Vista and iTunes Library on External Drive

I just moved from an XP Pro laptop to a Vista laptop. My iTunes library has been happily existing on an external drive. I used the user transfer utility in Vista, moved over to the new machine, and installed iTunes 7.6. For whatever reason, I cannot figure the right way to point iTunes at the library on the new machine. (Dell puts a restore partition on the hard drive, so the only thing that has changed is that the external drive was drive E: on the old machine, and drive F: on the new machine.) Setting the location to F:\myfiles\iTunes\iTunes Music does not work. I've tried f:\myfiles\iTunes as well, but no joy. All entries in the library show the missing file exclamation mark. I just need to know the right way to set the music folder location, and anything else I would need to do afterward. Thanks.
John

See Make a split library portable and Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows. If the library is in the correct structure and the permissions are correct you can swap back and forth. iTunes takes a little while processing the library after each switch, which it doesn't need for a path change of a portable library on the same OS.
tt2

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I have my iTunes library on external drive and can access from any PC. However I cannot access from new MacBokk Air.

My iTunes library is on an external drive and been using it on two PCs with no problem.
Now that I got a new MacBook Air I want to access the same iTunes library from the external drive and keep all the library and media on that external drive.
When I try to change to another iTunes library by hitting "option" with iTunes and select the library on the external hard drive I get the following message:
"The iTunes library file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do noy have write permission for this file."
I have read many posts in which many suggest to go to the library or media file on the PC and right click to make sure the read only tab is not checked.
I uncheked the read only tab and gave full permission to all the iTunes files and folders.
The unusual part is that I can use this external drive on many PCs that I have tried with no problem at all.
I just select a different library, which is on my external hard drive and everything works, play lists and everything.
However, when I try it on a MAC i get the message stated above:
What can I do to be able to access my External iTunes library from new MacBook Air while keeping everything on the external drive like I can on PCs?
I am running latest version of iTunes and Mavericks.
Please advise.

Here are the official Apple Support instructions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Ciao.

Moved iTunes Library to external drive- now can't move iPad purchase to Mac

I moved my iTunes Library to an external drive because I didn't have enough internal HD space to move a movie purchased on the iPad to my Mac. Now iTunes won't sync my iPad - and wants to reformat it - because it says it was formatted on another Mac.
I've tried Aiseesoft iPad Manager but the movie - a iTunes+ movie, so I assume it is a package of some sort - doesn't show up in the movie pane.
This is a really crappy position to be put into. If I could re-download the movie I'd just reformat my iPad and be down with it. Unfortunately, this is not an option.
Help!

As a best practice, you should move your content to an external drive and import references to into iTunes rather than moving the whole database and app files. In iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, uncheck "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library". This will keep all your music and movies on the external drive, but iTunes and all references to the content on your desktop.
I know that's not what you wanted to hear as a fix, but this is how I have my MacBook Air setup and it works fine with the iPad. My son tried to move the whole app and database to a hard drive and we had endless problems with it.

How to relocate itunes library to external drive

Hi Folks,
In another forum on the above topic I found an answer that consisted as a TWENTY-FOUR-PAGES-long forum discussion. I hope that there is someone who can nutshell 24 pages for this newbie
I have an external SimpleTech hard drive, Windows Xp, Compaq, laptop. I don't want to lose my itunes library, if my computer crashes. And, I don't want to eat up all my computer memory with music and podcast/vodcast files.
1) Is there a simple, step-by-step operation to relocate my itunes library to my external drive? I hope one of you are willing to take the time to help me out.
2) In addition to HOW to do it, what does it mean, practically? I mean itunes remains on my computer, right? And, it just goes back and forth to the external drive for my music files, right?
3) Can I put my album artwork on the external, as well?
Thank you
Randy

Is there a simple, step-by-step operation to relocate my itunes library to my external drive?
Yes:
- Launch iTunes, click Edit > Preferences > Advanced tab > General tab
- Click the 'change' button to redirect your iTunes Music Folder to your external hard drive. It's sometimes helpful if you open that hard drive through Windows Explorer first, and create a folder on it called 'iTunes' or something similar.
- Select both options to "Keep iTunes music folder organized" and "copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library" and then click OK
- Click your Advanced menu and choose Consolidate Library
This copies your library files onto the hard drive and ensures that iTunes looks there for the files. Once this is completed, and you've verified iTunes is reading the files from the external drive (you can right click on the file and click Get Info, then click the Summary tab, and at the bottom it'll say "Where" and show you where your file is stored) you can go into your My Music folder on the computer and delete the iTunes files.
The iTunes program files will still be stored on your C: drive, to make Windows happy, and it just refers to your external hard drive to find the files so it can play them and sync them to your iPod.
When you follow the above steps, your Album Artwork should copy to the external drive as well.
Apple has this support document on the issue:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
Hope this is helpful
CG

