One itunes library with multiple macs (Wireless external HD)

I just bought 3 macs and a 6TB External network drive. I would like to have all of my media on the external drive and have all 3 computers with the ability to add/access content. Can this work? I need the iTunes libraries to update when content is added from any of the three computers.
Thank you in advance

Don't just put the media on the external, put the whole iTunes folder, media and all, on the external. That way any Mac getting access to the external will use the same library (but only one can do so at a time). For each computer start iTunes and immediately hold down the option key to enable selection of the library location.

Similar Messages

Can I share one iTunes Library with multiple computers on a network?

Can I share one iTunes Library with multiple computers on a network?
note: one library universally shared, not Home Sharing (one library each, shared to each.)
I want to share one library stores on my server and access it through various local computers. When I buy a song from a computer (non-server), I want it to be added to the library (stored on server). I want it to auto copy to my server, for organization. I want to be able to sync my phone from any computer.
Most of this I can do, if i figure out how to use one universal library for all my computers.
Any ideas how I can do this?

eyeinit,
You can authorize your iTunes account on up to 5 computers at a time.
However, purchased music is downloaded to the first machine to download it, but these articles have more information on moving your music between authorized computers:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93063
This one is for moving all your music using an iPod as a storage drive
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300173
Hope this helps,
Nathan C.

How to share one iTunes library with multiple computers AND Apple TV? Help?

It seems like my dilemma may not be easily solved. Hopefully it isn't as complicated as I think it will be. Here's the situation:
My wife hates that, in order to see or do anything with the images she takes, I need to have iPhoto open on my computer (Mac Pro), and she then has to connect to it over sharing.
By the same token, I don't like that she buys iTunes content on her MacBook, which is sometimes a duplicate of content I already have. Now that the App Store is out, that is going to start getting really expensive.
So instead, I want us to be able to:
1) Have ONE iTunes library on the network, and ONE iPhoto library. Both of these would be accessible to any computer on the network. When you launch iTunes, you would get all the media that is in that library.
2) Both be able to access iTunes at the same time to listen to / watch content.
3) Both be able to purchase iTunes content, and when it it purchased, it updates that single library. If I buy a song, the next time my wife fires up iTunes, that song is there for her to listen to.
4) Have our two Apple TV units be able to play content from this library.
So, I know that we need something on the network. I have a Drobo with DroboShare, so that is one option. I also have a spare Mac Pro laying around, along with a copy of OS X Leopard Server.
I just don't know what route we should take with this. All I want is for us to share a library, to be able to both use that library, for us to be able to sync content from that library to our portable devices, and for our Apple TVs to also see that library.
Possible?!

I'm sort of in the same boat. We've got an iMac with separate User Accounts set up and are currently sharing the same iTunes and iPhoto libraries along with streaming them to our Apple TV.
Right now I'm the only one with an iPod, however she'll be getting one in a couple of weeks.
We also just picked up a MacBook yesterday and I'd like to be able to sync certain libraries like iTunes and iPhoto so that no content gets duplicated on either the iMac or MacBook and so that we both have access to the current libraries for each program on our iPods and AppleTV.
I have an external hard drive that I back up the iMac on and I assume I could manually keep things current with that but there's got to be an easier way...that's why these are Macs right?
Bill

How to set up One iTunes Library with Multiple Hard Drives

Hello,
I have a question about setting up a daisy chain of external storage hard drives for my itunes library and need some advice. I have run out of room on my 4TB external storage. I have an additional 4TB and a 2TB external storage (all are MyBooks) and trying to figure out how to separate out my itunes folder: I would like to put the TV on one 4TB and the Movies and the other 4TB and the Music/Apps/etc on the 2TB. Here are my questions
1.) How to I point my iTunes to where I have moved them? Just make and alias of the folder and put that back in the original folder?
2.) How do I get the new iTunes downloads to go the correct folder to download so it does not set up a new library for downloading? Can I set more that one location in my preference? If so- how?
I have looked in the forums and all the information is older and does not address this exact issue.
Set up:
Mac mini hooked up to Vizio TV running Lion 10.7.2
      Processor 2.26 GHZ Intel Core Duo 2
     Memory 4GB ( do not really store anything on this one)
MY Books
     1 2TB   Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
     2 4TB   Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
     1 1TB   Mac OS Extended (Journaled)- this is for documents, etc
All these are daisy chain with 800 Firewire to the Macmini and hooked to TV with HDMI.
Any suggestions would be helpful. I can not download anything else from iTunes until I get this resolved and it is a real bummer.
Sara

Here are three different methods >
How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1495
This article > iOS: How to transfer or sync content to your computer, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1296
suggests using contacts groups.
When syncing contacts, you can choose to sync all of your contacts or only selected groups.
You can select a group of contacts to which all new contacts created on your iOS device will be added.
You can set up groups in the Address Book application.
If you are all going to use the same iTunes apps library, turn off "Automatically sync new apps" in the apps tab just below the list of apps. Then you won't get new apps on your device unless you select them.

