Moving iTunes from external drive to new computer

I have my itunes stored on an external drive lettered "E". How can I move them to my new computer. The external drive letter "E" is not available on the new computer but the hard drive is plenty large enough to hold my whole collection and I would like to install them on it. I have already copied my itunes music folder and libraries to the new computer.
Thanks for any input.

This did not work. I signed into the iTunes store as the same user and I can still not play the music I purchased or the music I am authorized to play that others purchased. Can anyone help out with this question?

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Moving music from external drive to new computer, not showing music

Hello,
I was running iTunes 7 or 8 on Windows XP on a laptop. I ran out of room on the laptop and followed Apple's doc to move library to external drive and point iTunes to the new location. It's been working that way for over a year.
Old laptop crashed and I purchased a new laptop running Windows 7. The external drive is fine, and I was able to restore info and pics backed up to that drive on my new laptop. I installed iTunes 9 on the new laptop and tried several things to get it to see the music folder on the external drive, but it doesn't see the music at all. I even copied everything to the iTunes Media folder on the new laptop, but nothing shows up at all. I assume it has to do with what library files are available and where they're located. There are no library files on external drive, only a My New Music Folder. The old laptop can be on for about 10 minutes before it crashes, so I could try to retrieve the old library files if I knew what I needed and where to find them, but I hope I can do it without having to turn on old laptop. Any help is much appreciated. Are my playlists gone? Help!

If everything on the external drive is in WMA format then that method would work, otherwise you are likely to get duplicates, which is why I suggested you work with the Not Added folder.
Different audio formats have different ways of compressing and storing the information from the original source. Most software and hardware will only work with a limited range of formats. iTunes cannot play WMA directly, but can convert it to one of the formats it will play. Given this is a clean install of iTunes that format is likely to be AAC if you haven't changed it. MP3 may be a better choice if you might want to put the media on some non-Apple device in future, otherwise ACC is supposedly slight more efficient, i.e. a smaller file for the same quality.
The main factor affecting file size is bit rate. The more original data that is kept, the larger the file and the more closely the reproduced music will match the original source. WMA is a lossy format typical bit rates are 128kbs and 256kbs. Conveting a 128kbs file to, for example, a 256k AAC file results in a file larger than the original, but no better quality.
If you put Windows Explorer in details view you should be able to enable a bitrate column and scan through to see what the current values are. You can adjust your import settings as given. You may want to import in more than one batch if there is a mix of bitrates.
tt2

HT204318 moving library from external drive to new computer

I have an HP laptop, running Windows 8- I have loaded all of my music into the "automatically add to itunes" folder, and by everything I have read, it should evaluate and load automatically, but it isnt doing it. How do I get it to load the music into iTunes?

If everything on the external drive is in WMA format then that method would work, otherwise you are likely to get duplicates, which is why I suggested you work with the Not Added folder.
Different audio formats have different ways of compressing and storing the information from the original source. Most software and hardware will only work with a limited range of formats. iTunes cannot play WMA directly, but can convert it to one of the formats it will play. Given this is a clean install of iTunes that format is likely to be AAC if you haven't changed it. MP3 may be a better choice if you might want to put the media on some non-Apple device in future, otherwise ACC is supposedly slight more efficient, i.e. a smaller file for the same quality.
The main factor affecting file size is bit rate. The more original data that is kept, the larger the file and the more closely the reproduced music will match the original source. WMA is a lossy format typical bit rates are 128kbs and 256kbs. Conveting a 128kbs file to, for example, a 256k AAC file results in a file larger than the original, but no better quality.
If you put Windows Explorer in details view you should be able to enable a bitrate column and scan through to see what the current values are. You can adjust your import settings as given. You may want to import in more than one batch if there is a mix of bitrates.
tt2

Need help- How do I transfer iTunes from external/internal to new computer?

My old computer crashed. I have iTunes on an external drive, but not exported exactly as iTunes suggests in "back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive". I am following the directions from support "Restoring your iTunes library backup". Get all the way to "Choose Library", which I do, and then select iTunes folder. Step 7 says to click "choose". I click on the folder, because i do not have a "choose" button. Nothing happens, it just opens the file. If I connect my ipod it opens and a screen tells me I have to "erase and sync" because my ipod is synced with another library. Do I erase and sync? I'm scared of losing hours of music I copied from CD's. (I was able to transfer purchased music.) I have downloaded iTunes 9.0 on my new computer.
Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Well, I would skip the Firewire since it isn't essential. Connect the backup drive to your new Retina when it arrives, but before you turn it on for the first time. When you then turn it on you will begin in the Setup Assistant where you will have an opportunity to restore your files from a backup drive or another computer. Select the appropriate option. You can then restore (migrate) your Home folder, third-party applications and support files, and system preferences. Once that is completed when the computer restarts you will be all set up in your old Home folder.
Note that you will be transferring files over a USB connection. Depending upon how much data you are transferring this may take a very long time, so be patient. A USB drive's typical transfer rate is about 12 GBs/hour.