How to switch my Itunes library from External Drive to Internal drive

I recently formated my hard drive and backed up all my tunes to an external drive. When the computer was back and running I imported my tunes from the external drive to my Itunes. However itunes still reads music from the external even though the music is also in a Itunes folder in my Music folder in documents. I tried deleting Itunes and reinstalling but it still looks at the external first. When I look at the advanced tab in itunes it says the music plays from my C drive but if I disconnnect my external drive the music won't play because it's still looking there. I would like the music to play from my internal drive and only use my external drive for backing up. What should I do? Thanks!

Choose Home from the Finder's Go menu, double-click the Music item, and drag it there.
(123001)

How to transfer itunes library to external drive and keep playlists and ratings

I don't have much space on my laptop. I have attached an external drive. I want to access my Itunes library from
the external drive. All attempts to move the library now result in me losing my "playlists" and even more importantly
my ratings and genre information.
How can I move the library with all my associated data intact such as the playlists, ratings, genres?
I want this external drive to be the main location where I access my Itunes library.
Once that is done I will work on backing it up, as that will be the only place that the data exists.
Also, will my Apple TV be also be able to access my Itunes library with playlists. thus far I have not been able to do this.

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: Consolidating your library - Windows
Then copy the iTunes Folder to your external drive. 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?
Disconnect your external drive and connect it to your new computer, copy the iTunes folder to the new pc. When you copy the iTunes folder make sure you put it into the default location on the new computer. On a PC this is \Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\My Music\ (or C:\Username\Music\ in Vista). You should also use the same version of iTunes on both computers.
Once you have copied everything over hold down the Shift key in Windows when opening iTunes. In the resulting dialogue you will get the option to create a new library or navigate to an existing one. Navigate to where you placed the copy of the library file and open it up: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file
If you have any iTunes purchases in your library don't forget that you'll need to authorise your new computer to play them. Also if you are disposing of the old one remember to deauthorise it so you don't use up one of your allowances: About iTunes Music Store Authorisation and Deauthorisation

Import iTunes Library from External Drive to New Computer with Vista

I can't seem to "import" my entire iTunes library from my external hard drive to my new computer. However, I can import songs one-by-one. There must be a way to transfer the whole file at once but it is beyond me. Anyone have a solution?

Hi I am new and have found a way to import Files & Folders over my home network and or other drives.
Start in File, click "Add File to Library", or "Add Folder to Library". In the “look in” dropdown window, locate the File or folder and double click on it. It should begin to transfer. I have never transferred an enter library though.
On a personal note,
I have come to realize that I can only transfer iTunes music. I can not transfer or even find the music that I have installed from a CD into my iTunes library. iTunes dose recognize even the folder that such music is in. If any of you have an answer to this problem let me know.
Thanks

I moved my itunes library to external drive and now itunes wont work.

I moved my itunes library to an external drive and now itunes cannot find the library. I followed a youtube video and all seemed to work fine until i deleted the old library and emptied the trash. Prior to deleting and emptying the trash I checked preferences to verify the path of Itunes was to the external drive. It seemed to work even when I moved the original library to the trash.
Now when I launch itunes the song listings show but the songs cant be found. I checked the volume of my itunes that I moved to the external and it was about 4 GB that i moved. I have approx 2000 songs.
Any suggestions?

Hold down the alt/option Key when you start iTunes a dialog box will open
Select Choose Library and select the itunes library on your external drive

ITunes library on external drive and lost music

I wanted to store my iTunes library on an external drive that I would use with a new Acer One Aspire Netbook. I followed the directions I found in my research that said my library would be copied on to the external drive with the library on my bogged down Dell remaining in tact. Well, that didn't quite work out. When I look for the music on my Dell, I get the message that the original is missing, would I like to locate it. Neither the Acer or the Dell will recognize the library on the external drive, although it is there and the songs can be played through the iTunes music folder. Before I screw anything else up, is there any easy solution to finding my music and getting it back in the library without loading my 9000 files individually after they are located or deleting and starting all over again? I just got the new iPod Nano and would love to get some music on it. I used to know just enough to be dangerous, but now I don't even that much and I don't understand any of this!

To import music into your iTunes library on the computer go to iTunes>Help>iTunes Help>Add items to iTunes and follow the instructions
Delete the "songs" that do not play in your iTunes library and reimport them.

ITunes library on external drive won't load, iTunes says disk is full and only partial library loads. What is it doing, making another copy?