One iTunes library on multiple Macs and remote accsess

Dear all,
I really need an advise. I am now having an idea to transfer all my iTunes to NAS server - I am thinking about synology 8TB ( is it a good choice?).
Recetly I have red here that I can SOMEHOW tranfer iTunes folder to NAS server and then access it from my MAcbook Air iTunes, my iMac iTunes etc? Is that correct? How can I excatly do this?
And now my MAIN question - if the first condition can be done - can I access my NAS iTunes folder at home from work and then using my whole iTunes library? (I think that if i can be able to connect remotly the NAS server to my Air i can be also be able to using the NAS iTunes folder - library - as I would do at home but I am not sure)
Please - give me an advise, this is going to be very complex for me. :-)
Thank you and have a great day
Steve

Don't just put the media on the external, put the whole iTunes folder, media and all, on the external. That way any Mac getting access to the external will use the same library (but only one can do so at a time). For each computer start iTunes and immediately hold down the option key to enable selection of the library location.

How do I use one iTunes account with multiple macs?

I have a Mac mini and am getting a MacBook Pro. I want to use my iTunes library that currently resides on my mini on my MacBook as well without jacking up anything.
I have an iPhone, an iPad Air and a classic iPod that are all sync'ed to the iTunes on the mini.

Hello blcampbell
There are many different ways to handle this and the easiest way is to migrate you data is to use Migration Assistant. It will migrate not only your music but also other content from your Mac Mini. If all you want is music, you can always just select that as an option. The article below will guide you through that option plus a few others if you are unsure how you want to proceed.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4527
Regards,
-Norm G.

One iTunes library for multiple accounts, iPhones, laptops and PCs.

First off, I'll apologize up front for asking a question that has probably been asked a million times. I've searched the intarwebs and these forums but I've seen so many different answers and read so many different threads pertaining to my question that I think I've over-informed myself to the point of confusion.
OK, for the longest time I've had one iTunes library running on one Windows PC in my house. I used that for updating all our iPods. That was fine for the last however-many-years we've had iPods.
We just picked-up a couple iPhones last night.
All I want to do is move the iTunes library to our NAS so that we can both access the library from any laptop or PC in order to update the music on our iPhones using our different accounts.
Is there a definitive way to do this, or do I have to follow one of these sideways, shady and round-about ways to get this done.
Having to run upstairs to the PC seems to be completely needless with all this technology we have!
Any help would be appreciated.

After reading this and several other related threads, I am becoming thoroughly confused about all of this. I have a situation similar to the one that pokerpal described in the post dated January 7 at 8:06 pm, except that the music files on my system are located on an external hard drive. Everything else is pretty much the same though - I am the admin user (and the main iTunes user and maintainer) and my girlfriend is a standard user who has no music in her own iTunes library. She can see and listen to and make playlists from and sync her iPod with the music in this library from her account, and I can do the same thing, independent of her, from my account. And if I make a change to information within a song, she doesn't see it, and vice versa, and I understand that. What I don't understand is why when I add a song or an album to the music files by importing a CD or downloading something from the iTunes Music Store, she has no way of knowing that unless I tell her, and then she can add it to her library by using the "Add to Library" function. Is there no way of automatically updating her library files to add the new song(s)? We have almost 15,000 songs and videos in that library, and I don't even want to think about what might have to happen if the answer to my question is "no." Interestingly enough, if I put an update to a Word document in the same exact location (on the hard drive), we can update that and pass it back and forth all day - why is that such a difficult task for iTunes to accomplish?
Sorry I went on so long, but this has been building up for some time, and none of the solutions I've read about here have really been of any help, so I'm a bit frustrated and, as I said at the beginning, confused.
iMac G5, MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Using one iTunes library with Vista and XP on a single PC

Since I have converted my whole CD collection into AAC, my iTunes library
is quite large. I have now installed Vista on a second partition as dual-boot
with my old XP. I would like to access my iTunes library with both OSs - but can (and how) this be done ? I already changed the location in both Itunes to the same path, but the second iTunes running under Vista isnt able to import the songs.
Any hints?
Thanks in advance,
Andy

It's the "itunes library.itl" file in Windows, and the same thing without the itl file extension on Macs.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
You might be able to get it to update both copies in each partition with something like TuneRanger or SuperSync. That would run into some money, esp a Tune Ranger license for both Mac and Windows.
Why not put your ITL file on a USB stick or external hard drive, and run your itunes library from that? You can tell the Mac to use the .itl for iTunes by changing properties on it. That's what I did so I can sync my iPods from either my XP PC or Mac and not get that dratted message about "iPod synced to another library".

