Updating a previously backed-up library on an external hard drive?

I keep my iTunes library on my computer's hard drive and I have also backed it up to external hard drive. I have added more music to my library since my previous back-up and I want to back-up the new music to external drive as well. What's the best way to go about this quickly and efficiently?

I am not impressed. After being on hold with the sales department for 20 minutes, they assured me that the tech dept. would help, so I waited another 25 minutes for them. Tech directed me to online chat, where I waited another 35 minutes, only to be told that he could not help and that I'd have to post in this forum space. Adobe kindly upgrade your business practices!

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Backing up library to an external hard drive

Hi. I am wanting to back up my i photo library to an external HD, but also be able to view all the backed up pictures from thumbnails like in i photo. I tried this a while back, lost all my pictures in my library, read some posts and figured our how to retreive them. Now I have lots of dups in my library. I am worried I will do some thing wrong again. I have so many photos, my computer is nearly full, and I would like to move most of the pics to the external HD, but I would like to have them easily accessible if I need to print or email them. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Hi.
You can move your entire iPhoto Library to the external hard drive and operate it from there. This will allow you to free up the space on your iBook. The downside is that you will have to have the external drive mounted in order to access the iPhoto library. (You may have read about a way to use a referenced, or alias-based, library on a laptop when the external drive is not available. That is possible with iPhoto 6, but not iPhoto 5.)
First make sure that your external hard drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (journaled). If it isn't, I recommend that you use Disk Utility to reformat it. This completely erases the disk, so move any data off of it before you do that.
To move your library, close iPhoto. In the Finder, drag the entire iPhoto Library folder from your iBook to your external hard drive. Drag the whole library as an entity; do not open it or disassemble in any way. (Dragging from one drive to another creates a copy, not a move.) Hold down the Option key as you launch iPhoto, select "Choose (or Find) Library" and navigate to the new location on the external drive. iPhoto should then open your library in exactly the same condition as before you moved it. Test the library for a while, and when you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library folder on your iBook to free up the space.
You can keep more than one iPhoto Library, if you wish. You could keep a smaller library on your iBook for easy access to your more current photos, and keep the large library on the external for all photos. To do that, after testing the library on the external drive use the Option-Launch method to switch back to the library on your iBook. When it opens, delete the photos prior to a certain date. Be sure to use the iPhoto trash and Empty it. Pare down the library to a comfortable size. When you need to "retire" photos from the iBook library to the external library, you can use iPhoto Library Manager to move film rolls or albums. It is the only way to transfer photos between libraries while preserving the iPhoto metadata. I haven't used it myself, but it is highly recommended by some of the top members of this forum.
Finally, be aware that moving your library to another drive does not constitute a back up. If you delete the library on your internal drive, you still only have one copy of it. You'll need to back up your library to CDs, DVDs, or (better yet) get a second external drive to serve only as a back up.
Regards.

HT204081 I recently updated i tunes and had previously relocated my library to an external hard drive, on restart I realized that itunes did not update the new location on the external but created a new itunes folder on my regular hard drive. how do I com

I need to know how to fix this. I updated itunes and it created a new itunes folder on my hard drive after I ported all of it to an external for space concerns. It took all my files from that folder and recreated part of it to my hard drive. Now when backing up I have no idea where it is backing up to. Any help appreciated

Sort of. My media was on multiple hard drives, some local, and actually some networked, and then I conolidated it to a single external hard drive. Renaming drives and moving files sounds like a recipe for disaster.
When doing a consolidation, files are copied to a new location and the old ones are left untouched. Does iTunes create a backup database of the file locations before doing a consolidation? I could use the backup if that were the case, since everything still exists in the original locations.
I've recieved my replacement hard drive for the one that crashed and I may be able to copy everything back manually if I knew where it went. I looked inside the iTunes Music Library.xml to see if I could figure out the folder structure, but for some reason they all say they're located in the iTunes folder in My Documents. They're not, of course.
Would the Previous iTunes Library.itl be of any use, or is that for another purpose?

I moved my itunes library to an external hard drive and now I can not update my phone and my apps aren't showing in the sidebar of my library. How can I fix this?

