Please Help - External Hard Drive Issue

1) Most of my music is on an external hard drive.
2) I do not always keep my external hard drive connected to my computer.
3) Recently, out of the blue, itunes started saying it couldn't find the files in library.
4) I deleted the library and re-loaded it so that all the filepaths were correct.
5) I disconnected my hard drive and opened my itunes library. It obviously couldn't find the files because the hard drive wasn't attached.
6) I re-attached the hard drive.
7) I opened itunes. It is no longer finding the files. Somehow the old filepaths were all erased. I have more than 7,500 songs, so finding the file for each one doesn't work as a solution.
I need to find a solution for this. I want my library on my C drive because I still have some music on that drive and don't want to have to attach my hard drive every time I add music (something I then do later). I tried sorting through all the other information out there, but there is too much and it's too varied. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much.
Aidan
P.S. I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the itunes 8.0.2, which seems not to have some of the buttons shown on previous versions (i.e. "import"). Thoughts?

Thanks so much for the help. It's seriously annoying to have to do this, but if that's what it takes.... One question: Is there not any way just to keep the file paths the same? i.e. If, when I add the folder to the library, the file path points to the location on my external hard drive, why won't it just stay pointed there so that an error message shows when the hard drive's not attached but then doesn't show when it is? I mean, it seems that itunes is re-naming/re-addressing the file path whenever the hard drive's not attached - a very aggravating feature.
Thanks again.

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I`m a little confused. Disk First Aid is a utility from MacOS 9.
Do you mean disk utility ?
If yes, in the upper line is a button for unmounting a disk. I don`t want to try it, but is it possible that a unmounted disk can be mounted again ?
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Message was edited by: Helmut Kaleth
Message was edited by: Helmut Kaleth

Please Help - Time Capsule and External hard drive Issues

Recently, I switched from Comcast to AT&T uverse as my internet provider and I started experiencing problems.
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(5) On August 2, 2014, I switched from Comcast to AT&T and had the AT&T turn off the router function. (I have been using the router from my apple time capsule)
(6) Under Network I switched to bridge mode.
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If you got ATT to turn off router function in their modem..
Then 6. is wrong.. You cannot have the Network switched to bridge mode..
You must have it set to dhcp and nat.
That is also why you cannot backup.. the TC is off the network.
Please change back to router mode in the TC.
Ensure the internet tab shows dhcp and you create a wireless network.
Then power down the TC... power down the ATT modem.. wait about 20min (you can try 5min.. but it might not be long enough).
Power up the ATT modem.. wait 2min for things to flash lights in de right blinkin order.. then start the TC.
Open the airport utility and make sure your TC captured the public IP and is now working as the router.
That should fix that end of it.. the hotspot end??
Tell us what happens.

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hey everyone!
I have a 500GB external hard drive and I've just plugged it in via the USB as I normally do to do some work.
I just had a message come up saying *"the disk you inserted was not readable by this computer"* and the options 'intialize' 'ignore' and 'eject'.
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What is your current situation?
Have you tried the solution as britishdhez mentioned?
Best regards,
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Fangzhou CHEN
TechNet Community Support

1st Gen Time Capsule and External Hard Drive Issues

I have a 1st generation Time Capsule and have never had any luck connecting an external hard drive (both Western Digital MyBook and Seagate FreeAgent Pro) via an USB hub for an extended period. They will connect for a few hours or up to a day or two before they lose the connection and look up the wi-fi connection (although the internet and connected printer don't seem affected). Thought it might be an issue with the powered hub, but have same issue with both (Belkin and APC). I have read that others have had similar issues.
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Hi, try the following:
select the external HD in the finder and press >cmd-i<
unlock and make sure you are the owner
now choose >Apply to enclosed items……<
Have a nice day!

Need help: External Hard Drive doesn't show up

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Do you have another computer to see if the hard drive will mount there?
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Please Help - External Hard Drive Issue

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