How to share Itunes library with multiple users on same laptop

I have a macbook pro and am the administrator. I have a profile for my daughter as well. How can I share my itunes library with her without manually loading all the songs on her profile which would take up more memory. Can someone please send me a step by step guide as I am struggling with this. Thanks. Jasu UK.

Move the iTunes library to a location accessible by all accounts on the computer, such as /Users/Shared/ on a Mac, which can be done from the Advanced section of the iTunes preferences. Next, open her copy of iTunes, turn off the option to automatically copy songs to the iTunes Music folder from the same section of the preferences, and drag the folder into the open iTunes window.
(33546)

Sharing one iTunes library across multiple accounts on the same Mac

Hello, I've poked around at some of the posts dealing with sharing one iTunes music library across multiple accounts on the same Mac but it seems like this can only be done if the libary is moved to a shared folder. I realize this can be done but I was trying to share it the way it is described in a post on Apple support (See link below.). That post seemed to imply that you don't have to move the library from its original location (owned by account A, e.g.), rather just make a couple preference changes in the accounts, use fast user switching and voila. That doesn't seem to work. So my question is this: Is the only way to share one iTunes music library across multiple accounts on the same Mac to move it to a shared folder? I'm running 10.4.8 on an Intel iMac. Thanks in advance!
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93195

After reading this and several other related threads, I am becoming thoroughly confused about all of this. I have a situation similar to the one that pokerpal described in the post dated January 7 at 8:06 pm, except that the music files on my system are located on an external hard drive. Everything else is pretty much the same though - I am the admin user (and the main iTunes user and maintainer) and my girlfriend is a standard user who has no music in her own iTunes library. She can see and listen to and make playlists from and sync her iPod with the music in this library from her account, and I can do the same thing, independent of her, from my account. And if I make a change to information within a song, she doesn't see it, and vice versa, and I understand that. What I don't understand is why when I add a song or an album to the music files by importing a CD or downloading something from the iTunes Music Store, she has no way of knowing that unless I tell her, and then she can add it to her library by using the "Add to Library" function. Is there no way of automatically updating her library files to add the new song(s)? We have almost 15,000 songs and videos in that library, and I don't even want to think about what might have to happen if the answer to my question is "no." Interestingly enough, if I put an update to a Word document in the same exact location (on the hard drive), we can update that and pass it back and forth all day - why is that such a difficult task for iTunes to accomplish?
Sorry I went on so long, but this has been building up for some time, and none of the solutions I've read about here have really been of any help, so I'm a bit frustrated and, as I said at the beginning, confused.
iMac G5, MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Managing sole iTunes library with multiple machines on-the-go with database&media on external drive?

