Clean Install/Migration of iTunes content?

When you say "only some of my apps", things have the potential of being horrifically complex. Any drag-n-drop app you can copy, but if it had an installer, you'll want to reinstall.

You'll still have an iTunes folder inside the Music folder in your home directory, and that's going to have references to the files on your external HD. Move the iTunes folder over and connect the external hard drive. Then configure iTunes to use your internal drive for media storage, and consolidate the library.

 

I had the same problem. I ended up just starting all my accounts over. I lost all my itunes content but I didn't really care at the end of the day. It was kind of nice starting fresh. There really isn't an easy way to do what you're asking, I tried, trust me.

 

Here's what you do - and this is assuming that the path in iTunes to your iTunes Media folder will be the same on both your old load and your new one. I had iTunes backing my iPad/iPhone apps when I synced them.

1) Backup 3 locations to an external drive
a) /Users/<username>/Music/iTunes (the whole thing)
b) /Users/<username>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iTunes.plist
c) /Users/<username>/Library/Mobilesync

2) write down the exact path for your iTunes Media/Music folder - whatever it is

3) In iTunes go to /Preferences/Advanced and make sure you check "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized" and "Copy Files to iTunes Media Folder when adding to Library"

3) Make sure you deauthorize and log out of iTunes.

4) Reload Lion

5) Open iTunes and set your iTunes Media path to the Exact same one you had on your old load (check carefully - old iTunes used to use iTunes Music while newer iTunes uses iTunes Media)

6) In iTunes go to /Preferences/Advanced and make sure you check "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized" and "Copy Files to iTunes Media Folder when adding to Library"

7) Quit iTunes

8) Copy the above 3 directories/files to the same locations on your new load

9) Open iTunes and authorize and log in

10) Your music/iPad/iPhone will work without reloading and everything should be intact and match as it did on your old load.

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11) If you want to change the path to your iTunes Media/Music folder, you can then change it in Preferences/Advanced

12) Then go to Files/Library/Organize Library and check "Consolidate Files" and "Upgrade to iTunes Media Organization" and click OK. This will correctly copy your files to the new location and fix all the preferences and xml pointers to your music.

I just did this from an old Macbook Pro that was my main machine to a new Macbook Air. I plugged in my iPhone and iPad, they backed up, didn't reload everything and even did a firmware update to 4.3.5.

 

migration tool worked wonders for me

you can select just your music folder, documents and such

I migrated everything just to be safe. it's migrating just the app data that the programs create. It's an apple tool for apple programs. They didn't mess it up.