iPod touch Huge newbie problem - music location on PC

[DuckSoup]

OK, I've had my 32G ITouch for 24 hours now (LOVE IT!!!!), and having the rest of the week off, I've been copying CDs via ITunes to my device.

After about 50 CDs, I started having computer problems and I know EXACLY what it is.

When i install anything new onto my PC, I direct files and installs to my E drive, which is the second partition of my hard drive that has my operating system on it (the single hard drive contains C and E drive partitions).

I install everything but Windows stuff onto E because the idiot maker of my computer (SONY) decided to alot just 15G of the 150G total to C, the rest to E. So my C drive gets clogged easily as 15G is now much. (I have XP home).

Well, ITunes decided without asking me to put all the music to

C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music

which is no good. My C drive is now chock full.

So, what tried to do is, I first copied all of the folders and files from the red-fonted above to E:\My Documents\

to now have the same music duplicated at E\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music

I then changed the option in preferences for "ITunes Music folder" to direct music to that new folder, quit out of ITunes and rebooted.

ITunes does still show that I re-set the locations to the E drive, and all of my music was still showing up in ITunes. To check to see if it is actually reading the music at E and not C, I then MOVED the folders on C to a new folder (rather than delete them, just in case), quit ITunes and rebooted.

Now it shows NO music when I launch ITunes. I then ripped a new CD to see WHERE it put the music and it put it in the E drive folder right next to the other music I *copied* to there, but only that new rip shows up on my ITunes, even after another reboot. (I then deleted the new rip to keep the copied folders the same as the originals).

I then put the music back to the original C drive location.

After spending an hour online looking for a solution (none), I came here.

How do I have my ITunes recognize and show the music now located at the E drive?

of course I could just delete all and start over, but that's no fun, plus I am not sure if I would then have to also delete all of the 50+ CDs from my ITouch.

Help!

Thanks!

Mike

 

[TEG]

Put everything back on C:, then ensure you have the new path set. Then use Advanced->Consolidate Library... and iTunes will then move everything automatically.

When you change the library location, it only uses it for new things, you have to consolidate the library to get everything moved. Then you should be fine. Otherwise you could just reimport everything, but that can cause problems, plus have duplications of files, and loose your history and ratings.

TEG

 

[DuckSoup]

Thanks Teg. Talk about a FAST reply! Holy cow!

It's copying everthing now.

Love this thing. It's the best $500 I spent since spending a half-night with that $1,000 a night hooker in Nashville in 1999

Mike

 

[DuckSoup]

OK, maybe I misunderstood.

I did what you said in order.

I ensured everything was back in C, and changes the path at Edit > Preferences, then the advanced path, and pointed it to the new folder on E.

I then went to Advanced > Consolidate Library and it copied all the music to the new folder on E.

I then quit out, re-booted and fired it up, it showed all the music (50+ CDs) in ITunes but again I was not sure it was reading the new location, so I again MOVED the files on C to a new/backup folder, rebooted and now ITunes show NO music again.

Of course it's still on my ITouch, but even with ITunes copying all the music, why does it now show up? It this the way it will stay? (I am wondering what if I want to take music OFF my ITouch but later put it back on. If ITunes does not see it on the E drive, why did it even copy them there?).

My goal of course is to free up that 2.3G ITunes takes up on my C drive.

I must be missing something.

Thanks again for all and any future help

Mike

 

[Eraserhead]

so I again MOVED the files on C to a new/backup folder, rebooted and now ITunes show NO music again.

No, only use iTunes to move your music, otherwise it can't keep track of it .

If you are still stuck stick all your music on your external drive and re-import it into iTunes.

Note that it will still take up some space on C for the library file, but this shouldn't be significant.

 

[DuckSoup]

No, only use iTunes to move your music, otherwise it can't keep track of it .

If you are still stuck stick all your music on your external drive and re-import it into iTunes.

Note that it will still take up some space on C for the library file, but this shouldn't be significant.

Ah, so I can delete the ITunes Music folder from C, but leave the other files and folders (like Album Artwork and the library files), right?

Thanks!Q

Mike

 

[TEG]

OK, maybe I misunderstood.

I did what you said in order.

I ensured everything was back in C, and changes the path at Edit > Preferences, then the advanced path, and pointed it to the new folder on E.

I then went to Advanced > Consolidate Library and it copied all the music to the new folder on E.

I then quit out, re-booted and fired it up, it showed all the music (50+ CDs) in ITunes but again I was not sure it was reading the new location, so I again MOVED the files on C to a new/backup folder, rebooted and now ITunes show NO music again.

Of course it's still on my ITouch, but even with ITunes copying all the music, why does it now show up? It this the way it will stay? (I am wondering what if I want to take music OFF my ITouch but later put it back on. If ITunes does not see it on the E drive, why did it even copy them there?).

My goal of course is to free up that 2.3G ITunes takes up on my C drive.

I must be missing something.

Thanks again for all and any future help

Mike

If it consolidated correctly, there should be no files left on the PC. What you are probabily doing is actidently deleting the iTunes library.xml file off of the C: drive. Make sure that is back where you got it, it must be on the same drive as iTunes, but can point to a library anywhere (There are actually two, one that stores the preference of where the library is and one that contains the data about the library, the former always has to be on the C: drive.)


TEG