Hi fellows. Trying to organize & revamp my iTunes library & wish to achieve a configuration but lack the expertise to achieve it. My objectives are:
Objectives
+1. for my multimedia content to be stored/accessed from an external hard disk+
+2. to keep the entire iTunes multimedia & all necessary operating files as self-contained as possible,+
+3. Allow multiple machines to manage import of new content into library, i.e. download new episodes of podcasts, rip new music & movies into the library, sync-ing of iPod even when said machine is nowhere near my external hard disk (this is the tricky one)+
_Justification for my objectives_
For objective #3, it's not that I'm trying to be funny. My use case is I've 1 laptop (main machine & always at home) & 1 netbook (brought to school daily). Most of my iTunes usage will be via the stay-at-home laptop; but I may wish to add/manage new content onto my iTunes library/iPod while I'm outside (hence, decoupled from my external hard disk at home).
I'm not trying to be funny for objective #1 either. I wish to have a streamlined process of retaining & re-instating my iTunes library meta-data across system re-format, i.e. where the iTunes library db files' location may be changed (most obvious being the new "My Music" folder path in Win7 from WinXP)
_What I'm well aware of_
I understand that storing/re-locating multimedia on external hard disk is no-kick to iTunes veteran. I also understand that after a new installation of iTunes, I can move the fresh copy of "iTunes_library.itl" & "iTunes_library.xml" files to my external volume & point iTunes to their new address from the 2nd launch onwards. I also understand any new machines I introduce into my environment can be directed to that exact copy of iTunes library database files when I install iTunes & pressing "Shift" key upon their launch. Lastly, I also understand that I will have no access to my multimedia files (for playback) while I'm outside, but I can still add new content, & download new podcasts & remove old content from my library/iPod
_The question_
However, what I have difficulty achieving, is launching iTunes on my on-the-go machine(s), without a local copy of the iTunes library database files. I doubt iTunes will be able to launch at all, & if I create a new library (just to launch iTunes), it will not possess content from my main media collection & likely to wipe out my iPod.
_My novice attempt & its inadequacies_
My 1st instinct, is to have the iTunes library database files stored in the cloud. More specifically, I can store them files in my DropBox folder/account, & have every machine update to a single latest version of iTunes library database files upon Internet connection. However, this method depends on:
+* the DropBox application to exist forever,+
+* assumed the installation path of DropBox (or any applications for that matter) to persist/remain unchanged across future versions of operating systems,+
+* Will corrupt any un-sync-ed version of my iTunes library database files when I launched iTunes without 1st updating the local cached copy of them database files (suppose I manage my iPod playlists via iTunes on a plane)+
_Open for recommendations_
So here I'm, all ears to any fine recommendations you iTunes veterans have to offer. Thanx in advance.

In case anyone is interested in these sorta thing:
UPDATE #4: Unfortunately, if you discover you tagged something wrong after importing the songs, even when you correct the tags, iTunes will not re-organize the folder hierarchy, as long as “Keep iTunes Music folder organized“ is UNchecked, even if the songs were imported via the “Automatically add to iTunes folder” channel.
Example: I imported a folder of Andy Lau songs into my library, unbeknownst to me, some of the songs had their “Artist” tagged as “Andy Lau“, while some had theirs tagged as “Liu De Hua“. Naturally, the 1st time round I imported them, 2 separate folders were instantiated as to iTunes, those were names of 2 distinct artists (this is expected, & acceptable behaviour). The downside is, even if I re-tagged all those songs with “Andy Lau” as the artist, iTunes will no longer re-organize & consolidate all them songs into a single “Andy Lau” artist folder (because I’d “Keep iTunes Music folder organized” UNchecked remember?)
Well, you may suggest that I check that option when managing my future library & uncheck it right before launching/using my main, current library. The thing is, iTunes preferences persist across libraries, & one day I will forget to uncheck that option, launch my main library & lose all my current music folder structure to iTunes’ re-organization (which I don;t want, as of yet). Which brings me to another update:
UPDATE #5: My future iTunes library has “I:/iTunes_Media” as iTunes’s “Home” folder. This setting persists even when I switch back to my main, current library. Which means, if I’d my external volume connected while launching/using my main, current library, all new content will end up in that folder on the external volume! Which messes up the whole scheme of things! Arghz!
UPDATE #6: Here’re some updates with regards to ID3 tags:
* the “Album Artist” in Windows (7) Explorer = the “Album Artist” field in iTunes 9
* Modifying a ID3 tag field using Windows (7) Explorer will update BOTH the v1 & v2.3 version of the ID3 tags on the song (if the song has both versions of tags embedded & if the field exists in both tag versions). If you update the tags via iTunes, only the v2.3 tags get updated. This is surprising.
* the “Contributing Artist” field in Windows (7) Explorer = the “Artist” field in iTunes 9 & the “Artist” field in ID3v1 tags (changes in tany of the 3 fields will affect the other 2 respectively)
o However, iTunes Media folder organization will only adhere to the value saved in the “Album Artist” field [if you change the value of "Contributing Artist" in Windows (7) Explorer, the "Artist" field in iTunes or the "Artist" field in a song's ID3v1 tags, no folder re-organization will occur]
UPDATE #7: Some updates with regards to workflow:
Decided to retain all non-music content within a sub-folder named “non-music” beneath the main album folder (& take strict precautions to import songs only). The exception is “m3u” playlist files. Have read elsewhere if you import a folder of songs & there’s an “m3u” playlist inside, your library may have duplicates and/or the tags of those songs you just imported could be screwed, etc.

