PowerBook G4 using external HD for iTunes to new MacBook Pro

How can I move my iTunes library (all music, movies, ratings history, etc) from my old PowerBook G4 using an external hard drive to my new MacBook Pro?
Migration Assistant will not work due to incompatible versions of the software, and the Apple Store/Training Crew/Genuis Bar couldn't help me and told me to connect to the external HD, drag my music over and start a new library. But my goal here is to not lose almost ten years of ratings, playlists and history.
The iTunes program files (Version 9.2.1) are on the old PowerBook G4, but all actual music files are on the external. I know this isn't going to be easy, but how can I make this happen without starting over???
Thank you all for your help,
EH

I think I know hte issue but not the immediate solution. Your external drive doesn't have the full library, just the media files. The library files which have all the things you see in hte iTunes browser are on your old computer so you don't see it when you plug the drive into your new computer.
You could try copying just the library files from the hard drive of your old computer to the same location on your new computer, then try opening hte external drive. This might work.
Incidentally, mpst people put their whole library, not just hte media files, on their external drives so it is all a neat package for moving between computers. I don't think, though, that this will be a simple matter of copying the library files to the hard drive because the location references might not work

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Hi turingtest2,
Thank you for replying. I've been looking at your posts about setting up iTunes using an external drive. A bit of background info. My old computer broke down, so I got a new one from work. I've always kept my music files on my external drive (I have around 170GB of music). I didn't follow the suggestions in the "migrate iTunes library" post because my old computer died on me. However, I've looked at your posts about lay out of the iTunes folders. Before connecting to iTunes on the new computer, I had reorganized my iTunes folder on my E: external drive, and created an iTunes folder which contains an iTunes Media subfolder. The music files are in a Music folder, which is in the iTunes Media folder. I've also put the following files in my iTunes folder: iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Music Library.xml, as well as sentinel. I then followed the advice you gave bmw99 on 2 Nov 2013 at 9.58 (sorry, can't copy the exact answer).
Just to clarify: I'd like to keep all my music media on the E: external hard drive (the computer hard drive is too small), and I'm aware i might never have my playlists back, and that all the songs in my library might be ticked. However, I don't want my library to be duplicated.
I'm at work at the moment, but will be back home in about 10 hours, so I can be more specific about folders / files names.
I'm glad you picked up my message and greatly appreciate your help.
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Hello all,
I had a upto date 6 year old Macbook G4 that I regularly backed up onto a external hard drive.
I recently purchased a new Macbook Pro OS 10.8.3 with iPhoto version 9.4.3.
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