Speeding up a iTunes library with a Huge library

My iTunes is slowing to a crawl. I don't blame it. I have over 60% of a 3TB drive filled with Apple Lossless files in the library. Searching and refining info is something I do all the time. I know there are no 'limits' to the amount of stored music, thankfully, but operation is hindered by having so much in the library. My question is this:
It is possible to have music entered and visible in the library without it actually being inside the iTunes Music folder itself. If I were to take a large chunk of music files out of that folder and only point a reference to them from a different place - will that help streamline operation? Is it just the library file, or does iTunes work on the actual files themselves meaning it would take probably even more overhead to find and manipulate them?
I'm hoping that with more years more people will have more music at higher resolution and somehow the database opearation of iTunes can be reworked. It's pretty much the only game in town, isn't it?

I've been using SuperSync for this purpose for a while. I have my iTunes Library (on my laptop) and a 2TB external drive that is my SuperSync library.
Every so often (as I download stuff or rip CDs), I'll run SuperSync, select "Local - Unsychronized" and then "Put", and it puts all my content that's on my laptop that's NOT already on the external drive, onto the external drive.
I can then also, if I choose, use SuperSync to select content from the SuperSync library and then "Get" it back into my iTunes library for playback.
Works pretty well with Songs, TV Shows, and Movies (although there's some quirks, it'll only transfer the HD version of an SD/HD combo, probably because they get unified somewhere in the iTunes Library internals, and only the first/HD file-path gets presented through whatever API SuperSync is using).

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If i "add to library" with my existing library will it duplicate all tracks? i ask this as an entire genre has been deleted and i have 890gb of music

if i "add to library" with my existing library will it duplicate all tracks? i ask this as an entire genre has been deleted and i have 890gb of music

Hello gogreenj14,
If you had iTunes Match updated with all of your non iTunes purchased content already, then yes, when you enable iTunes Match with the following article it will have all the content that has been uploaded to iTunes Match will be available for download.
iTunes: How to add a computer or iOS device to iTunes Match
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4913
Open the latest version of iTunes on the computer you intend to add. You can download the latest version of iTunes here.
Sign in with the Apple ID you use with iTunes Match.
Choose Store > Turn On iTunes Match.
Click the Add This Computer button.
When prompted, enter your Apple ID password.
iTunes will automatically begin scanning your computer's library for matches.
A status indicator will allow you to track progress. You may also manually pause and resume the process at any time by clicking the Stop or Start button.
Once iTunes has completed matching and uploading your iTunes library, your music in iCloud will be integrated into your local music library. A download button will appear to the right of any content that you have in iCloud that doesn't already exist on your computer.
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
Sterling

Merging Time Machine Library with Blank Aperture Library

I have a 2008 aluminum uni-body MacBook with 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB 1067 MHz DDR3 memory running Mt Lion, with 367 GB available on the hard drive. For various reasons, I recently completed a clean install of Mt Lion after backing up via Time Machine.
The first thing I re-installed was Aperture, downloaded from the Apple Store. I didn’t put much else back on the laptop because my first priority was getting the pictures back. I also checked for software updates.
For a week now, I’ve been fighting with Time Machine to get my 133.75 GB library restored. I kept having permissions errors or unable to reinstall errors or, when I tried copying the individual folders (show package contents) I’d get the thumbnails as if they were the actual pictures. Frustrating!
I’ve tried several different methods, techniques, recommendations, attempts to restore, including going into Time Machine and pressing restore. I finally deleted everything that had been placed on my computer related to Aperture, including Aperture and the file in Application Support for Aperture. I re-downloaded Aperture, ran the software updates, opened using the Option command, switched to the Time Machine library, and then restored the permissions.
After a certain amount of nail-biting agony, I had the first correct view of my library in more than a week!
Then, I began to stumble again because I couldn’t figure out or remember how to restore this now agreeable library to my fresh installation of Aperture. So, I created an empty library in Aperture, then merged the corrected Time Machine library using the Import Library function.
19 hours later, Activity Monitor shows that Aperture still has activity, but the monitor bar is stopped at probably 9/10 of the way and has been like that for 13 hours. The library on my hard drive has grown from nothing to 87.75 GB.
Is this normal to have hours and hours for a large library to merge?
Should I give up and Force Quit (even though I’ve read that causes damage to the library), and then try to restore via Time Machine?
If this merge library action actually works, will my backup be ruined? Or, better said, if this merge library doesn’t work, will my backup be ruined? I have another one I could use, but it’s a bit older.
Regards,
Alison in Sunny Florida

