Transferring Files from Old Computer to New Computer

I upgraded my iTunes to 9.1.1 on my old computer (and new computer). On the old computer, I have everything organized in playlists. When I transferred all my music from my old computer to my new computer (via ipod), my playlists do not show up. All the songs are in Music on the top of iTunes. Is there anyway to transfer the itunes exactly as it appears on my old computer to my new computer? Would a USB transfer cable take care of this problem? Please help

Hi there,
what you did is only transfer all of the MEDIA files into your new computer's iTunes. There is no problem with doing this, but all the media files include are well, the media obviously, and the tagging info (which displays name/artist/album/etc.) If all you do is move the media files onto the new computer and load iTunes, a new copy of iTunes (with no playlists/ratings/play counts and new settings) will load up, and put your content in it.
If you wish to preserve your playlists/ratings/etc, you need to import the iTunes Library File as well. This is by default located in your iTunes directory. So instead of just moving everything from "iTunes Media" (default location), it is best to move the ENTIRE "iTunes" folder, with the Library file and your media files.
However, one trick may still work. If you transfer JUST the Library file over (iTunes Library.itl), transfer it to your new computer, REPLACE the current iTunes Library file with the old one (so delete the new one, put the old one there). Open iTunes while holding SHIFT down the whole time, until a screen pops up asking you to find a library. Select choose library, and go to the location of the Library file we just moved. Select it, and if all goes well your playlists should be there!
You might come across one issue however, and that is if you changed the relative location of your media files. For example if you USED to have it on an external drive "my Music" and now it is on the internal drive in a folder labeled "iTunes Music", the computer may not be able to find your songs because it is looking in the wrong place. If that happens, and you are willing to lose your play counts and ratings, it actually might be more of a time saver to start over again and make your playlists from scratch.

Similar Messages

  • Transferring files from old macbook to new

    I'm trying to transfer files and programs from old macbook pro to new one, but run into problems using Migration Assistant, and time machine.  Not sure what to do differently...

    Probably the most straightforward way to get iTunes onto your new computer is to network the two and copy your iTunes folder across. This works fine if you have been using iTunes to completely manage your music and all your songs are in iTunes Music not in different folders. Connecting two Mac computers using Ethernet
    Another way is to put your original computer into target disk mode and copy the data over Firewire: How to use FireWire target disk mode
    Copying the whole folder brings with it the iTunes Music folder and also the iTunes Library (iTunes Library.itl in Windows) database file which holds all the information about your songs (Playlists, Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played, Date Added, etc). You'll get more information including the Folder/File structure in this article: What are the iTunes library files?
    When you copy the iTunes folder make sure you put it into the same location on the new computer. This has to be the exact same place, on a Mac this would be in Username/Music/. When you open iTunes on the new computer it will be the same as on the original one Songs, Playlists, Play Counts, Ratings etc. When I moved iTunes a while ago for my daughter I was also using the same version of iTunes, not sure how important that is but it's probably worth keeping them the same.

  • Transferring Files from old Mac to New Mac and size is different.

    So I have a MBP 13 and I want to move the Documents folder to my new MBA. I popped in a USB drive and just dragged my Documents folder to the USB Drive. It registered right around 4gb with something like 17,000 items.
    So when I put the USB in the MBA it still says 4gb with the same amount of files. But when I copy them all it only shows 430 files and something like 500mb.
    So I tried as the Root User. When I went it as root, it said it was copying the full 4gb and the 17k items. But when I logged in as the admin and not the Root user it still said the smaller #'s.
    Is there a reason for this? It seems like maybe something was copied when I just dragged the Documents folder to the USB. Are there some account specific hidden files or settings or something when I do it that way? I supppose I could just open the docs, select all, and copy that way, but I would like to figure out what is going on here.
    TIA
    Steve

    Have you got access to an external drive that is large enough to hold your entire iTunes folder including the iTunes Music folder? Start by consolidating your library. When you consolidate, any songs in the iTunes Library that are not in the iTunes Music Folder are copied to the Music Folder and the Library is updated to point to those new files. Files already in the iTunes Music Folder have no changes made to them. Attach an external drive and copy over your iTunes folder. Copying the whole folder brings with it the iTunes Music folder and also the iTunes Library (iTunes Library.itl in Windows) database file which holds all the information about your songs (Playlists, Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played, Date Added, etc). You'll get more information including the Folder/File structure in this article: What are the iTunes library files?
    When you copy the iTunes folder make sure you put it into the same location on the new computer. This has to be the exact same place, on a Mac this would be in Username/Music/. When you open iTunes on the new computer it will be the same as on the original one Songs, Playlists, Play Counts, Ratings etc. You should also use the same version of iTunes on both computers.

