Need to put Itunes on External Drive - HELP PLEASE

My computer is full of stuff and my ITunes is overwhelming it. I would like to move everything to my external drive and just leave it there. Has anyone done this successfully. Do I have to burn everything I own out of fear of maybe losing it? Any suggestions would be great. I'm not the most computer saavy person...
Thanks,
Dell Dimension 4600 Windows XP Pro

i too did not want all my music on my internal drive and have successfully moved everything to an external... now i don't know about moving teh actual itunes program but you can move teh folder your itunes takes music from to an external... just go into your setting and change the libraries to that of teh external drive... then just copy everything from your main itunes folder to your new one.... you will also have to get rid of your old playlists because it will not be able to find any of your songs because you moved them.... you can also just relocate all teh files manually but that would take forever... if you don't have complicated playlists then this is a good option in my opinion...

Similar Messages

Can't access my mp3s from my external drive. help please!

Hey,
So I've read most of the articles in Support but can't find an answer. I read this too : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449.
I'm running itunes 10.5.3 on my imac. I transferred my itunes music folder to an external drive because it was taking up too much space on my internal drive. Then I went into itunes preferences and changed the location of the folder to the external drive.
But I can't access tons of my mp3s now. When I click on a song in my library that it can't access, I get that explanation mark, and a statement asking me if I would like to locate the file. I locate it, and then I can listen to it.
And after I find that missing file for itunes, a window pops up and asks "Would you like itunes to use the location of "-----" to find other missing files in your library"? I select 'yes'. But then itunes can't find the missing files, even if they're in the same exact folder as the last one I found! It seems to me like this function is broken? And I have like 2,000 missing files! I even re-imported my itunes music folder back into my library. But that didn't work and now I have a ton of duplicates.
Any suggestions?
J

I read this too : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449.
I'm running itunes 10.5.3 on my imac. I transferred my itunes music folder to an external drive because it was taking up too much space on my internal drive. Then I went into itunes preferences and changed the location of the folder to the external drive.
That's where you went wrong.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
do not confuse moving your whole folder and library with moving just media files as in
iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Quick answer if you let iTunes manage your music: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to the new location of the library.

Need to copy ipod content straight to an external drive - help please.

I know I need third party software to transfer my music back to my pc from my ipod. I was not able to save it directly onto the hard drive - but can anyone recommend a good and reliable one please?
I have just had a really bad experience with 'ipod to computer transfer' who took my money and ran!
Could really do with some good advice.

Hello eyam steve,
And welcome to Apple Discussions!
You don't necessarily need any software to help you do this, but what you decide to do is entirely up to you.
There are several ways you can pull the music off your iPod and onto iTunes. The first link below provides step-by-step instructions for the direct method if you have a PC as well as a few third party applications (for both the Mac and PC) if you choose to go that route instead. You can also do a simple Google search for "copy music from iPod to computer" and you should receive a number of sites that can help you out.
Just make sure that when you have your iPod plugged into your computer, that you don't hit "Erase and Sync" before completing the task of copying your music over.
Also, if you have any purchased music, you will probably have to re-authorize your computer by heading to the Store drop down menu and choosing "Authorize computer."
[5 Ways to Copy Music OFF your iPod and onto iTunes|http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/articles/5-ways-to-copy-music-off-your-ipo d-windows-mac-os-x>
Here are a few more helpful sites.
[Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer - The Definitive Guide|http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/copying-music-from-ipo d-to-computer]
Or
[How to copy songs your iPod to your PC|http://lifehacker.com/software/ipod/how-to-copy-songs-from-your-ipod-to-your -pc-105256.php]
Also, here is an article for the direct method that is for both Windows Vista and XP.
http://ipodtips-tricks.blogspot.com/2008/10/howto-transfer-music-from-ipodto-itu nes.html
Hope this helps.
B-rock

