Move iTunes Library to Time Capsule

A while back, and against Apple Support's advice, I moved my iTunes library from my MacBook Pro to a networked WD 2TB hard drive connected to my LinkSys E4200 via USB 2.0. I have read that USB protocol transfers in bursts, and is not adequate to house the library and to facilitate syncing of our iPhone 5C, 5S, and iPad Mini. Every time we sync our devices, we get an error message that X number of songs were unable to sync. It has made it virtually impossible to listen to iTunes on the computer as well.
I will be getting a 2TB Time Capsule for Christmas, and wanted to know if I can use it like a networked hard drive to store my iTunes Media Library as well as Time Machine backups. I would also like to know what the steps would be to transfer my current library from my networked drive to the time capsule and how best to back up that directory seeing as the Time Capsule version will be the only one. The difficulty I see lies in that it will require having two networks up at the same time, unless I can connect directly to the old hard drive via USB, move the files to the Time Capsule, and then tell iTunes where they are.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for the feedback. I've decided to go with the same setup. I figured the external drive would not be backed up to the TC, but that's ok. (Too bad it can't, though)
I'm in the process of transferring my media files over to the drive. It takes several hours. The first time I tried, it actually hit some error in the middle and just stopped...so only about half of my music got copied. I cleared it out and am starting over. We'll see how it goes.
I've read on some threads that people have recommended moving the entire iTunes folder over manually, as opposed to just moving the media location through iTunes preferences. I chose to do the latter. So, if I take my laptop away from home, I should still be able to open up and view the itunes library, even if the source files aren't available to be played. I'm curious if/how iTunes Match would work in that scenario? I guess I will try it and see...
Thanks again

Similar Messages

  • HT1449 Can I move my iTunes library onto Time Capsule and share it across my devices (similar to a NAS drive)?

    Hi
    Would anyone know if I can I move my iTunes library onto Time Capsule and share it across my devices (similar to a NAS drive)?
    This would give me some hard drive space on my iMac and more importantly mean my iTunes library is available all the time. Although I have Home sharing I need my iMac on and if not I use iTunes on iCloud I always seem to be downloading the tracks I need.
    Current configuration / devices:
    iMac 20-inch, Mid 2007 - nearly full!
    Processor  2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    Memory  4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
    OSX Mavericks
    Time Capsule (1TB)
    iPad
    iPod Touch
    Apple TV
    iTunes 11.1.5 (5)
    Many thanks

    What "devices" are these?  By devices I normally understand i-devices and not computers.  How many computers?
    If you put the whole library on the Time Capsule (TC) you can only use it with one computer at a time because the iTunes library file can only be opened by one copy of iTunes at a time.  If you put only media on the TC but have a copy of the library files on each computer you can use media by multiple computers but you then have the headache of trying to make sure that any changes done to the collection by one computer are mirrored by the libraries on the other computers which will be more or less independent.
    I hope this TC isn't also your backup drive.  When the TC drive fails (and it will someday) then your whole collection is gone.  Don't rely upon Apple to always have copies for you to download.  For one, if a distributor puylls an item then it is gone period.  Additionally, Apple only keeps media, not the actual organization that is your set of library files.  If you do this, buy another backup drive.

  • Moved iTunes library to Time Capsule and now can't see music in iTunes

    G'day People
    I moved my iTunes library to my Time Capsule and pointed iTunes to the new location via Preferences - > Advanced.
    However, when I start up iTunes, it's empty. When I check the Preferences in iTunes, the location of the library is correct, that is, my music folder on my Time Capsule.
    Has anybody else had this problem or know why my library is blank when, in fact, iTunes IS pointing to the location that holds the library?

    I moved my iTunes library
    What exactly did you move?
    and pointed iTunes to the new location via Preferences - > Advanced.
    That simply tells iTunes where to store music in the future.
    However, when I start up iTunes, it's empty. When I check the Preferences in iTunes, the location of the library is correct, that is, my music folder on my Time Capsule.
    No, that is the location of the iTunes music folder.
    The iTunes library contasts of the \Music\iTUnes folder and all contents and the iTunes music. wherever it may be located.
    Let's try and fix it.
    Again, what exactly did you move?

  • Cannot move iTunes library from Time Machine Backup onto new Macbook

    I'm trying to move my iTunes library off my iMac onto my MacBook.  I thought I could grab it from my Time Capsule but when I open the Time capsule it shows as a sparse bundle which I cannot do anything with.
    Is this the best way to do it?  I would imagine it would take forever over wifi...
    Can I transfer using Migration Assistant and an ethernet cable?  Does migration Assistant ask me to use an ethernet cable as an option?
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  • ITunes library on time capsule?