I have an archive of all my music on an external drive. I wanter to play the music on another computer. When I hooked up the drive and launched iTunes with option key, I linked up the library on the external. iTunes gets part way through linking then says can't load the rest as the disk is full. What disk? What is iTunes doing that it needs more hard drive space for files that already exist? Why can't iTunes just see the files on the external and play them without this seeming dupe process?

Tried hooking up my external drive to my Mini. This morning my Mini had all my info listed, but I couldn't play any songs, for obvious reasons. Now, my Mini is hooked up to the external, iTunes prefs are set on the path to the external - but there is no music in iTunes. No lists, no songs, nada. Just a virgin iTunes window. ***?

Using MacPro and PC Laptop -- sharing same itunes library on External Drive

Hi guys, my main computer is a Early 2008 MacPro with Lion installed on it. I have iTunes 10.5 and all my music is classified witht that version of iTunes. But all my music is actually stored in an external 1GB WD Passeport HD.
Thing is I have a dj gig and have to bring my pc laptop to play music. This laptop has Windows 7 installed on it with iTunes 10.5.
What I want to achieve here is to be able to connect the external HD (with all my music on it and run iTunes and see the same thing I would see if I was on my mac : my playlist, comments, id3 tags, etc…
I actually did this :
On the PC --> in itunes, went to Preferences/Advanced, set the itunes library to the folder itunes on my external HD (my itunes library and my itunes music folder is setted there).
I exported my library from itunes MAC (Files-->Library-->Export Library) (it's a XML file) and imported it in my itunes windows installation (Import Playlist).
Thing is I see some files like my podcasts and audiobooks, but I dont see any of my other songs or apps, even if they are in my external HD. I see the playlist but they are empty.
Any ideas?

thanks for the help tt2, really usefull!
Just to be sure i'm doing things right, let me explain more in detail what is my actual setup to know how your explainations applies to it.
Ok. First, my main goal here is to consolidated all my music in one place on one external HD. Let's call it ExHD1.
Actually, my setup involved that all my dj music (1600 tracks in wav format) and my iTunes music are on another external HD, we will call it ExHD2.
Thing is, if I move the wav tracks to another computer, all the tag informations (covert art, title, artist, comments, album, etc) are lost. It's because WAV format do not keep that info. I've recently knew that AIFF format can keep all that info. So I manage to convert (with iTunes built-in utility) all my wav files to AIFF. I've tested it and yes, it keeps everything so far.
But I tried before to make the cross-plateform to work so I have copied all the converted AIFF to my ExHD1 in a specific Beatport folder. Like this.
I had an intense way of manage them in itunes where I made 150+ playlists. I have, before reading your comments, replace all the wav files, to their equivalent in aiff. I just replace the files in the playlist. If you go in the main music window, you can see that for each songs, there is a wav, a aiff, and mp3 format of the song.
Sometimes I have 2x mp3 versions of the song, i don't remember why. I've created these versions long ago. So the thing here is that I have the wav + mp3 version of my tunes on my ExHD2, the aiff version in ExHD1 (the main HD i want to use) and a duplicate mp3s of these tunes ALSO on my internal MAC HD.
++ note that I don't have music on my PC internal HD and not planning to keep ones. ++
So, this is my actual setting of my iTunes, where I have copied my iTunes folder on my new ExHD1 and set iTunes to point his library to there.
Also, this is my settings in Preferences/Advanced
Note that before yesterday, the Keep itunes Media... and Copy files were unchecked.
I prefer that way because I like to manually manage my songs. But I think for what i want to achieve, we need to check this again?
So the main goal here is I want to keep the wav format in the ExHD2 for backup, get rid of the mp3s that I've done before (the mp3 copys of the wav), consolidate everything at one place only: ExHD1.
Also, will my Windows installation (on my pc), when i will set the itunes library to be on the ExHD1, recognize all the playlist I did, and recognize the path of the songs?
Thanks for the help tt2, i know there's a lot, hope I have well explained it. Hope you can answer shorly because my gig is tommorow
regards

How do I reconnect to an iTunes Library onan external Drive?

