Help needed - iTunes library completely broken.

[RyanPlugs]

Due to low space on my MBP I spent all of last night transferring my itunes library onto an external hard disk that was attached to my Airport extreme. The transfer worked, but I found that the lag it caused between playing songs and accessing content on my Apple TV wasn't worth it, so I need to put the library back.

I have not touched the original user/music/itunes folder, so all my media is still on the hard drive, but I cannot get itunes to recognise it. I have changed my library location back to default, chosen the organise option, but when I choose "get info" on the files, they all state that they are on my external hard drive, which I have now unplugged.

Can anyone help me get my iTunes library back to it's original state? I would be most grateful.

 

[benoitgphoto]

Due to low space on my MBP I spent all of last night transferring my itunes library onto an external hard disk that was attached to my Airport extreme. The transfer worked, but I found that the lag it caused between playing songs and accessing content on my Apple TV wasn't worth it, so I need to put the library back.

I have not touched the original user/music/itunes folder, so all my media is still on the hard drive, but I cannot get itunes to recognise it. I have changed my library location back to default, chosen the organise option, but when I choose "get info" on the files, they all state that they are on my external hard drive, which I have now unplugged.

Can anyone help me get my iTunes library back to it's original state? I would be most grateful.

Press Option key (Alt) when launching iTunes. You will have a choice to create or choose a library. Hit choose and tell it where your library is.

 

[RyanPlugs]

Awesome, I'll try this when I get home from work. At least I now have a backup of my iTunes library on my external, which I've been meaning to do for ages. Thanks.

 

[RyanPlugs]

I have just got in and tried this, chosen the itunes folder, that contains the library file and the folder containing the media. It hasn't worked. All of the files have a gray (!) next to them.

 

[benoitgphoto]

I have just got in and tried this, chosen the itunes folder, that contains the library file and the folder containing the media. It hasn't worked. All of the files have a gray (!) next to them.

Well, looks like you might have done something not Kosher with your library. Usually (unless you have done different), the library is a folder named iTunes and is under music folder (places) found under your root directory or in the left sidebar of the Finder. Look at this iTunes folder and check the size...it's gonna tell you if it's the right library or not.

If it doesn't work, I would try to create a new iTunes library and manually import all the music you have in the bakcup you talked about.

 

[aarond12]

You could always restore your iTunes Music folder from your Time Machine backup... you DO have a Time Machine backup, right?

 

[RyanPlugs]

I had to manually re add everything, then just added my xml and library files so as not to lose my playcounts. I'm not sure what I did, but I will definitely be getting a Time Machine backup now.

 

[Omne666]

LOL.....I have sympathy for you. Ive been there and done that. I now keep my library totally on the external drive (no lag), and every month I copy that library onto another drive named EXACTLY the same for use in a second location at another house. It works a treat.

I have a Time Machine/Airport Extreme, but as my entire library exceeds 3.5 Tb, the dual drive system is the only backup that'll work for me. (even then, I cant take ALLLL my media to location no 2...drobos are to expensive for me to own to of the suckers)

 

[RyanPlugs]

I tried it with the hard drive connected through USB and it was fine, but it's not a great solution for a MacBook. Sharing it via airdisk made it so there was a 2 second delay between tracks I couldn't live with.