    Is this possible?

    Possible, but the fact that you can do something does not necessarily imply that it should be done.
    Access will be very slow, especially if you plan to use wireless from your computer.
    The biggest issue will be......if you move the iTunes library from your computer to the Time Capsule, then the only copy of of your iTunes data will be on the Time Capsule.
    When...not if....the Time Capsule drive has a problem, you will lose everything....because you have no backups.
    A much better stategy would be to add an external hard drive to your Mac and move the iTunes library there. Access to the library will be much faster....and.....Time Machine will backup both your Mac and the hard drive.....so you have "originals" on one drive and backups on another.

  • ITunes library on Time Capsule... Solution?

    I recently bought a Time Capsule (2013 Edition) and transferred my iTunes library to it.  But now I get "This movie requires QuickTime, which is not supported by this version of iTunes."  Is there a solution?

    Yes, you can access your iTunes library wirelessly. I moved all of my iTunes video to mine (110 gigs and growing!). I then just copied it to iTunes on my MacBook (but turned off the setting in preferences where it copies it to your local iTunes library).
    If your library is as big as mine, be sure to be on a real 802.11n network to copy it over, or plug in an ethernet cable between your Mac and TC for faster transfer.

  • Moving iTunes library from Time Capsule back to MacBook HD?

    Recently I moved my iTunes media to my Time Capsule to free up space on my MacBook Pro. I want to move it back. How do I do that? When I look at my "Music" folder, the files seem to be there and then I double click on a song file and it opens. THis is after I have reset the file location preference.

    Get her back
    Are the files stored in the Aperture Library or do you have them stored somewhere else?
    And if you can't answer that one you will need to bring her back.
    Regards
    TD

  • Advice: transferring itunes library to Time Capsule?

    We just got a Time Capsule (wireless router + HD) and I would like to move my itunes libary there, so that when I load itunes on my laptop (thinkpad, winxp sp2) it will look in the itunes library on the external Time Capsule drive rather than looking on my laptop hd -- it doesn't really matter that it's a Time Capsule, just that it's an external (network, not usb or firewire) storage device.
    Why: to be able to delete the library from my laptop hd, which is starting to fill up. I don't really need to carry around all my music on my laptop, after all, that's what the ipod is for. I still have a working itunes library, I'm not trying to fix something that's broken (yet!), just trying to free up space on my laptop hd for other things.
    Questions:
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    3. Ongoing backup: I would plan to backup the Time Machine itunes library to another external hd (usb), so I still have a backup...again, the whole thing would then be off my laptop hd.
    4. Other advice?
    Thanks!

    Hello Styles36. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
    Can anyone give me a step-by-step assist on how to transfer and compress my dvd library to my time capsule using something other than Handbrake (will not recognize my 32 bit VLC) or Mac the Ripper.
    Other than copy files to the Time Capsule (TC), your questions are really not related to AirPort Networking or Apple-specific software so you may find better results in getting a step-by-step for using either Handbrake or Mac the Ripper in one of their forums. Note: There are a number of beta 64-bit versions of VLC floating around on the Internet. Just do an Internet search and you will find them. Most folks stick to the 32-bit versions of both programs for reliability.
    As far as copying the DVD Library, since these are large files, you will find that you will want to connect your MacBook Pro directly, by Ethernet, to the TC. Copying would be as simple as using the Finder. The TC's drive will show up in the Shared section.

  • Two macs to share an iTunes library on Time Capsule?

    what's the best way to do this? all the threads I've seen end up with only one computer able to access the library at a time. what i want is to rate a song upstairs on my G5 and not have to do it again on my iMac downstairs. I have both computers' iTunes libraries pointed to the times capsule but what next?

    I understand the Media part. As for the library file itself, how do I safely put that on the TC and link both computers' itunes to it. What's the relationship between the xml and database files?

  • ITunes library on Time Capsule accessed by multiple accounts - Not working!

    I moved my iTunes library from an external hard drive to my new Time Capsule (it is in the Data folder). I can access it fine from my user account, but my husband who has an account on the same MacBook Pro cannot. When he tries to access the Data folder it has a red circle with a white line indicating that he does not have access. I have used Airport Utility to change the file sharing (enable file sharing with time capsule password and airport disk guests access read and write). But still he has no access on his account. Please help! Thanks!

