iTunes 2 Mac

[ag55]

I have my iTunes library files (the ones which contain data, playlists, ratings etc all backed up).

My music is on a external USB drive.

How can i get iTunes to play my music from the USB drive (and not copy it to my HDD, and how do i restore all the data settings.

Is there a program which can do this?

 

[geoffreak]

I don't believe that you can use a Windows iTunes library file on a Mac, nor that there are there converters to change it.

You will need to add the media into the iTunes library manually.

 

[ag55]

I don't believe that you can use a Windows iTunes library file on a Mac, nor that there are there converters to change it.

You will need to add the media into the iTunes library manually.

 

[devburke]

I have my iTunes library files (the ones which contain data, playlists, ratings etc all backed up).

My music is on a external USB drive.

How can i get iTunes to play my music from the USB drive (and not copy it to my HDD, and how do i restore all the data settings.

Is there a program which can do this?

Not sure this will work if that was a Windows library, but worth a shot:

When you open iTunes, hold Option, and the following window should come up:



What you want to do is click Choose Library... and find the library on an external drive. I believe that should work.

 

[geoffreak]

Again, I believe the libraries are incompatible, so opening another library won't make a difference.

 

[devburke]

Again, I believe the libraries are incompatible, so opening another library won't make a difference.

Can't hurt to try though, right?

 

[ag55]

It didnt work.

Is there any apps which can do this?

Windows had stuff such as iDump which were decent, but could not recover ratings from the device -- any luck on the mac?

 

[geoffreak]

Just drag and drop the files into iTunes. You only lose the playlists and play counts.

 

[gillboyswims96]

yea you can just drag the music files into itunes, or press file-import folder

 

[devburke]

Just drag and drop the files into iTunes. You only lose the playlists and play counts.

I believe you'd also lose a lot of your organization like Album Artist, sort fields, and ratings. Not to mention playlists.

 

[geoffreak]

I believe you'd also lose a lot of your organization like Album Artist, sort fields, and ratings.

Album artists and sort fields are stored in the metadata of the media, not the iTunes library. Ratings are supposed to be done this way too, but iTunes uses the library to store these, so they will be lost.

 

[devburke]

Not sure this will work if that was a Windows library, but worth a shot:

When you open iTunes, hold Option, and the following window should come up:

View attachment 187561

What you want to do is click Choose Library... and find the library on an external drive. I believe that should work.

OK combine that with this and you might be good to go

 

[ag55]

OK combine that with this and you might be good to go

that looks promising.

thanks so much, update you later