Problem with iTunes and external drive

I moved my files to an external hard drive months ago but apparently forgot to uncheck the auto synch button. It seems that I just managed to copy them all back to my computer hard drive where I now only have 6gb. Since I originally moved the files I have put some movies and a little music on the computer and have iPad files in the mix. How to I get it all synched so that I know I have everything and then delete it from my hard drive?
I then would like to add some new CDs to the IPod, but do not want them stored on my computer drive, just external drive.
Please feel free to treat me like I am clueless because I am. Once I burned my entire Cd collection and moved it I have not done anything else with iTunes except buy the occasional app.
Thanks in advance for the help.
I was trying to follow directions on another post which did not seem to fit so I began trying random things. Very bad idea!
Cyndi

Nevermind. I figured it out.

If i move itune to external drive does time machine still have backup?

if i move itune to external drive does time machine still have backup?
I just moved my itunes off my macbook pro because it was taking up too much space and put it on an external hard drive. i have a second external hard drive that i use for time machine. when i update time machine next will my itunes files be removed from the backup since they are no longer on my internal hard drive (what time machine backs up?) basically, i want to make sure i have a second copy of my itunes besides the one on my first external hard drive and i was wondering if time machine will still have all of that data (on the second external hard drive).
i cant find this answer anywhere!!! thanks so much!!!

Check to see whether or not it's excluded in the Time Machine pane of System Preferences.
Items deleted from the hard drive won't be deleted from the backup until the backup location runs out of space.
(63157)

I need to format a new external drive, then need to copy old external to new external

I need to format a new external drive, then need to copy old external to new external

Use the Disk Utility in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder to erase the new drive. If the old external drive doesn't contain a bootable Mac OS X system or a Time Machine backup, you can just drag its contents to the new drive. If it does, use software such as Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper.
(69605)

My battery on my iphone theree is growning and it turns off around 80% then in order for it to turn back on i need to put it on the charger , somebody please help me i need to fix this is there anyway ican??

my battery on my iphone three is growning and it turns off around 80% then in order for it to turn back on i need to put it on the charger , somebody please help me i need to fix this is there anyway ican?

Basic troubleshooting from the User's Guide is reset, restart, restore (first from backup then as new). Try each of these in order until the issue is resolved.
If the issue persists, then take the device to Apple for evaluation.
FYI, Apple will not replace the battery without first doing basic troubleshooting or testing the battery.

All of my playlists made on my Ipod touch 3rd gen keep disappearing when I sync it to itunes. Drivng me crazy. All software up to date on both itunes and Ipod. Help please.

All of my playlists made on my Ipod touch 3rd gen keep disappearing when I sync it to itunes. Drivng me crazy. All software up to date on both itunes and Ipod. Help please.
I tend to make my playlists right on my ipod. This did not happen for the last 2 years. Just started recently. Did get a new computer recently.

That is because you got a new computer. You can only sync all media from one syncing computer. You can sync from any computer to iPod using the manual method but that does not sync from iPod to computer.
To make this your syncing computer:
Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive: Apple Support Communities

HT201263 Get three quarters of the way through recovery mode and then iphone goes back to "Connect to Itunes screen" can someone help please?

Get three quarters of the way through recovery mode and then iphone goes back to "Connect to Itunes screen" can someone help please?

Delete the .ipsw file on the computer.
Put the device in DFU mode.
Restore as new, once the restore completes, then try restoring from backup.

I have the new iOS 6 on my iPad, and when ever I try to log on to the iTunes store this comes up: Cannot connect to the iTunes store. Anybody help please? :)

I have the new iOS 6 on my iPad, and when ever I try to log on to the iTunes store this comes up: Cannot connect to the iTunes store. Anybody help please?

I'm also having this problem I've already tried changing the year stuff and its still the same I succeeded once when I toggled my credit card account but after that the same problem occurred.

How can I play music through safari specifically youtube on my Mac book pro over soundlink to my bose wireless speaker I can only play audio from itunes at present? HELP PLEASE!