  • Transfering files from old mac to new mac

    I just bought a iMac G5 and started it up and it asked if I wanted to transfer files from my old mac. I selected yes. And it began transferring. It looked like everything was going fine until I checked on it about 30 minutes later and it looked like it hadn't progressed at all. I checked on it another 30 minutes later and it said 1 hour 6 minutes remaining and hasn't moved since. I don't understand why it's not going further. And it's taking forever! Am I just too impatient. I'm transferring 5GB from my old PowerPC G4 mac using a firewire cable. Any help is much appreciated. I have no idea why it's not working.

    A couple of other things to consider Emille,
    1. Make sure your data is really going through the firewire cable and not a wireless network. Going through an ethernet or firewire cable would be much faster. It may have been possible that even though you had a cable connected, It may have tried to do it wirelessly anyway.
    2. Were either of them going to sleep?
    3. Make sure no other firewire devices are plugged in.
    Joe

  • HT1349 Transferred songs from old iPod to new computer and now songs won't sync to my iPhone 5

    What should I do? To get them to sync to my phone?o

    What computer OS are you using? Do you have the latest version of iTunes (v11.1)? There has got to be a reason for the disconnect in the music syncing. I would recommend resetting the sync history. If you are in Windows, go to Edit, Preferences, Devices, and there is a button there. Now, with the phone connected to iTunes and the phone selected in the Device pane, you go to the Summary page and down towards the bottom of the page, there is a Reset Warnings box. After doing that, try to sync music again. If there is a problem, with the warnings reset, it should show up if there is one.

  • Transferring Files from Old iMAC to New iMAC

    I just a new iMAC. I went through the setup process that transferred the files and user YoungFamily from my old one to my new one. Great.
    BUT, now when I try to get into the new iMAC it prompts me for a password for YoungFamily... I never set one up as its a home computer and doesn't need one. So, I'm wondering what the password would be.. I can't log in to the new machine! 8-(
    Andy

    Hi Andy,
    See this support topic, under subhead "Resetting the original administrator account password"
    -mj
    [email protected]

  • Stuck transferring files from old iMac to new

    Have new iMac connected to old via FireWire as directed during initial setup of new iMac. Transferring no more than 180GB and the transfer is stuck claiming About 7 hours and 15 minutes remaining. Old iMac was running fine (slow, but fine) and this has been stuck for the last hour or so. Unsure as to OS as the Mac is still in setup mode.

    Well, there is very little drive activity from the old iMac BUT I restarted it and started the process over, de-selecting some of the items. Same results though I let it sit for a couple of hours and now it claims there is five hours left. VERY slow but making progress. My guess now is that the iMac's drive was SO fragmented that it is taking an inordinate amount of time to transfer.

  • Transferring Files from old PB to new MBP

    Hey I just got a new MBP and I have been using a Powerbook G4 for a few years. I want to transfer my stuff from the PB to the MBP but I dont want to transfer all the junk and random stuff I have accumulated, just some key folders like My Docs and Music and Photos and all that fun stuff. I have never used the Migration utility thing that you can use when you first start a new Mac. Should I use this? I was also just thinking about using Target Disk Mode and throwing a Firewire 800 between the two laptops. Any thoughts on that method? Thanks a lot.

    daniel123456,
    Firewire 800 rocks for transferring between the machines (this is what I used when migrating from my PB). I do not recommend using the Migration Assistant, however, especially given your desire to transfer limited stuff.
    I would connect the two, with the PB in TDM, then simply drag what you want into your new HOME folder on the Macbook Pro.
    Scott

  • Just transferred files from old macbook to new macbook pro and can't find my documents or music files itunes or garageband

    Used emigration assistant and can't find my files. Applications and programs transferred fine but can't find word docs. picture or itunes songs.

    Call Apple, you have 30 days of free support.
    I tell you this because Apple doesn't think anything is wrong with Migration Assistant, but it's loaded with problems and we volunteers are tired of handling their problems for free.
    Call them, make Apple fix it, it's their screwup.
    Once they see it's costing them money, perhaps they will quit using it or fix it.
    Sorry about the rant, but you can help solve the problem, Apple doesn't pay attention here, it's moderated and that's about it.

  • New to mac. While transferring files from old computer to mac I burnt out a brand new flash drive. How do I format a new flash drive so that it will let me transfer stuff from mac to pc or vise versa??

    New to mac. While transferring files from old computer to mac I burnt out a brand new flash drive. How do I format a new flash drive so that it will let me transfer stuff from mac to pc or vise versa??

    "guess no one can help me. thanks anyway have a great night everyone"
    Some of us do find time to sleep.