Got it working--not sure what happened.
Probably your iPhoto library needed upgrading to the latest iPhoto version that is compatible with your recent Aperture version. If your Aperture version is currently Aperture 3.5.1, you need to open any iPhoto library that you want to import at least once in iPhoto 9.5.1. Otherwise you cannot select it. See this document:
Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5296

ITunes problems with existing Music Library

Can someone please advise why since downloading the latest iTunes SW I now have 83 songs (at least two of these songs were purchased directly from the Apple on-line store) in my PC Music Library that cannot be ported to my iPOD.
I have tried to Authorise my PC with the Apple Server at least a dozen times now and each time it say's it OK yet I still have the problem highlighted above.
I am getting so annoyed that Apple can stop me listening to MY OWN music that I am toying with idea of dummping my iPOD and moving to a more Customer friendly MP3 device.
Rgds, John...

I actually had about 5 on my Mac do the same - also purchased software from the Apple Store.
I managed to get them recognized properly by deleting them from the iTunes library (but not trashing the files) and then re-importing them in to iTunes, it seems to be related to the update process when 7.1 first loads.

I'm trying to merge (unify) my Aperture library with my iphoto library and have doen the merge and consolidate functions in Aperture. I have found that this process increased my Aperture library form 30 to 39 gigs and duplicated many photos in the proces

I've just merged my Aperture and iphoto libraries and have found that my combined new Aperture library has grown from about 30 gigs (the total size of the Aperture and iphoto libbraries prior to merging) to 40 gigs. Also, in reviewing photos in the Aperture browser I find that photos appaer as duplicated, one photo with no tag (the original) followed by the same photo with a small tag (suggesting edits). HAs the merge process caused an unintended increase in library size? My initial reason do consolidate the libraries was to eliminate the "referenced" portion fo the Aperture library that refernced the iphoto originals. Any thoughts as to how I can get one consolidated non-referenced combined libray inside Aperture with no duplicates. I run a Time Capsule and can access backups of the original Aperture and Iphoto libraries if I need to repeat the process. Thanks for any help. Jim.

My initial reason do consolidate the libraries was to eliminate the "referenced" portion fo the Aperture library that refernced the iphoto originals
One for the Consolidate Masters command.
By importing the Library you brought over everything, lock stock and barrell, and your Aperture library still points to those referenced masters in the iPhoto Library.
Regards
TD

How do you merge a backed up library with a different library on a different device but same account, not shared?

I have a backed up library from a now broken PC. I want to move it to the library on my husband's laptop. It's the same iTunes account but we've never been able to share libraries, we've tried many times. How can I get the backed up library into the one on his laptop? As my PC is now dead, I have no access to my iTunes content, just a back up. Hope someone can help?

Restore the backup of your library to any suitable location then shift-start iTunes to switch libraries. See iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one for details.
See also Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
tt2

Syncing with iTunes library [2 devices, l library]

Both my husband and I sync his and my iPads with my iTunes library and they have different names and separate backup names etc. But a few weeks ago I changed out the harddrive in the computer and now the iTunes Library is [ostensibly] a different one, so that you get all those warning notices about how you can't sync with 2 libraries and you'll wipe off the data etc.
My thought was to [1] transfer purchases from his iPad to the library and [2] back up to that library so there was a backup of his iPad associated with the library and then do the updating to iOS5 and syncing etc. = in essence replace the old Library with the new Library - even tho they are actually identical but the user name on the drive is a tad different.
Is that the right way to go - or is there a place I can go to find the old backup for his ipad from the old drive [I have it attached and also have TimeMachine backup as well] and move it into wherever it goes in the new library - the old drive is still under Snow Leopard and I'm at 10.7.2 on the new drive.
Any suggestions = I'm sure he doesn't wan to lose anythign on his iPad in this process so I want to be able to have him safely backed up to the new library and then use it as the new home.
thanks

Just an update = we are trying to get his iPad up to iOS5 so the Q is whether to do the steps in a particular order = if we transfer then back up then upgrade to iOS5 and then restore from backup will that work???

HT1495 I have a iPod, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s. My desktop PC contains my iTunes account with music from my CDs. Recently I used my laptop and bought music on my iTunes account. Now my devices will not sync to the desktop (they timeout). What is the problem

I own an iPod, iPhone 4 and iPhone4s. My iTunes account with my music library (copied from CD's) is stored on my Windows desktop computer. Recently, I used my Windows laptop computer to access my iTunes account and purchase some music which was downloaded to the laptop computer. I then synced the iPod and the iPhone 4 to the laptop and was able to add the purchased music to these two devices.
Yesterday I bought the iPhone 4s. I want to copy all the music library found in my iTunes account stored on the desktop computer to the new iPhone 4s. When I tried to sync the iPhone 4s to my desktop iTunes account the device "times out". How do I get my music library that is on the desktop copied to the new iPhone 4s?
Any advice would be appreciated.