Accessing a single itunes library from multiple macs using a NAS???

hi, at the moment i have a imac g5 holding all my itunes library files on its hard drive. i'm about to buy another mac to locate downstairs, and also have itunes on my windows laptop.
i am thinking of moving the itunes library to a networked attached storage device, something like the buffalo terastation. does anyone have experience of this? does it work well over a wireless network? (802.11g)
how easy is this to set up, and make each mac point to the library on the NAS device? are there any problems with ripping cds to the NAS device, or multiple macs accessing different songs at the same time?
what would i need to do on each mac to make if see the library if i moved it to the NAS?
sorry for the questions, but i know what i want to do, just not quite sure how to do it!
thanks, andy

hi,
sorry i haven't tried this. i've now resorted to
buying a mac mini, attaching an external firewire
harddrive and using itunes sharing. still means i
have to have the mac mini on all the time, so not
ideal. i decided not to buy the nas for the time
being. i'm still interested in hearing if it works on
other peoples systems tho!
There are others who have done something similar in that they created a shared folder on one computer and opened access to that shared folder to all other computers. The result was that only one computer could listen to the library at a time. I would assume the same thing would be true if using a NAS due to the file locking iTunes imposes. Anybody want to take a ride to the Apple Store and see if one of their reps have done it??

Sharing ONE iTunes Library on TWO Macs (Mac and MacBook) Using Airport Extr

I did put this thread in the Airport Extreme forum, but I have moved it here on advice.
I realise that this has probably been answered a million times on this forum, so I apologize in advance. I recently bought an Airport Extreme and connected to my wireless home network, my internet speeds have increased (don't ask me why because I don't know) and I am really happy with the results, I have just one issue which I am hoping to resolve.
I have a iMac in my study, and a MacBook which I use all around the house. I have an external hard drive connected to the AEBS which has all of my files on, including my iTunes music. The problem is, I download music on both computers, and if I download a track or a movie onto the itunes library of one, it doesn't appear on the other computer, even though both iTunes apps are pointing to the same folder on the external hard drive.
The question I have is, how do I make both itunes libraries share the same library, so if I add a song on my mac it will automatically appear on my macbook when i use it next.
Both macs are fully up to date, and running Leopard
Many Thanks
JC

This is really an iTunes question. How do you configure a remote library which updates properly for all clients?
I suggest that you ask in the iTunes discussion area.

How to "share" your itunes Library with a mac, apple TV and Ipads?

I am looking for an easy way to have my Itunes library on an external drive and be able to access it from a Mac (able to sync an iphone), an Apple TV, and Ipads. I don't want to leave me computer on so I think I am looking for an NAS drive.
Would I need a NAS drive with "itunes server"?

Hey jimyam,
Thanks for the question. If you wish to access your music library from multiple devices, anywhere, It sounds like iTunes Match may be the right service for you:
Apple - iTunes - Match
http://www.apple.com/itunes/itunes-match/
With iTunes Match, all your music can be stored in iCloud — even songs you’ve imported from CDs. You can access your music from all your devices and listen to your entire library wherever you are. And you'll also be able to listen to iTunes Radio without ads.
iTunes Store: Subscribing to iTunes Match
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4914
Thanks,
Matt M.

One iTunes library between multiple home computers

I have looked for a complete answer to this question, but haven't been able to find a complete answer.
I'd like to have a single iTunes library to be shared by 3 home computers.
First let me note that the library I have is composed of about 12,000 songs, all of which were taken from CDs that I have purchased.
I have 2 Mac Powerbooks (connected via ethernet) and a Mac mini (wireless connection), all running Mac OSX 10.4. Additionally I have a LaCie 2d Network 2 drive connected to my home network via ethernet.
On one of the laptops I have my entire music collection, complete with album artwork (much of which I have scanned in myself). On the other laptop I have a partial collection, no artwork.
I'd like to have all the computers access a single music library. I'd also like that library located on the LaCie Network drive. I would also like each computer to be able to add music to the library and to create their own playlists if possible.
I seem to remember that there might be a application that would allow this. I am OK with purchasing a product that could manage this, but I don't remember the product name or who created it.
I am also more than willing to set up each computer individually if I have to but I can't seem to fins specific instructions as to how to go about doing this.
Does anyone know of any tutorials or purchased applications that can help me with this?
Thank you,
TPK

Thank you Gerald. That is very helpful.
I have enabled the sharing, and it seems to work fine, but on the connecting mac I am unable to pull up the artwork or sync an iPod. I'll look at my settings and see if I missed something.
My goal is to have a single library where family members can sync their iPods from their own machines.
Thankx,
TPK

One itunes library with multiple macs (Wireless external HD)

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for