I moved my whole library onto an external hard drive but now when I plug my phone in, it can't back up, it can't update and my apps stopped showing up on the side. It still charges and syncs but I can't update the software. I use a PC. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Ok. progress...
So is your media folder called iTunes Music or iTunes Media? And does it have a folder called Music inside it?
Before going any further you should first attempt to use File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange files in the folder "<Media Folder>" (ignore if grayed out). This will make sure that any iPod Games or Mobile Applications get placed inside the iTunes Media folder which is needed for portability.
If your iTunes Media folder is called iTunes Music, close iTunes, rename the folder as iTunes Media and start iTunes again. iTunes will automatically adjust. Close iTunes again.
On your external drive rearrange the folders that you have already copied there so that they match the layout in your active library. You should end up with a folder called X:\iTunes where X: is the external drive letter, and the media folder is X:\iTunes\iTunes Media. If the library layout was upgraded then you will need to create a Music folder inside this and move all the artist folders and Compilations into Music. You will also need to copy iPod Games and Mobile Applications from your internal drive into the new media folder. Next copy the files iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, sentinel and the folder Album Artwork from the internal drive into X:\iTunes. The preceding manipulations should make the internal and external copies of your library match without you having to copy all of the media over again.
Now hold shift as you start iTunes. Click choose, browse to and open X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl.
Finally use File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files. This will ensure that any stray files that might have been added from outside your original media folder will be copied into the new one.
You can now reclaim the space used by your library on the internal drive, however before you do so I would advise you to obtain another external drive and make use of this backup tip.
tt2

Backing up iPhoto library located on external hard drive

I recently moved my iPhoto 09 library to a 500gb WD portable hard drive in order to free up space on my MacBook Pro hard drive. What I would like to know is can I back up this external library to another external hard drive so that I have two copies of all my photos. Would it work if I had an external hard drive connected to my airport extreme?
Thanks

Most Simple Back Up
Drag the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to another Disk. This will make a copy on that disk.
Slightly more complex:
Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically. Examples of such apps: Chronosync or DejaVu . But are many others. Search on MacUpdate

I downloaded the iPhoto update and now it won't open the library on my external hard drive telling me it is locked (which it isn't) what do i do?

i downloaded the iPhoto update and now it won't open the library on my external hard drive telling me it is locked (which it isn't) what do i do?

What version of iPhoto?
What format is the disk?

How can i back up my itunes library onto an external hard drive?

I can seem to figure out how to back up my Itunes library onto my external hard drive. Any advise?

A quick search provides the answer, see the following:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1751 for backing up to an external drive.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1382 for backing up to optical media.

How do I move my iTunes library from my external hard drive back to my computer?

Just wondering how do I move my entire iTunes library from my external hard drive back to my computer? It was moved to an external hard drive a few years ago, and now I'm wondering how to move it back to my iMac to increase performance.
Where does it belong in the computer?
Any suggestions?

The library itself is the /Home/Music/iTunes/ folder in its entirety. Did you also change where preference files were stored? Normally, they would be in the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder.

HT5085 I bought a new computer. I backed up my old computer and put my itunes library on an external hard drive, that I then uploaded to the new computer. However, how do I access my Itunes account and use the $25.00 or so credit that Ihave and purchase

I bought a new computer, I backed up my itunes library on an external hard drive from the old computer. I then uploaded the external hardrive to my new comupeter Windows 8 - How do I access my apple store account to purchase additional music and use the $25 or so dollars I have in credit. ?
Thanks - Patti

You should be able to log into your account via the Store > Sign In menu option - if the drop-down menus aren't showing the control-B should them to show.
Your balance should be accessible wherever you are signed into the account. My account's balance shows at the top left of the store's page on my computer's iTunes, and by logging in to view my account via the Store > View Account menu option (that option will only show after you've signed in).

HT1751 if i back up my itunes library to an external hard drive and then add subsequent music and want to back that up a few days later, can i backup the only newly added music without backing up the entire library again?

hello,
if i back up my itunes library to an external hard drive and then add subsequent music and want to back up the newly added music a few days later, can i do it without backing up the entire library again? or do i need to back up the entire library each and every time i back up to the external hard drive?

Just copy Users/yourusername/Music/iTunes (containing your library-files) to your external drive as well as that (extaernal) folder that contains all your audio-tracks.

How can I back up my I Tunes library to an external hard drive? Also how do I add my new content to the back up?

How can I back up my I Tunes library to an external hard drive? Also how do I add my new content to the back up?