What happens when you try to sync?
Was the iPod previous synced to another iTunes library/computer?
Have you successfully synced from this iTunes library/computer before?
Do the songs play in iTunes?
Do you have the right boxes checked to sync?
iTunes: Syncing media content to iOS devices and iPod
Do you have any Restrictions (Settings>General>Restrictions) set that would prevent syncing those songs?

Merging iPhoto's library with Aperture's

What I want to accomplish: merge my iPhoto library with my Aperture library, creating one Aperture library while removing any duplicates.
What I've done: copied my iPhoto library to an external disc.
What I've tried to do: use "import library" on the Aperture File (while in the current aperture library on my internal disc) menu to import the saved iPhoto library on my external disc.
What happened: iPhoto library is visible but not selectable.
What went wrong? Thanks.

Got it working--not sure what happened.
Probably your iPhoto library needed upgrading to the latest iPhoto version that is compatible with your recent Aperture version. If your Aperture version is currently Aperture 3.5.1, you need to open any iPhoto library that you want to import at least once in iPhoto 9.5.1. Otherwise you cannot select it. See this document:
Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5296

How do I import photos in my iBook Library to my G5 Library w/ album names?

I want to combine my iBook Library with my G5 Library.
They are connected via a wireless network.
What is the easist way to do this?
Thanks for the info
Len

Len:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. The easiest way to do that would be with the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager. It can merge libraries while maintaining the album, keyword, and other organizational information. Otherwise, you'd have to burn one of the libraries to disk using the Share->Burn Disc menu option. If your library is small enough you could burn the entire library to one DVD and then mount that DVD with the other iPhoto library and copy those rolls, albums, etc. into the other library. Or you can do it by burning selected rolls or albums. There will be a problem with keywords as there's a bug in V5 that messes up the keywords when burning that way. You're best bet would be the iPhoto Library Manager method.

How do I organize a huge (120GB , but alot of duplicates) music library with iTunes?

How do I organize a huge (120GB+, but alot of duplicates) music library with iTunes? Thanks!

If you do not want the duplicate files, maybe the best thing to do first is to eliminate as many duplicates as you can..
You can use iTunes: View/Show Duplicate Items
Or you could use one a script

Is there a way to speed up my iTunes with 120.000 tracks?

Hi everybody, does anyone can suggest me how to speed up my iTunes? it is going very slow in all kinds of operations, not to mention importing a cd. Ok i have a quite big library - the library file is about 170MB - and a quite big archive of almost 1100GB or 120.000 tracks divided on various hard disks of 250BG. almost all the tracks are AAC imported from my record (CD) collection, wich I am converting to digital with iTunes. It all works but is becoming more slowly as i add more songs (I haven't finished my job yet...). is there anything I can do? and why iTunes is not prepared for people like me who wants to store big quantities of music on it????I can't really see the point.
please illuminate me
thanks
max
P.S. - now I am working with a new Mini Mac 1.4 with 1GB ram and using an external disc (faster than the MiniMac one) Lacie 250GB 7200rpm. the music files are stored in other Lacie disks. system 10.3.9

I have the same problem. I find that the Google Mail Servers that handle that function tend to be heavily used and are usually slow both up- and downloading. Send a suggestion to Google to invest in more server capacity. Note, my Comcast mail account servers are very fast by comparison.
Hope this helps

Itunes 8 with library on ext hard drive

I have my Itunes library on an external hard drive, which has been working correctly. After installing Itunes version 8 today, Itunes cannot find most of the songs in my library. I have tried holding down the shift key when I start up, with no help. I can find the songs on my external hard drive, and they will play one at a time, but Itunes doesn't see them. Any ideas?

I was going to ask that, but I won't Small point though, not only must it be plugged in but the drive must be "ready" as well. If it's still running up the hard drive to full speed, it isn't ready.
In addition, the external drive must have the same drive letter allocated to it as before. If, for any reason, your laptop gives the external drive the drive letter E the first time, but drive letter D on the subsequent occasion, then once again, iTunes will fail to find the Library as it's "on a different drive" (letter).
Various things can transpire to cause the drive letter to be different; other deivces such as cameras, scanners, printers, or even memory card readers are all assigned a drive letter when plugged in, usually on a first come, first served basis. Perhaps your laptop has some quirk that means it decides on a different drive letter.
As a test, make a note of which drive letter has been used before you power off. Then check the next time iTunes fails to find the Library whether the drive has been given the same letter as before.