I have a huge iTunes library comprised of 10,000's of songs and 1000's of videos. I keep this library on an 8TB Raid 5 network attached storage device. I reciently had a catestrophic hard drive crash on the computer running my iTunes application (the local HD on my computer, not the network drive which is reasonably imune to an HD failure). Everything is gone from that computer's drive except for the files in scope of my automatic backups. There are two locations on my external hard drive that are candidates for the location of the iTunes files:
M:\Music\iTunes and
M:\SharedFiles\Music\iTunes.
Location #1 looks to be an early version of my library prior to consolidation into the "SharedFiles" location. My delemma is that I have attempted to point my iTunes (on my replacement computer) to location #2 and I don't get any of my library files. I am running Windows 7 (the old computer was running Vista). Looking at the M:\SharedFiles\Music\iTunes\iTunes Library.xml file (using a text edditor) In the first "<dict>" record I see: "<key>Music Folder</key><string>file://localhost/M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music /</string>". So, thinking that was the "iTunes Media Folder" I pointed my iTunes application to that folder. I used Edit->Preferences->Advanced to change the location of my library. This resulted in an empty iTunes (no music,no movies,no devices).
One thing I noticed is that before changing the iTunes folder was pointing to a default location of "C:\Users\Bill\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media". However, I do not have an "iTunes Media" folder at either location #1 or #2. Under location #2 I see sub-folders for "Album Artwork", "Automatically Add to iTunes", "iTunes Music", and "Previous iTunes Libraries". Within the "iTunes Music" sub-folder I see a "Movies" folder with sub-folders for all of my movies, and a "Music" folder with sub-folders for all of my music.
After all of this, my question is: How do I connect my new iTunes application to my networked iTunes Library?

I figured it out!
After setting the iTunes Library to M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music, I then used File->Library->Import Playlist and then navigated to M:/SharedFiles/Music/iTunes and added it. This then went to work for an hour or so reading my entire library. After that I connected to iCloud, Match, shared with home network, and connected to iTunes Store. I am now watching my movies on my big screen using Apple TV again.

How to get itunes library from external drive to new computer

i recently purchased a new computer w/the windows vista platform. there were posts regarding how to transfer the library w/playlists on this board, which i followed to the point of hitting shift while opening itunes, and choosing a library. however, when selecting such from my external drive, which has the itl and xml on it as well as the itunes music folder, it gives me an error noting it is locked or that i dont have write permission to use it. my external drive on my old computer was the G drive, now it is the F drive on new one. can anyone please advise what to do other than copy all music over and have to completely recreate all playlists?

polydorus, this was the response/post that i found and it was posted by sweepea on 9/4/2007. and all my music is now from the external drive to the itunes music folder on my laptop and it let me keep all my playlists. thank you again for your help!
I had that problem too. I tried to remove iTunes from my computer and then download it again, but that did not make any difference. Then I tried polydorus' answer ("starting iTunes with the shift key held down, when asked to choose a library, navigate to your iTunes folder and choose iTunes Library.itl"), but that did not work either and that same message about the library being locked appeared again.
Then I had a brainwave. I deleted that iTunes library.itl file. (To find it, go to My documents, then My Music, then iTunes, and there is the itunes library file). I now tried to open iTunes by clicking on the iTunes icon on my desktop, nothing happened, as if I had not clicked on it at all. I restored the file from the recycling bin to where it was before. But that also returned me to where I had been before, i.e. I got that locked-library message again. So I deleted that file again. Then I tried right-clicking on the iTunes icon. On the little menu that appeared, I clicked 'Open' and hey presto, suddenly the iTunes set-up assistant appeared and everything went smooth from then on. When I checked, there was a file called iTunes library.itl again and this one worked OK.
By the way, I did not lose any of my music downloads or podcasts when I deleted that file, so it's definitely worth a try.
custom built Windows 2000

Transfer itune library to external drive then back to PC

In preparation for the re-install of Windows on my machine I would like to save my itune library on an external drive then to reimport it. I have more music than my current iPod can store so can't use it for the transfer and my Pc can only burn CDs the external drive option looks the best...if only I'd know how to!

Be careful you don't make the mistake I did, if your operating system is changing (e.g. XP to Vista) this will only partially work as the paths will be different, you will end up losing your playlists at the very least.
I don't really know any way around this, a couple of people did give me some tips in a previous post that I wrote but Apple deleted it because it was critical, so they are now lost too.

One Itunes Library, 2 external drives in different locations...

Here's my problem... I go everywhere with my laptop... iphone and ipod... My laptop contains my itunes library.. I connect at work to an external 1tb drive which houses my entire music collection..
My goal is to be able to copy that drive (64,000 songs) to another external that I can leave at home.. I want to be able to plug in both places without having to carry the external with me..
Is is possible to have one library and 2 externals with identical music folders? Any help would be appreciated.

How to use multiple iPods with one computer , describes two methods.
If you both use the same account (and one iTunes library), the easiest way is to create separate (Smart) Playlists for each iPod.
Hope this helps.
M
17' iMac fp 800 MHz 768 MB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.7) Several ext. HD (backup and data)

Vista and iTunes Library on External Drive

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