aperture right now...the experience I'm referring to is where I work in a pre-press printing house; So if someone replying to my post who masters in Lightroom calls me an idiot, I won't argue much!!

How do I get Mac OSX 10.6.4 to print to a Canon iRC2380 colour printer? Using the driver in the Mac's list doesn't work., How do I get Mac OSX 10.6.4 to print to A Canon iRC2380 colour printer? Using the driver in the Mac's list doesn't work.

How do I get Mac OSX 10.6.4 to print to a Canon iRC2380 colour printer? Using the driver in the Mac's list doesn't work., How do I get Mac OSX 10.6.4 to print to A Canon iRC2380 colour printer? Using the driver in the Mac's list doesn't work.

Not sure which driver you mean when you say "the driver in the Mac's list". Apple does not provide a driver for this device, so if you mean one of the default printers that are included with 10.6, like the Generic Postscript or Generic PCL, then these will only work if the optional PS or PCL print kits were installed in the machine. Given your inability to print then it would seem that you have neither kit installed. So this would require you to install the Canon UFR2 driver, which you can obtain via this link.
With the UFR2 driver installed, you add the printer using IP > LPD. Enter the IP address of the iRC2380, leave the Queue name blank and change the Name to iRC2380. Leave the Location field blank and in the Print Using menu, browse to the "Canon iR C2380/2550 UFR II (UK)". Click OK and then Add to complete the queue creation. You should now be able to print. Please reply if it does not work.

Why can I not import the videos from my iPhone 4 onto my desktop (Windows Vista)? When I plug in it imports the photos without a problem but it doesn't seem to import the videos.

Why can I not import the videos from my iPhone 4 onto my desktop (Windows Vista)? When I plug in it imports the photos without a problem but it doesn't seem to import the videos.

1.Download the Flash setup file from here: 
[http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player.exe Adobe Flash - Plugin version]. 
Save it to your Desktop. 
2. Close Firefox using File > Exit 
then check the Task Manager > Processes tab to make sure '''firefox.exe''' is closed, 
{XP: Ctrl+Alt+Del, Vista: Shift+Ctrl+ESC = Processes tab}
3. Then run the Flash setup file from your Desktop.
* On Vista and Windows 7 you may need to run the plugin installer as Administrator by starting the installer via the right-click context menu if you do not get an UAC prompt to ask for permission to continue (i.e nothing seems to happen). 
See this: 
[http://vistasupport.mvps.org/run_as_administrator.htm]

I have os 10.4. Why do I need the mac box set to upgrade to snow leopard?

I have os 10.4. Why do I need the mac box set to upgrade to snow leopard? What happens if I upgrade with just a 10.6 upgrade?

ds store wrote:
No iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, Garageband, but I can pinch those off the 10.4 installer disk using Pacifist.
You can usually get those from the original grey installer discs that came with your Mac without bothering with Pacifist. Look for an 'installed bundled software' or similarly named item on one of those discs, generally the #1 disc. Run that & the original versions of those apps that were bundled with your Mac will be installed. Software Update will let you know if there is an update you can download for them (but of course that won't include an upgrade to a more recent major version, which you would have to buy separately).

Why cannot I import the package of j2ee?

Hello,
I am a beginning learner of J2EE but I am an immediate learner of J2SE.
I have 3 questions. First of 2 is that why cannot I import the package of the J2EE, such as import javax.mail.*; ?
Second question is that can anyone of you suggest me to write what J2EE program in order to let me learn the J2EE? What J2EE program example can you suggest me to write?
Third question is in order for running J2EE application, what tool or tools should I have? Is the tool j2sdk1.4 java tool enough?Hardly enough?
Learner,
JohnWen604
5-July-2005

First of 2 is
/u] of 2 is that why cannot I import the package of
the J2EE, such as import javax.mail.*; ?Because it isn't on your classpath.
Third question is in order for
n order for running J2EE application, what tool or
tools should I have? Is the tool j2sdk1.4 java tool
enough?Hardly enough?Since that doesn't even have any J2EE classes in it, not enough at all. Look for the J2EE download link.
JohnWen604
5-July-2005FYI, this information is already listed on your post by the forum software.

Keeping media on an external drive, why i tunes imports the files to the Mac drive? it doesn't do that on windows?

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