Help me understand iTunes migration from pc

[Brewing]

I am making the switch from pc to Mac and am due to receive my iMac this week. I am planning on manually migrating my stuff as I have a lot of junk on my pc and want a fresh start. I figure it would take me just as long to sort through everything using migration assistant.

One piece of Apple software I have always found frustrating to understand is iTunes. I would like to set up all my music and videos on an external drive as I ordered the 512 ssd. I want to avoid having the music be stored in two locations on my Mac. Is there an easy way to set this up from the beginning, or is it best to do the initial import and then try to move to an external drive? I am sorry for such a basic question, but there seems to be a 1001 different directions out there and the iTunes settings are really confusing to me. I won't even talk about how I have had duplicates of all my songs in iTunes in the past.

 

[dangerfish]

Sure, you can put your iTunes folder wherever you want. You just set it in Preferences. I keep mine on an SD card on my MBA.

 

[Brewing]

If I keep the "Copy to iTunes Media Folder" button checked will I end of with two copies of my music on the computer?

 

[Weaselboy]

If I keep the "Copy to iTunes Media Folder" button checked will I end of with two copies of my music on the computer?

Yes you will. Typically what you would do with that box checked is do the import then once you have verified the music is actually in iTunes, you can delete the original file.

 

[26139]

Yes you will. Typically what you would do with that box checked is do the import then once you have verified the music is actually in iTunes, you can delete the original file.

This is what I do, and it works well.

I use an external drive, too.

 

[dangerfish]

Yes you will. Typically what you would do with that box checked is do the import then once you have verified the music is actually in iTunes, you can delete the original file.

Now that confuses me. Why are there 2 copies if I tell it to put everything on my SD card? Does this only happen during an import from some other location/computer?

Thanks

 

[26139]

Now that confuses me. Why are there 2 copies if I tell it to put everything on my SD card? Does this only happen during an import from some other location/computer?

Thanks

Hold up. The two copies are the one (let's assume in Finder) you started with, and then the file that's copied into the iTunes folder and is accessible through iTunes.

Once you drag the original file over to iTunes, provided that button is checked, the file copies to wherever your iTunes folder is and you can delete the original file you have on your desktop.

So yes, it only happens on import from another location.

 

[dangerfish]

Got it. Thanks.