Moving iTunes Database from PC to Mac Mini (Library on NAS)

BilbooToo · Dec 4, 2012, 05:42 PM

Hi,

Finally taken the plunge and moved from Windows to Apple, with the delivery today of a Mac Mini.

Pleased with the purchase and just setting everything up, plus getting use to the kit.

I want to move over my iTunes database from the PC to Mac, however the library is held on a Synology DS213+ NAS.

Any ideas on the best way to go about this?

Thanks in advance.

John.

JoelBC · Dec 4, 2012, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BilbooToo

Hi,

Finally taken the plunge and moved from Windows to Apple, with the delivery today of a Mac Mini.

Pleased with the purchase and just setting everything up, plus getting use to the kit.

I want to move over my iTunes database from the PC to Mac, however the library is held on a Synology DS213+ NAS.

Any ideas on the best way to go about this?

Thanks in advance.

John.

I just went through this myself...the easiest way is simply to drag and drop the iTunes folder on the music icon is iTunes in OSX...though I did have other issues this part worked flawlessly...

BilbooToo · Dec 5, 2012, 02:53 AM

Hi JoelBC,

Thanks for the response.

Just to be clear, I point iTunes on the Mac to the same folder on the NAS as the PC iTunes, then just drag the files from the folder into the Mac iTunes?

What were the issues you experienced?

Thanks again

John

LaunchpadBS · Dec 5, 2012, 03:45 AM

There's a migration assistant in OSX that you can use to migrate from a PC on the same network. Just saying.

JoelBC · Dec 5, 2012, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BilbooToo

Hi JoelBC,

Thanks for the response.

Just to be clear, I point iTunes on the Mac to the same folder on the NAS as the PC iTunes, then just drag the files from the folder into the Mac iTunes?

What were the issues you experienced?

Thanks again

John

Careful here...the simplest thing to do assuming that you want to leave all of your music on the NAS is to:

1. Preference --> Advanced --> Point iTunes to your NAS folder.

2. File --> Add to Library....this will create the necessary links within iTunes so that your music shows up in iTunes...this is one of the ways in which iTunes for OS X differs from iTunes for Windows as in windows this step is NOT necessary.

Hope this helps...

Joel

BilbooToo · Dec 9, 2012, 02:50 PM

Hi Joel,

Just been trying yours suggestion but having a few problems.

On my PC the iTunes pointer to the music database looks something like...

//DiskStation/music

However when I point iTunes on the Mac to the same place it shows...

//Volumes/music

No music can be found, and can't seem to change the pointer to match the PC.

Any ideas?

Thanks
John.

LaunchpadBS · Dec 10, 2012, 03:20 AM

Have you updated your DSM?

Just curious cause I just did and now I can't see my files from OSX finder

BilbooToo · Dec 10, 2012, 03:55 AM

Yep, running latest version of DSM. It's a DS213+ if that helps.

LaunchpadBS · Dec 10, 2012, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BilbooToo

Yep, running latest version of DSM. It's a DS213+ if that helps.

Yup this only started happening after the DSM update for me, I logged a ticket with Synology, lets hope they sort it.

Otherwise what you could try is enabling the iTunes server on the NAS and using that instead.

orpheus1120 · Dec 10, 2012, 05:01 AM

From windows to mac is a little tricky. If it's from mac to mac it is whole lot easier.

I have my iTunes library in my Synology 1812+. This is what I suggest you do.

If you have spare storage on your NAS that is at least as large as your iTunes library, create another new folder for a new iTunes media folder and start from scratch.

Point iTunes to the new iTunes media location, and consolidate and add the old media location to the new library. This way you ensure the the iTunes library file is fully updated, and all files are managed. After you have done this, you can delete the older iTunes folder.

JoelBC · Dec 11, 2012, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BilbooToo

Hi Joel,

Just been trying yours suggestion but having a few problems.

On my PC the iTunes pointer to the music database looks something like...

//DiskStation/music

However when I point iTunes on the Mac to the same place it shows...

//Volumes/music

No music can be found, and can't seem to change the pointer to match the PC.

Any ideas?

Thanks
John.

John:

Sorry to hear that you are having problems as I know how frustrating this can be....I would suggest the following which has always worked for me...

1. On your Mac delete the folder USER/ITUNES as it is not needed...

2. Restart your Mac

3. Mount your NAS share that contains your music

4. While holding down the OPTION key start iTunes...it will prompt you for a library...point towards your NAS drive and all should be good other than some of the cover art will not be imported which is a known bug with iTunes 11

Let me know how this works...

Joel

LaunchpadBS · Dec 11, 2012, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoelBC

J
3. Mount your NAS share that contains your music

Joel, how does one mount the NAS drive on a mac? Assuming it's not like Windows.

JoelBC · Dec 11, 2012, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaunchpadBS

Joel, how does one mount the NAS drive on a mac? Assuming it's not like Windows.