  • Transferred library from old PC to new, lost all files dl'd from ITunes

    Transferred music files from old pc to new with minimal difficulty, but have now realized all songs downloaded to my library from ITunes have failed to make the trip!
    I used the Ipod itself to transfer the files, as I couldn't figure out how to get the 2 pc's to transfer files via a wireless connection. Now my 60gb Ipod which had ~5800 songs using ~22gb its memory states it has 5275 songs on it and only 15.7gb available. Where did I manage to screw this up?
    I imagine there is a problem where this new computer has not been authorized. True? When I first download some new songs from Itunes, will it then be authorized and my songs will reappear? Why is the amount of memory affected?
    Thanks mucho for any available help. I have searched for quite a while, but haven't been able to find someone who has had the same experience or trouble.
    G

    I'd imagine that's because you had no music files on your newly reformatted drive, and when you reattached your shuffle it loaded an empty file, hence no tunes.
    This (transferring the files from computer to computer) was done using the instructions found here.
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300173
    Don't know if that works for the shuffle, though.

  • Transferring files from old computer with fire wire

    I'm transferring files from my old computer to my new one. The old one has three hard drives. Everything from the startup drive transferred OK over fire wire, but the new computer doesn't see the 2nd and 3rd hard drives on the old one. Is there a way to link these? Thanks!

    Click here and follow the instructions, setting up FireWire networking from System Preferences if desired. FireWire Target Disk mode will only connect to the master ATA drive on the ATA 0 bus, and will shut down the computer if there's nothing at that location.
    (30151)

  • HT3258 after   transferring data from old mac to new mac, I can't see the transfer files and application on new mac.?

    How can I see the      data and application that I transferred from Old Mac to New Mac?
    Transfer of all the files and application was successful but I can't see it on the New Mac.
    Help.

    Thanks for your reply
    I did reboot the system.
    still can't see new user.
    One thing though when the system finished transferring the files
    at the end a message came up
    " 2013-09-11 04:18:05 +0000 Paul Nirwan could not be created.
    I did the transfer two times, same thing. first time I used the WiFi
    and second time from my back up disk with USB connection, using Migration Assistant.
    Second time also said that Paul'Mac already exist, Paul'Mac 2 created.
    How can I get rid of first data trasnferred?
    It will be using too much space on hard drive if Ileave it therre.

  • Transfering photos from old laptop to new with different versions of PS elmnts

    We have PS Elements 4 on an old lap top, running Windows Vista, which is beginning to fail.
    Have just purchased new lap top running Windows 8 which will not accept PS Elements 4 as it is incompatible, but it has partially loaded.
    Shop says they transfered photos across from one to the other but cannot find any of the tags for 7000 plus photos.
    Am intending to buy PS Elements 12. but being 70 plus am not computer savvy.
    Is there a step by step idiots guide on how to get said 7000 plus photos, complete with all the tags on them, from old LT to new LT at the same time converting them from PSE4 to PSE 12.
    Regards
    KenC

    http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/common-catalog-issues-upgrade-elements.html
    This document is from Adobe, certainly not step-by-step!  If you plan to convert the old catalog, I suggest that you get help in view of the reservation which you have identified.

  • Will apple store transfer files from old macbook to new?

    will apple store transfer files from old mackbook to new

    If  you mean that you are going to an Apple Store to buy a new Mac, and you want to know if they will transfer your data for you then the answer is "maybe." Many stores will do that for you, but some may not. Good idea to ask first.

Maybe you are looking for

  • Itunes cannot sync due to lack of space on iphone, but itunes also indicates 8GB free?

    So im trying to sync my phone to itunes, and it clearly says there's 7-8 gb free in the space bar on the itunes iphone window. However whenever i try and sync it tells me I need 500 mb of additional space. Anyone come across this problem before?

  • Basic voltage measurement, with Meter, Relay, and Load. How do I make it work?

    Hello, I have LV2010, and I am controlling a Meter, Relay, and Load. Here is what I need.  Please give me any crazy idea that you can think of to explain why this will work all day and then after shift change it hangs, and locks repeatedly. I have lo

  • Why is Mail such a pain?

    I got my MBP back in December. I've been avoiding setting up Mail because of the hassle, and because I wasn't sure I needed to have my MBP get that bogged down in its functions (audio and photo). So, anyway...last week, I found I needed to go ahead a

  • [SOLVED]Google Earth and LSB

    Good Morning Fellow Archers, I've got an up to date x64 Arch install. I wanted to install Google-Earth from the AUR but was not able. I tried both packages, and both of them are failing looking for LSB-3. The current LSB in the repository is rev 4. I

  • PSE 6 Tries to add offline photos in catalogue twice.

    When I import photos from CD but only as a proxy, when I restart PSE 6 the program finds these proxies and tries to add these as well to the catalogue. How do I stop this?