How can I play music through safari specifically youtube on my Mac book pro over soundlink to my bose wireless speaker I can only play audio from itunes at present? HELP PLEASE!

Should be able to go into your sound preferences and choose your output device, you can also try downloading Airfoil and try that, it's a pretty cool app.

Help needed - half successful move of iTunes to external drive

I have just purchased a WD external drive and have attempted to move the contents of iTunes (but not the programme) to it from my Mac's hard drive. It seems that podcasts etc have been moved, but not the music files (they all appear in iTunes, but with ! in front of some of them and when you select a track to play you get an error message that says the track can't be found.
How can I resolve this?
Many thanks.

What format is the extrenal drive? How are you moving the iPhoto library?
Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)
And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto
And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive
LN

Itunes music on external drive help

WHY? When I set the Adv prefs in iTunes and point it to my music which resides on an external drive (Time Capsule) ~ that (upon launch) if it can't see the drive on the network it decides to create the default "mac hd/users/itunes" folder!!!
Of course it remembers the "keep folders organized" and create mayhem .... MAYHEM!
If I put the HD alias in Startup Items, will it at least TRY to mount the disc, and then subsequently be connected at the time of iTunes launch???
This is a nuisance. It has caused my wife to import CDs multiple times. Redundantcy?! Bah!!!
iTunes: OH NO!!!
Me: Interrupted? A quick network ping or search brings it right back into use!
iTunes: "Oh no! I've lost the song (that is currently PLAYING)!!! What do I do??? I know! Make the DEFAULT User folder!!!
Me: Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

Thanks for your post! I used my wife's iMac to post the above rant...
Basically you've re-explained exactly what is happening. I have always pointed to external media, so I set up the iMac the same way.
Media and Library to me are the same things, but iTunes "Library" (.itl) file includes the prefs. (Which point to the external media collection of that .itl "user"... or they should, yes??)
When the drive sleeps, or isnt mounted, an iTunes launch is just being silly be jettisoning the prefs and going back to the ol' user/music/itunes folder nonsense, etc. It should pop up a dialog letting you know that the library is residing on a drive which cannot be found. (hundreds of in iTunes??? great!!!)
It also happens upon waking from a sleep, etc.
I'm just wishing it were a bit more robust and not so easily fussed up. Having someone remember to hold OPT key before launch each time ain't gonna be hapnin'...
Friends dont let friends post drumnk...
Now everything will be in "The Cloud" so... I'm not quite sure when the Cloud rains or if it's a sunny blue-sky day (ew... too Microsofty) that what the app will decide to do to your new CD that you bought at the concert last night and you're flying it into your library or media or cloud or whatever...

ITunes library issues with external drive - HELP!

Hey guys,
I just got the Time Capsule and am using it to store my iTunes library. I went to preferences>Advanced and changed the location of the iTunes Library to my time capsule HD.
The problem I am having is that every time I disconnect from the network iTunes defaults back to user/me/music/itunes and I have to redirect it and then click yes for "organize my library" and then it updates the library, blah blah...
This is very annoying, does anyone have any suggestions?

Try this post;
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Maybe the most useful hint for you is the last paragraph "If you move your library to an external drive, you'll need to power up and connect the drive before starting iTunes. If you don't, iTunes will prompt you to either locate the library or to create a new library (which will result in an empty library)."

Put music on external drive...now wont play on itunes

I just purchased a external drive to run my music off to make my system faster. I dragged all my music files into the external drive then went to general perferences and set the itunes music folder location.
Now when I go into itunes and try and play a song it says the original file cannot be found. What am I doing wrong?

Move all the music back to where it was.
Set iTunes prefs -> Advanced to where you want your music to be.
Go to menu Advanced -> Consolidate library.
This will copy all music to the location you set in iTunes prefs.
Then delete the iTunes music folder from your iTunes folder.

Need to put Itunes on External Drive - HELP PLEASE

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for