Import iTunes Library from External Drive to New Computer with Vista

I can't seem to "import" my entire iTunes library from my external hard drive to my new computer. However, I can import songs one-by-one. There must be a way to transfer the whole file at once but it is beyond me. Anyone have a solution?

Hi I am new and have found a way to import Files & Folders over my home network and or other drives.
Start in File, click "Add File to Library", or "Add Folder to Library". In the “look in” dropdown window, locate the File or folder and double click on it. It should begin to transfer. I have never transferred an enter library though.
On a personal note,
I have come to realize that I can only transfer iTunes music. I can not transfer or even find the music that I have installed from a CD into my iTunes library. iTunes dose recognize even the folder that such music is in. If any of you have an answer to this problem let me know.
Thanks

How to get itunes library from external drive to new computer

i recently purchased a new computer w/the windows vista platform. there were posts regarding how to transfer the library w/playlists on this board, which i followed to the point of hitting shift while opening itunes, and choosing a library. however, when selecting such from my external drive, which has the itl and xml on it as well as the itunes music folder, it gives me an error noting it is locked or that i dont have write permission to use it. my external drive on my old computer was the G drive, now it is the F drive on new one. can anyone please advise what to do other than copy all music over and have to completely recreate all playlists?

polydorus, this was the response/post that i found and it was posted by sweepea on 9/4/2007. and all my music is now from the external drive to the itunes music folder on my laptop and it let me keep all my playlists. thank you again for your help!
I had that problem too. I tried to remove iTunes from my computer and then download it again, but that did not make any difference. Then I tried polydorus' answer ("starting iTunes with the shift key held down, when asked to choose a library, navigate to your iTunes folder and choose iTunes Library.itl"), but that did not work either and that same message about the library being locked appeared again.
Then I had a brainwave. I deleted that iTunes library.itl file. (To find it, go to My documents, then My Music, then iTunes, and there is the itunes library file). I now tried to open iTunes by clicking on the iTunes icon on my desktop, nothing happened, as if I had not clicked on it at all. I restored the file from the recycling bin to where it was before. But that also returned me to where I had been before, i.e. I got that locked-library message again. So I deleted that file again. Then I tried right-clicking on the iTunes icon. On the little menu that appeared, I clicked 'Open' and hey presto, suddenly the iTunes set-up assistant appeared and everything went smooth from then on. When I checked, there was a file called iTunes library.itl again and this one worked OK.
By the way, I did not lose any of my music downloads or podcasts when I deleted that file, so it's definitely worth a try.
custom built Windows 2000

Problems playing iTunes purchases from external drive on new computer.

My computer recently died and I had to get a new one. Luckily I had copied all of my iTunes purchases onto an external drive. However, when I connect the external drive to the new computer I can see the purchases but cannot see them in iTunes-I try adding the files in iTunes, but this doesn't work. I have authorised the computer, so it should be able to play the purchases but I have tried dragging them all into iTunes, copying them to the computer but no joy.
Any help would be appreciated.

In Windows Explorer, right-click on your media folder and click Properties, then go to the Security tab and click Advanced. If necessary grant your account and SYSTEM full control of this folder, subfolders and files, then tick the option to replace permissions on child objects which will repair permissions throughout the library. This is the XP dialog but Windows 7 shouldn't be too different.
If it won't let you change the permissions use the Owner tab to take ownneship from an account with administror privileges.
tt2

How to Recover Playlists when Transferring iTunes Library from External Drive to New Computer

iTunes library copied to external drive and then loaded to new computer. All songs are there but all of the playlists that I had set up do not appear. I cannot figure out how to retrieve/recover them. The back-up was not done by me so I'm not sure of the steps that were followed. Is there something special that needs to be done when backing up to external drive in terms of saving playlists? Help!

Hello TNCGRCT,
It sounds like the library was successfully transferred to the new computer, but the songs were imported into a new iTunes library. If you still have access to the external drive, or better yet the previous computer, we will want to transfer the iTunesLibrary.itl file and open it with iTunes:
iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589
More helpful information...
Where are my iTunes files located?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1391
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Thanks,
Matt M.

Itunes from hard drive to new computer

Hi All
I have the following issue, I have my itunes (all music, tv shows,films andf iphone 4 back up) on an external hard drive that has 232GB of space I have read that i need to consolidate the libary to move it, but i have 137GB of information and it copies the folder to the same location i do not have enough space on the external hard drive or my old computer (it only has 60GB space) to do the consolidation.
I have plugged my hard drive into my new computer (sony running windows 7 64bit home premium) but cannot open itunes via the external hard drive.
My problem is I want to move my itunes to the new computer (which has a 500GB hard drive) how do i do this or do i need to buy an addtional hard drive to move the files (i do not wish to pay out more).
Does anybody know a way of doing this with the hard drive and the external hard drive (my other concern is that i do not want to lose all my contact on my iphone).
Thanks Nick UK

Hi Perilman,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities! I understand that all of your iTunes media is on an external hard drive and you would like to move that media onto your new Windows computer hard drive. The following article has step by step instructions for this specifically. Part 5 in the External drive section is probably what is going to be most relevant to you.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4527
Part 5: Copy music to your new computer
To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your new computer:
I hope this helps,
-Joe

Moving iTunes from external drive on PC to external drive on Mac

Hi can anyone help getting totally confused with all the different help topics!
My iTunes currently runs of an external hard drive (I://) via Windows 7.
I've changed to an iMac and want to move my iTunes to here using a new PC & Mac compatible external HD (J:// via the PC/Samsung via the Mac).
I've followed the instructions on here but iTunes doesn't seem to be picking up the library or playlists, and not sure where I've gone wrong.
Can anyone help at all please?

