Resolved Move "Music" folder to another location-How?

[Azzin]

Hi all,

I've just finished prepping my Wife's new MBP and I'm about to copy 100+GB of music form her old Windows laptop.

Now, I've installed an SSD in the main bay and put the 500GB HDD it came with in a caddy in the optical bay.

What I'd like to do is have the Music folder that currently resides in Users>Wife>Music, to a location on the 2nd HDD and then once I've copied the music to it I can make sure iTunes can see it etc.

Thanks.

 

[Azzin]

Actually, having thought about this, am I over complicating this?

Being that it's just iTunes music that I want to move the location of, wouldn't it just be easier to just create a "Music" folder on the 2nd HDD and just point iTunes at that new folder?

 

[TheBacklash]

Put all the music in a folder on the 2nd HD.
import it into iTunes.
Make sure "Copy files to iTunes media folder" is unchecked in iTunes advanced preferences.

I have everything for iTunes stored on an external FW drive, nothing on the internal drive.

 

[simonsi]

Move the entire iTunes Media folder, then go into iTunes prefs and point iTunes at the new location. Job done.

 

[Azzin]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Frozone9]

Or let Itunes do it for You.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to-a-new-hard-drive/

So in other words, rather than messing around copying/moving files through Finder or Windows Explorer, why not let iTunes deal with this for you? This is handled in iTunes through the Consolidate files option, found under File, Library, Organize Library in iTunes.

Change the location from you library in Itunes and then use "Consolidate files", and everything in Your library is copied to the new location. And in Itunes everything is linked to new location. You can then delete the old folder.

 

[Bruno09]

See also : http://support.apple.com/en-us/ht1449

 

[simonsi]

Or let Itunes do it for You.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to-a-new-hard-drive/


Change the location from you library in Itunes and then use "Consolidate files", and everything in Your library is copied to the new location. And in Itunes everything is linked to new location. You can then delete the old folder.

That is quite an old article. Its hardly "messing around" to move one folder and update the path in iTunes prefs. That article was dealing with versions such as 7 which didnt have everything under iTunes Media. If you move the whole iTunes Media folder then the database goes with it.

Having said that this is from Windows which the article doesnt really deal with anyway, probably safer to do a new import and build a new iTunes Media folder and Db from scratch using the original windows music as source. That should avoid either issue.

 

[Frozone9]

That is quite an old article. Its hardly "messing around" to move one folder and update the path in iTunes prefs. That article was dealing with versions such as 7 which didnt have everything under iTunes Media. If you move the whole iTunes Media folder then the database goes with it.

Having said that this is from Windows which the article doesnt really deal with anyway, probably safer to do a new import and build a new iTunes Media folder and Db from scratch using the original windows music as source. That should avoid either issue.

If I just change the location in iTunes settings, all music is still linked to old location.
I just tried it. (copied music to new location)

The support entry Bruno09 posted is same way as in article I posted. will try this one now.

 

[Pudlo]

Guys just change location in iTunes.

I have my music on external drive. I just connected it and set folder i want in iTunes. And then copy all music to Automatic Add Music to iTunes folder (inside new Music folder) That's it.

 

[Frozone9]

Guys just change location in iTunes.

I have my music on external drive. I just connected it and set folder i want in iTunes. And then copy all music to Automatic Add Music to iTunes folder (inside new Music folder) That's it.

But then everything gets reimported, right?
I don't want to reimport.

 

[aDRock1154]

Guys just change location in iTunes.

I have my music on external drive. I just connected it and set folder i want in iTunes. And then copy all music to Automatic Add Music to iTunes folder (inside new Music folder) That's it.

Quick question: What happens when you buy new music? Wouldn't it be located on the internal drive? Do you just move it when you connect the external drive?

I'm kind of new to keeping media on different drives, other than the internal. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[BrentD]

This all seems overcomplicated. I just installed an SSD in my Mac Mini and made the SSD my system/apps drive and the original HDD my files drive. Just copy all of her music over to a folder on the 2nd HDD, then when you launch iTunes under her account, hold down the alt/option key and it will ask you where the library is located. Point to the new location, delete the old files once you verify it worked.

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Quick question: What happens when you buy new music? Wouldn't it be located on the internal drive? Do you just move it when you connect the external drive?

I'm kind of new to keeping media on different drives, other than the internal. Any help would be appreciated!

Purchased music gets put wherever you've told iTunes your library is located. In this case, on the HDD.

 

[aDRock1154]

This all seems overcomplicated. I just installed an SSD in my Mac Mini and made the SSD my system/apps drive and the original HDD my files drive. Just copy all of her music over to a folder on the 2nd HDD, then when you launch iTunes under her account, hold down the alt/option key and it will ask you where the library is located. Point to the new location, delete the old files once you verify it worked.

----------


Purchased music gets put wherever you've told iTunes your library is located. In this case, on the HDD.

Alright. I'm still thinking of moving my library to an external drive (that's not plugged in all the time), so I'm curious what happens when I buy a new song and don't have the external drive plugged in.

 

[TheBacklash]

Alright. I'm still thinking of moving my library to an external drive (that's not plugged in all the time), so I'm curious what happens when I buy a new song and don't have the external drive plugged in.

It would put new purchases in the iTunes folder on your main hd.

Quick question: What happens when you buy new music? Wouldn't it be located on the internal drive? Do you just move it when you connect the external drive?

I believe it would, just turn that checkmark off first.

 

[aDRock1154]

It would put new purchases in the iTunes folder on your main hd.


I believe it would, just turn that checkmark off first.

Good deal. Thanks!

 

[BrentD]

Alright. I'm still thinking of moving my library to an external drive (that's not plugged in all the time), so I'm curious what happens when I buy a new song and don't have the external drive plugged in.

If you don't have the hard drive plugged in when you launch iTunes (and you'd have to launch it to buy songs), then you'll likely get an error saying it can't find your library when you open it. At that point it would either ask you where to find it or, if you ignore it, would put your purchases on the drive your system files are located on by creating a new iTunes Media folder and ignoring your external HD until you tell it that's where your library is again.

 

[aDRock1154]

If you don't have the hard drive plugged in when you launch iTunes (and you'd have to launch it to buy songs), then you'll likely get an error saying it can't find your library when you open it. At that point it would either ask you where to find it or, if you ignore it, would put your purchases on the drive your system files are located on by creating a new iTunes Media folder and ignoring your external HD until you tell it that's where your library is again.

Exactly the answer I was after. Thank you!