Mounting a NAS drive is the equivalent of connecting the network drive / share in Windows [i.e. the Windows equivalent of File manager | Tools | Map Network Drive | Specify Drive letter and Share Name]...

OS X process is Finder | Go (from the menu bar) | Connect to Server (i.e. will be in the form of smb://server name/share name where server name could also be the IP address) and voila...

LaunchpadBS · Dec 14, 2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoelBC

Mounting a NAS drive is the equivalent of connecting the network drive / share in Windows [i.e. the Windows equivalent of File manager | Tools | Map Network Drive | Specify Drive letter and Share Name]...

OS X process is Finder | Go (from the menu bar) | Connect to Server (i.e. will be in the form of smb://server name/share name where server name could also be the IP address) and voila...

OK I've done this but when I option open iTunes and try select the library now on the NAS drive it says it's locked....?

JoelBC · Dec 15, 2012, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaunchpadBS

OK I've done this but when I option open iTunes and try select the library now on the NAS drive it says it's locked....?

The only thing that I can think of is that the iTunes library is being accessed by another device or user...I would suggest making sure that no other devices or users are connected and then try again...

HOiYA · Feb 6, 2013, 02:10 PM

I also have been trying to move my iTunes library to the Synology NAS. I have all the files copied over and have changed the location of the media library to point to the NAS (in the advanced tab of the preferences).

The error I am seeing is that iTunes cannot write to the NAS location: The iTuned Library cannot be saved. You do not have privilege to make changes.

I've tried chmod the NAS dir to 777 and still get the same error. Anyone have any ideas on how to resolve this?

Dec 4, 2012, 05:42 PM	#1
BilbooToo macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012	Moving iTunes Database from PC to Mac Mini (Library on NAS) Hi, Finally taken the plunge and moved from Windows to Apple, with the delivery today of a Mac Mini. Pleased with the purchase and just setting everything up, plus getting use to the kit. I want to move over my iTunes database from the PC to Mac, however the library is held on a Synology DS213+ NAS. Any ideas on the best way to go about this? Thanks in advance. John.
	0

Dec 5, 2012, 03:45 AM	#4
LaunchpadBS macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: iLondon/iDurban	There's a migration assistant in OSX that you can use to migrate from a PC on the same network. Just saying. __________________ Mac Mini i7 2012 - 13" MBP 2012 - iPhone 4S - iPod Shuffle - Retina iPad - iPad Mini - iPod Classic - ATV 2
	0

Dec 10, 2012, 03:20 AM	#7
LaunchpadBS macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: iLondon/iDurban	Have you updated your DSM? Just curious cause I just did and now I can't see my files from OSX finder __________________ Mac Mini i7 2012 - 13" MBP 2012 - iPhone 4S - iPod Shuffle - Retina iPad - iPad Mini - iPod Classic - ATV 2
	0

Feb 6, 2013, 02:10 PM	#16
HOiYA macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2008	Permission errors after moving library to NAS? I also have been trying to move my iTunes library to the Synology NAS. I have all the files copied over and have changed the location of the media library to point to the NAS (in the advanced tab of the preferences). The error I am seeing is that iTunes cannot write to the NAS location: The iTuned Library cannot be saved. You do not have privilege to make changes. I've tried chmod the NAS dir to 777 and still get the same error. Anyone have any ideas on how to resolve this?
	0

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Dec 5, 2012, 02:53 AM	#3
BilbooToo Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012	Hi JoelBC, Thanks for the response. Just to be clear, I point iTunes on the Mac to the same folder on the NAS as the PC iTunes, then just drag the files from the folder into the Mac iTunes? What were the issues you experienced? Thanks again John
	0

Dec 9, 2012, 02:50 PM	#6
BilbooToo Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012	Hi Joel, Just been trying yours suggestion but having a few problems. On my PC the iTunes pointer to the music database looks something like... //DiskStation/music However when I point iTunes on the Mac to the same place it shows... //Volumes/music No music can be found, and can't seem to change the pointer to match the PC. Any ideas? Thanks John.
	0

Dec 10, 2012, 03:55 AM	#8
BilbooToo Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012	Yep, running latest version of DSM. It's a DS213+ if that helps.
	0

Dec 10, 2012, 05:01 AM	#10
orpheus1120 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia	From windows to mac is a little tricky. If it's from mac to mac it is whole lot easier. I have my iTunes library in my Synology 1812+. This is what I suggest you do. If you have spare storage on your NAS that is at least as large as your iTunes library, create another new folder for a new iTunes media folder and start from scratch. Point iTunes to the new iTunes media location, and consolidate and add the old media location to the new library. This way you ensure the the iTunes library file is fully updated, and all files are managed. After you have done this, you can delete the older iTunes folder.
	0


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