Those instructions tell you how to move media (as they say). A library is more than just media. For people using regular iTunes settings it is everything in the iTunes folder which includes the critical iTunes Library.itl file. This file generates the structure you see in the iTunes application. You need - Moving a library: Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive. Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes. At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.
Note, I am leery about your "PC & Mac" compatible drive, whatever that is. While it is possible to use a FAT formatted drive with a Mac you have to realize that it has file size limitations and cannot be repaired with any Mac based tools.
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
iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/message/26404702#26404702
Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392 and making an iTunes library portable.

Importing library from external drive on new computer

My hard drive recently crashed, received new one from mfgt. and sent old drive to have data extracted and put onto an external drive. I am trying to get my library onto new drive. Was able to get purchased off of Ipod. I tried going to file, import, clicked on itunes folder on external drive but nothing seems to happen. My itunes currently shows only what I have put on it from disk and what the purchased I was able to transfer from ipod. But in my documents folder it appears that my old library is there but doesn't show up when i open itunes.
what am i doing wrong?

I actually just answered my own question. I had to import the XML file. It took awhile but I have a lot of music. It imported a few automatically generated playlists that I never had before (???) but I just deleted them. Everything is there!

Moving library from external HD to new computer

I currently use iPhoto 5.0.4 on my iBook. The entire library has been backed up onto an external hard drive. I intend to get a new computer (probably an iMac) soon, and I will want to move the entire library onto the new computer, either from the external HD or the iBook itself.
Since the new computer's library will be empty, is it possible to just copy the existing "iPhoto Library" folder onto the new computer in the Pictures folder? (I'm assuming there's a Pictures folder.) Will iPhoto '09 handle/convert it as necessary or will there be a follow-up step? Do I also need to copy the com.apple.iphoto.plist file?
If the answer to the first question is no, what do I need to do to maintain the integrity of the library as it's set up? I am aware film rolls will be converted to Events, but don't know if the film rolls will stay in place if I simply use an import command to bring in the entire library.

Since the new computer's library will be empty, is it possible to just copy the existing "iPhoto Library" folder onto the new computer in the Pictures folder?
Yes. That's the recommended method. When iPhoto is launched it will look in the Pictures folder, open and convert the library to the new format. Just be sure to have a backup copy of the older library version just in case.
If you have any film rolls that are identified by Roll #xx they will be converted to an event with the illuminating titled of "untitled event". So if you get the chance, rename those rolls to a description that will describe the contents so the new events will have the same name.

Moving Itunes from External HD to new imac HELP!

HELP!! Kept my iTunes on an external Hard Drive as eMac had little space! Need to move all my iTunes from the External drive to iMac - but it ain't working - any suggestions or solutions easy to follow instructions would be great
Any help appreciated!

1 - if you are upgrading form iPhoto 6 then you can not go ofrward until you complete the upgrade - and with all versions of iPhtoo when you upgrade you can not go back - do always upgrade on the new system keeping the original in case of peoblems
2 - I have no idea how you transferred the iPhoto library - but the best way is to drag the iPhoto library from the old system to the pictures folder of the new system, run the iPhoto library upgrader and launch iPhoto
LN

Using iTunes on external drive with new computer

My mac died a few weeks ago but I had my iTunes library on an external drive.
Trying to point my new mac at this same external drive so that I can get iTunes running again but can't seem to make it work.
Is there any way around this without reimporting everything?

ldav wrote:
I had my iTunes library on an external drive.
what exactly do you have on the external ? the entire iTunes folder or just the iTunes music (or media) folder ?
Trying to point my new mac at this same external drive so that I can get iTunes running again but can't seem to make it work.
that tells iTunes where to put newly added content, not where the current content is.
JGG

Moving Photos from External HD to New Computer

My external HD is making the clicking sounds of impending death. What are the steps for me to transfer all 5000+ photos from it to my new Mac Pro?
**I have several images on the Mac PRo's iPhoto now and don't want to lose them in the process.

Obviously you can just use the Finder to copy the external iPhoto Library to your new Mac Pro. You should change the name of it first so you don't get the two mixed up or accidentally replace one with the other.
If you want the old and new photos in a single library you have a couple of choices. The free choice would be to import the "several images" from the MacPro's current library into the external library.
An easy way to merge two libraries is to use iPhoto Library Manager. It's available here: http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/
It has some functions in the free download version but more advanced functions require the US$19.95 shareware fee.

Moving iTunes from external drive to new computer

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