iTunes 9/Libra changing path (moved to different drive)

[macstatic]

Because of hard disk space issues I've moved all my iTunes libraries (I'm using Libra for making several libraries and selecting them) over to a bigger external hard drive.
However, iTunes still thinks my music is on the "old" drive.

I could of course just give the "new" drive the same name as the "old" one, but I'd rather not. So is there a way I can modify an iTunes library with a new file path? The library structure and everything is the same. It's just on a differently named hard drive now.

 

[DewGuy1999]

Open iTunes
Go to iTunes menu
Scroll down to Preferences...
Go to Advanced tab
Under iTunes Media folder location
Cick the Change... button
Navigate to your new Media folder location and click the Choose button
Close Preferences...

 

[macstatic]

Unfortunately that didn't work as iTunes apparently still looked for the songs on the old drive.
Perhaps Libra is messing things up in a way that your suggestion doesn't work?

 

[DewGuy1999]

Unfortunately that didn't work as iTunes apparently still looked for the songs on the old drive.
Perhaps Libra is messing things up in a way that your suggestion doesn't work?

Give this a try:

iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder

 

[dknightd]

Because of hard disk space issues I've moved all my iTunes libraries over to a bigger external hard drive. However, iTunes still thinks my music is on the "old" drive.
I could of course just give the "new" drive the same name as the "old" one, but I'd rather not.

That is what I'd do. Lots easier to rename a drive than alternatives.
Or you could use itunes to migrate your data to a new drive.

So is there a way I can modify an iTunes library with a new file path? The library structure and everything is the same. It's just on a differently named hard drive now.

You could edit the xml, then import that as the new library. Never tried it, but might work.

 

[TheDane]

I think your problem lies in, that your iTunes index library (xml-file) has missed the new location.

Point media folder in your preferences as showed above. Also uncheck the "copy files to media folder" option.

Then hold the ALT when starting iTunes - and the create a new file/library. This gives you a "new" / blank music folder structure. Then you import your music again. This creates a new indexing structure to the folder you are now using...

Should work...

 

[macstatic]

I've tried several of the suggestions but I'm not getting anywhere. Things are getting confusing because my setup consists of so many different folder and files which I don't understand how relate to each other and iTunes.

In addition to the ~/Music/iTunes folder there's also a ~/Music/Libra folder which contains a "Libraries" sub-folder.
The folders within "Libraries" contain the actual libraries where some contain just the .plist and .xml etc. files (the music is stored on an external drive) while other libraries contain those files and the music folders/files (the music is stored on the Mac's internal hard drive.

Before I start messing around with text-editing the setup files (provided there is no easier solution) I believe I need a understanding of how it all works. These are the files found inside the Libraries' folders:

• ~Library.xml
• com.apple.iTunes.plist
• iTunes Library
• iTunes Library Extras.itdb
• iTunes Library Genius.itdb
• iTunes Music Library.xml

So which files do I need to look at and which ones don't concern the issue at all?

 

[TheDane]

Before I start messing around with text-editing the setup files (provided there is no easier solution) I believe I need a understanding of how it all works.

Here and here is some good reading.

 

[macstatic]

I realize this is getting far too complicated within my time limit, so I'll have to find some other solution me thinks

I believe I started using Libra when iTunes itself could only have one library, but I understand that with iTunes 9 you hold down ALT while starting it up and you get to select any library. Unlike Libra's libraries, do libraries made/selected with iTunes itself contain everything in its same folder and not have full path references? In other words: can I easily move them around without any mess like I'm now experiencing?

If I can work it out I think I'm going to merge my 10 or so current libraries (made with the help of Libra) into a couple of large ones instead.