See this User Tip.
tt2

I got a new computer and backed up my iTunes library to an external hard drive. The external hard drive is not allowing me to access the drive. Is there a way to transfer the songs from my iPod touch to my new computer?

I got a new computer and backed up my iTunes library to an external hard drive. The external hard drive is not allowing me to access the drive. I no longer have access to the old computer. Is there a way to transfer the songs from my iPod touch to my new computer?

That's a bummer, didn't realize the exHD files were corrupt, esp if you have tried from another PC and not just this new computer.
You can get purchases from the itunes store transferred from an iPod using these directions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848?viewlocale=en_US
If you want everything (meaning non-itunes songs, app data, photos, etc) you need to buy a 3rd-party ipod manager that support iTouch. Here is an iLounge article to start your research:
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/copying-music-from-ipod-to-co mputer/P2/

HT1751 Hello, can you help? I have backed up iTune library to an external hard drive, but want to set up periodic back ups every month. Do I have to follow the "Consolidate file" procedure every time I back up, and does my original back become over writte

Hello can anyone help? I have sucessfully backed up my iTuines library to an external hard drive, but when backing up in the furture (Monthly) do I have to follow the same procedure again, and will this place an additonal copy of my iTunes library on my hard drive, so duplicating the back up and so rapidly fill my hard drive.
Ideally what I would like, is for the lateset back up to over write the original so saving space on my external hard drive. Many thanks ......Steve

The "consolidate" command has nothing to do with making backups. You use that command when you have had content in multiple places and you wish to have it now all in a single iTunes folder. If all of your content is already in the iTunes folder, then the "consolidate" command will be of no use to you. You will make further backups using whatever method you normally would use to make backups of your data in Windows.
Regards.

Backing up iTunes Library to New External Hard Drive

I need to move the location of my itunes library as my external hard drive has become full.
I have been backing up my "computer" (i.e. internal hard drive) and the itunes library stored on the external hard drive with TM.
Once I move the library, I will be backing up the new music library. As I understand it, TM will treat this as a completely new backup. Once this is done, I would no longer need or want the older backup on TM -- what's the best way of deleting the older backup since it takes up an enormous amount of space -- i.e. it's 250 gigs -- and then the additional 250 gigs for the NEW music library backup.
Thanks

Helen Berman wrote:
I need to move the location of my itunes library as my external hard drive has become full.
I have been backing up my "computer" (i.e. internal hard drive) and the itunes library stored on the external hard drive with TM.
Once I move the library, I will be backing up the new music library. As I understand it, TM will treat this as a completely new backup. Once this is done, I would no longer need or want the older backup on TM -- what's the best way of deleting the older backup since it takes up an enormous amount of space -- i.e. it's 250 gigs -- and then the additional 250 gigs for the NEW music library backup.
Hello again, Helen!
First, see this: moving your iTunes Music folder
Are you moving the iTunes library from one external to a new, larger one? If so, give the new drive a different name than the old one, even if only slightly different (this is for you, not TM!)
Once the data is moved, eject and disconnect the old drive, and leave it alone for now.
Go into Time Machine and delete all backups of the old drive. You'll need the procedure in #E3 of the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum, to see them. Select the folder representing the old drive, click the "gear" icon in the Finder window's toolbar, select the +*Delete all backups of <folder name> option.+* You'll get a confirmation prompt, then one for your Admin password. Make a large pot of coffee, as that will take a while! If you exit from the TM display, you'll probably see a progress bar for the deletion.
Be sure the new drive isn't listed in the +Do not back up+ box in TM Preferences > Options. If it is, remove it. Then run a backup, and TM should back-up the new external in full, along with any changes to your internal. Make another pot of coffee!
Once that's done, be certain everything was backed-up properly: check sizes, and messages, and browse the backups.
If I were you, I'd keep that old one around, "just in case," until I really, really needed it for something else.

I'm not sure if my iPhoto library is being backed up by Time Machine. I am backing up to a LaCie external hard drive. I can open photos that are in folders but not those that are in iPhoto.

I'm not sure if my iPhoto library is being backed up by Time Machine. I am backing up to a LaCie external hard drive. I can open photos ont the hard drive that are in folders but not those that are in iPhoto.

Do a restore from Time Machine. That will tell you.

Updating a previously backed-up library on an external hard drive?

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