iTunes and external hard drive move

[Primejimbo]

I have all my iTunes on an external hard drive connected to a Mac Mini. All is fine, but I am just thinking ahead here.

When I upgrade my Mac Mini, do I just plug my external hard drive, change the path in iTunes, and that's it?

I seem to remember I tired this idea once and I don't think it worked. So what would be the easiest way to do this?

thank you,

 

[salohcin]

It depends on if your iTunes library files are on the external hard drive or on the local hard drive.

If they are on the external all you have to do is plug it in and hold down the option key while opening iTunes. Then browse to and select your library file on the external drive. All done!

If they are on your local drive, I would suggest moving them from from your iTunes folder on your current mac to the iTunes folder on your new mac.

Before you do either, I'd suggest making sure iTunes is up to date so that you don't run into anything funny with different versions of iTunes accessing the library files.

 

[priitv8]

Keeping the iTunes library database on Mac's local drive has one great benefit - it gets backed up by TimeMachine. So when migrating to a new Mac you could restore everything to it from a TM backup, iTunes library, settings & preferences included.

 

[Primejimbo]

It depends on if your iTunes library files are on the external hard drive or on the local hard drive.

If they are on the external all you have to do is plug it in and hold down the option key while opening iTunes. Then browse to and select your library file on the external drive. All done!

If they are on your local drive, I would suggest moving them from from your iTunes folder on your current mac to the iTunes folder on your new mac.

Before you do either, I'd suggest making sure iTunes is up to date so that you don't run into anything funny with different versions of iTunes accessing the library files.

Everything is on the external hard drive, and in iTunes I have the path set up as the external hard drive too. Now when I do the option key while opening iTunes, will it remember that path for the next time I open iTunes, or will I always have to press the option key when I open iTunes?

Thanks for your help.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Keeping the iTunes library database on Mac's local drive has one great benefit - it gets backed up by TimeMachine. So when migrating to a new Mac you could restore everything to it from a TM backup, iTunes library, settings & preferences included.

Another benefit is that you don't have to hold option down as iTunes sees the library xml file as local (because it is). My library is just like this (backed up to iTunes Match) and it works wonderfully.

 

[salohcin]

Everything is on the external hard drive, and in iTunes I have the path set up as the external hard drive too. Now when I do the option key while opening iTunes, will it remember that path for the next time I open iTunes, or will I always have to press the option key when I open iTunes?

Thanks for your help.

It will remember that path. iTunes will always open the most recently opened library, unless you hold down option. If it cannot find the most recently opened library, it will prompt you to select a library (just like as if you had held down option).

 

[Primejimbo]

It will remember that path. iTunes will always open the most recently opened library, unless you hold down option. If it cannot find the most recently opened library, it will prompt you to select a library (just like as if you had held down option).

Thank you so much!!

 

[pagansoul]

This is what I do, my mini is only 500GB and my iTunes library is well over 300GB itself so putting my Library on my Drobo was a must. I tend to use it for my ripped movies but I also now use it for my music.

 

[westrock2000]

Use the same user account name and preserve the folder structure and everything will work perfect.

Well you'll have to authorize the new machine, but library wise should be fine 🙂

 

[Deadeyeshark]

Am I wrong in thinking that if you are upgrading to a new Mac you would simply use the migation assistant and this would carry across all the links to your external drive?

I ask because I'm about to migrate to a new Mac and this was my plan. I have around 10TB of movies on an external drive, so keeping them local isn't feasible.

 

[Weaselboy]

Am I wrong in thinking that if you are upgrading to a new Mac you would simply use the migation assistant and this would carry across all the links to your external drive?

I ask because I'm about to migrate to a new Mac and this was my plan. I have around 10TB of movies on an external drive, so keeping them local isn't feasible.

You are correct... all settings like this would come over to the new machine.

 

[Deadeyeshark]

Just an update on how the migration went. Unplugged all external drives, migration went very smoothly. The only hiccup was the timer on the migration assistant jumped to around 245 hours to complete. Then about an hour later it dipped back down to 3 hours, I think the assistant maybe scanned the iTunes library and estimated for the migration of my external files.

Once complete the new iMac has trouble seeing the external drive, but a shut down and restart sorted this out.

All of my iTunes files were there as they were before, apart from say a couple of missing artwork which I managed to get back by just looking at the files properties and coming back out again.