Several computers sharing the music library stored on a network disk: howto

Hi,
We currently have iTunes set up on a (laptop) computer. The music folder location is on a network disk (NAS). Everything has been working fine.
We recently purchased two more laptops for other family members and would like to set up the iTunes for those computers to use the same existing music folder. Is this possible? I understand that we must authorize all computers using the library to be able to play purchased music.
So far we have synced all our ipods using the one and only computer. In the future each of us will use their own laptop for syncing. Will this cause any problems regarding to the shared music library?
I guess that the playlists are stored in the itunes files, not in the music library. Due to this the playlists must be created on the new computers after the itunes installation.
Best regards,
ikl

You are most of the way there. The only issue will be that anything done by one machine will not be automatically updated to others. Files deleted from NAS by one machine will not be available to others anymore leading to ! next to track names if in libraries on other machines.
Files added by one machine will have to be added to the libraries of the other machines using 'add file to library' or 'add folder to library' options on menu.
Podcast subscriptions should be only files that will duplicate on NAS. Podcast subscriptions are individual to each library even if stored to same location. The files themselves well get numbered. The library will know which file to use. This allows episodes to be deleted without affecting other users.

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2. for a backup of my library - why can't I just copy that onto my external harddrive (instead of doing as article 1751 suggests which is to back up the library by consolidating the library to one folder)?
I'm just trying to understand this.
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tom111 wrote:
When I loaded music from CDs into the Library, or downloaded from the itunes store into that same library:
1.The overriding question is whether this music is always loaded into 1 file folder, specifically which one is it (\my music or is it \my music\itunes or something else), and why would it be in more than that one folder?
Unless you have changed something, new rips and iStore purchases go into MyMusic\iTunesFolder\iTunesMusicFolder
2. for a backup of my library - why can't I just copy that onto my external harddrive (instead of doing as article 1751 suggests which is to back up the library by consolidating the library to one folder)?
If you are sure all your music is in the folder we just talked about, you can skip the Consolidate step. If you have any music in other folders, due to manual activity, ripping with other programs, etc, then Consolidate will put a copy into the iTunesMusicFolder, which prevents it from getting lost when you move the library.
I'm just trying to understand this.
No problem. That is the purpose of this Forum. (-:

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tt2

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See Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
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Several computers sharing the music library stored on a network disk: howto

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