How can I use an existing iTunes library with a new iTunes account

My daughter is going to college, and wants to untangle herself from the family iTunes account. Right now, we have three iPods with libraries on three computers, all using my iTunes account - and have had no problems.
She has signed up for a new account, but her previously purchased songs (on my account) won't play on her computer (new computer, iTunes is currently almost empty library), because it is authorized to HER iTunes account.
What is the best way to import her iTunes library that was created using my account onto her new computer? (Old library is on a PC, she now has an iBook, purchased used on eBay.) Is there any way to get these songs to play using her new account info? Can I maybe copy them somewhere without the metadata and then move them into her library? I realize that would lose ratings and other info, but would it get rid of the block? I'm not trying to do anything dishonest - these are personal iPods, personal computers, all within one family, we've paid for all music on them.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
(I posted this in the iTouch discussion, and then thought it wuold be better answered over here.)

Then can her computer be authorized to both accounts?
Absolutely. You can authorize any given computer to up to five iTunes Store accounts.
If purchases are made on her account, to a computer authorized to my account, can I put those songs on my iPod?
If you connect your iPod to her computer, yes. Tracks download only to the computer from which they're purchased, regardless of which iTunes Store account is used for the purchase. Or you could copy the tracks from her computer to yours and then authorize your computer to her iTunes Store account. But that's sort of defeating the original purpose, it would seem to me.
is it better to buy music through Amazon downloads and/or actually purchasing CDs to avoid the security features iTunes puts on its music?
That's certainly an option. If it's an entire album I want, I buy CDs. That way I can import them at the quality I want and to whichever of my systems I want. Amazon or one of the other download stores that offer tracks as MP3 are also an option, though for me download stores are best when you just want a couple of tracks off a given CD.

How can I manage 1 iTunes library with 2 computers (not on same network)?

I have 1 very large iTunes library in which I am always adding/deleting/editing songs and 2 computers (1 home, 1 laptop). I would like to be able to manage my library with my laptop when I am away from home but also be able to see any changes I made next time I open iTunes on my home computer. I tried home sharing but this seems to be more for computers on the same network. My library is much too big for iCloud. Someone suggested I hold shift when I open iTunes to select a library but even though I can select the library file I want, it doesn't populate iTunes with my changes (or any music for that matter). I'm running XP with the latest version of iTunes (10.7.0.21). Thanks

This describes a work/home scenario. For home/away use, edit the library directly on the portable backup when away, then sync libraries on your return.
Sync iPod/iPad/iPhone with two computers
Although it isn't possible to sync an Apple device with two different libraries it is possible to sync with the same logical library from multiple computers. Each library has an internal ID and when iTunes connects to your iPod/iPad/iPhone it compares the local ID with the one the device normally syncs with. If they are the same you can go ahead and sync...
I have my library cloned to a small 1Tb USB drive which I can take between home & work. At either location I use SyncToy 2.1 to update the local copy with the external drive. Mac users should be able to find similar tools. I can open either of the local libraries or the one on the external drive and update the media content of my iPhone. The slight exception is Photos which normally connects to a specific folder on a specific machine, although that can easily be remapped to the current library if you create a "Photos" folder inside the iTunes Media folder so that syncing the iTunes folders keeps this up to date as well. I periodically sweep my library for new files & orphans with iTunes Folder Watch just in case I make changes at one location but then overwrite the library with a newer copy from the other. Again Mac users should be able to find similar tools.
As long as your media is organized within an iTunes Music or Tunes Media folder, in turn held inside the main iTunes folder that has your library files (whether or not you let iTunes keep the media folder organized) each library can access items at the same relative path from the library folder so the library can be at different drives/paths on different machines. This solution ensures I always have adequate backups of my library and I can update my devices whenever I can connect to the same build of iTunes.
When working with an iPhone earlier builds of iTunes would remove any file not physically present in the local library, even if there was an entry for it, making manual management practically redundant on the iPhone. This behavior has been changed but it will still only permit manual management with a library that has the correct internal ID. If you don't want to sync your library between machines on a regular basis just copy the iTunes Library.itl file from the current "home" machine to any other you want to use, then clean out the library entries and import the local content you have on that box.
tt2

Speeding up a iTunes library with a Huge library

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