Actual size of my iTunes library?

[sandman42]

When I look at my iTunes folder in the Finder, it says it's 5.39Gb, but when I browse my entire library in iTunes, it says it's 3.99Gb. I only have an 18Gb hard drive in my iBook, and I need every Gb I can get (photos, multiple users, etc).

Why is my library so big in the finder? Is it because of the directory structure (all the folders)? Does this really take up an extra 1.4Gb?!? I was thinking that maybe the size reported by iTunes is just the music data (not counting album art, ID3, etc), whereas the finder is actually all the data. Possible?

 

[musicpyrite]

You have files in you iTunes Music folder that aren't seen by your iTunes application.


If you want to add them to your library, I'd suggest either:
- in iTunes, select File>Add to Library... and click on your Music Folder, this will create a bunch of duplicates. You'll have to manually remove them by clicking Edit>Show Duplicate Songs.

or

- move your entire Music Folder to another HD/partition/computer. Then go into iTunes, and select File>Add to Library... and select the folder you just moved.

 

[realityisterror]

you probably had all those songs imported at some time, then deleted them... when you delete it'll prompt you if you want to move to trash or just leave it in your music folder (why you'd want to do that is beyond me...)
if you don't mind losing your playlists and playcounts, the easiest thing to do would be to delete your library and import all the songs again.. but you may be able to get by with adding all your songs again, using itunes 4.7's show duplicates feature, and deleting all your songs that you don't want...

fyi, if you use option-delete in itunes, i'm 95% sure that it automatically deletes from your library and the hard drive with no prompts, though you may want to check to make sure before you go and delete all your trash songs...

good luck,
reality

 

[musicpyrite]

if you don't mind losing your playlists and playcounts, the easiest thing to do would be to delete your library and import all the songs again..

I believe you can save all that by making a copy of you iTunes Music Library.xml and putting it on your desktop, reimporting your music, and while iTunes is NOT running, you can replace the existing .xml file with the copy. I think that'll work.

 

[sandman42]

So, tell me how this sounds for a plan...

I'll copy my "iTunes Music" folder and "iTunes Music Library.xml" file from my "iTunes" folder to an external HD (my iPod - I have to do this because there's not enough room on my iBook's HD).

I delete my "iTunes Music" folder by moving it to the trash from the Finder. (Do I delete my "iTunes 4 Music Library" file too?)

I open iTunes and select "Add to Library", then choose the moved (copied) music folder.

Quit iTunes, then replace the .xml file in the iTunes folder with the copied version.

Sound like it should work? The part I'm unsure about is deleting the music folder and my library file. Will iTunes freak out if they're suddenly gone?

 

[sandman42]

Well, success... ...sort of

I did the above, and I found out where the lurking extra files were, and am in the process of cleaning up my library. Should be able to get most of a Gb back!

Problem is, my playlists are gone. I saved my original .xml file, and then copied it into my 'new' library, but my old playlists didn't show up in iTunes when I launched it. I don't care so much about play counts, ratings, etc, but I'd really like to get those playlists back.

I saved a copy of my entire old iTunes folder - are they in there somewhere?

 

[musicpyrite]

I don't think so. I think that the saved library preferences are stored in the com.apple.iTunes.plist located or com.apple.iTunes.000a95e4a1f0.plist in ~/Library/Prefrences. You could easily restore these playlists like you did with the .xml file if you had a back up.