    I have my iTunes library on a Time Capsule. I can access it from more than one user account without the problems described here. In fact, I can access it from more than one account simultaneously if more than one machine is on. I have not tried accessing from multiple accounts using Fast User Switching.
    The only think of that might be different is the location of the files. The iTunes Music folder is on the Time Capsule but not inside a Data folder. Each user's iTunes Library files are stored in the usual location in their home directory on the machines. iTunes' preferences are set to point to the folder on the Time Capsule.

  • ITunes Library in Time Capsule

    I have my iTunes library in my Time Capsule, however every time I open iTunes I get promoted to choose the library. Unless I manually open the time capsule in finder and open the iTunes library...if I do this prior to opening iTunes then it "recognises" the time capsule and opens the library straight away.
    Is there any away to et iTunes to open the library without me selecting it manually every time?

    Add the TC to your Startup Items (System prefs > Users & Accounts)

  • Want to place itunes library on time capsule

    I want to put iTunes library on my time capsule so that all my computers on network can access same library and all music can be stored in. 1 place

    Drag the iTunes library from the internal drive to the Time Capsule in the Finder, launch iTunes with the Option key held down, and point it there. You may want to use the Disk Utility in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder to create a disk image for the library; Time Machine will eventually take up all the free space on the drive, and a Time Capsule can't be partitioned.
    (54468)

  • Itunes library on time capsule does not work.... HELP!

    Dear Mac-friends!
    I moved my itunes library from my lacie disc to my brand new Time Capsule. But since then I only had trouble.
    Everytime I restart my macbookpro and Itunes I get a message that the library cant be found. Even though the time capsule is running.
    In my 'unknowingness' to solve this problem, I gathered all music files and erased the itunes library files (xml etc). Dont ask me why, I know it sounds stupid.
    But how do I make these musicfiles into a library again? And more specifically into a library that Itunes 'remembers' even after shutting down my macbookpro?
    Thanks already for your advice! And sorry for my 'stupidity'...

    Please, dear Apple friends, help me! Itunes is driving me crazy....
    I thought I had the solution; i created a new library folder on my TC, copied all my music files to the library in the itunes window. After copying one night and one day (which is strange, since all the files essentially already were placed on the TC, but anyway), I got an error warning saying that the copying had stopped because of a fault with file ". What this is, I dont know.
    And besides that, half of the songs which were copied have the hated ! - symbol which means they cant be found...
    It's so frustrating to have more than 25 gigabyte of music and not being able to play songs. Hopefully someone has a useful tip, because I'm starting to dislike Itunes. And I dont want that!
    Thanks

  • Can you stream iTunes library from Time Capsule to a MacBook if you're connected to the internet anywhere in the world?

    I want to buy a MacBook Air but the flash storage means not enough space for all my movies and music. Instead of carrying around an extra harddrive, I'd rather make the Time Capsule my external harddrive. Most of the time when I access it it will be from my house, but say I'm just out and about and connected to the internet...assuming my Time Capsule is on, can I use it as basically a cloud device and stream my iTunes movies and music to my computer?

    Probably not unless you have a super speed internet connection.. most people on adsl have 1mbit upload connection or less. you cannot stream movies over 1mbit.. I doubt you can even stream music. Actual throughput is only 800kbit/s...
    That is why you store things in the cloud.. you download speed from cloud is much high than upload to it.
    That is unless you have a super high speed, fibre connection to your home??
    It is certainly possible.. if you have enough bandwidth.. 99.999% of people don't.

  • Itunes Library on time capsule-Help please.

    I read this can be done to free up some room. I made a copy of my music folder in time capsule, pointed to it with itunes, but the file paths in itunes do not change. I made sure my time capsule was mounted, held option, launched itunes, selected the itunes folder in my time capsule, & still had no luck. This was the main reason why i purchased the device. Can someone tell me how this is done?

    Please, dear Apple friends, help me! Itunes is driving me crazy....
    I thought I had the solution; i created a new library folder on my TC, copied all my music files to the library in the itunes window. After copying one night and one day (which is strange, since all the files essentially already were placed on the TC, but anyway), I got an error warning saying that the copying had stopped because of a fault with file ". What this is, I dont know.
    And besides that, half of the songs which were copied have the hated ! - symbol which means they cant be found...
    It's so frustrating to have more than 25 gigabyte of music and not being able to play songs. Hopefully someone has a useful tip, because I'm starting to dislike Itunes. And I dont want that!
    Thanks

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