iTunes library on external hard drive

[Polekat]

I had my library on an external hard drive. That hard drive crashed so I bought a new one. I have changed the iTunes media folder location to reflect the new location, but for some reason whenever I go to sync I get a popup stating the iTunes can't find the previous external hard drive. I don't know how to tell iTunes to forget that hard drive other than pointing to the new media folder. Any suggestions are welcome.

MacBook air early 2015 running high Sierra 10.13.5
iTunes 12.7.5.9
iPhone 8+ 11.4

 

[mikzn]

First I would make a back up copy of the iTunes Library.xml - just in case

Did you try opening iTunes while holding the option button down - it should ask which library to use?

Also in the preferences you can check the media folder location and make sure it is pointed to the correct path to the files and folders

 

[Polekat]

Thanks. I tried all of that. Still get this...

 

[hobowankenobi]

Seems like it thinks it is a shared or served location, not an external.

How is it connected?

 

[Polekat]

The old one was networked. The new one is just connected by USB

 

[mikzn]

Sounds like it is trying to connect over a network still - did you try closing itunes and restarting while holding down the option(alt) key? this should let you browse to the location of the iTunes data folder on the external drive - then choose that folder.

If that does not work you can locate the "iTunes Library" file in that folder (on the exteranl drive) and double click to open the library file with iTunes (or press CTL while using the mouse / trackpad to open the contextual menu and "Open With")

 

[hobowankenobi]

The warning is from trying to mount a network share....not a specific iTunes issue. Seems like it is still trying to mount a share that does not exist, regardless of iTunes.

If the old iTunes share (that is dead/gone/changed) is no longer available...is this a log in prompt, or only when launching iTunes?

 

[hobowankenobi]

Another option when not using the default location, on a permanent basis to simply use an Alias to point to the actual directory.

So in this case, one would get the iTunes situated where you want on an external drive, make an Alias of the iTunes folder, and move the iTunes Alias into your home Music folder....where the default iTunes folder would be.

 

[Polekat]

The warning is from trying to mount a network share....not a specific iTunes issue. Seems like it is still trying to mount a share that does not exist, regardless of iTunes.

If the old iTunes share (that is dead/gone/changed) is no longer available...is this a log in prompt, or only when launching iTunes?

Only when trying to sync iTunes to iPhone. Can I delete the old network share?

 

[Polekat]

Another option when not using the default location, on a permanent basis to simply use an Alias to point to the actual directory.

So in this case, one would get the iTunes situated where you want on an external drive, make an Alias of the iTunes folder, and move the iTunes Alias into your home Music folder....where the default iTunes folder would be.

I'll try and give that a whirl.

 

[hobowankenobi]

Only when trying to sync iTunes to iPhone. Can I delete the old network share?

The trick is finding what the trigger is to delete. Typically network shares that automount (not iTunes related) or in:

• User account (system preferences) log in items
• /Library/StartupItems
• /System/Library/StartupItems

But those would happen at login, not when connecting to iTunes. Must be a saved preference in iTunes. Wonder if you can fire up and check through iTunes, or perhaps trash a preference file (setting everything back to defaults) to kill it?

Look again in iTunes prefs, at both the Devices and Advanced tabs for clues.

Oh, and to use an Alias, you want iTunes to point at the default location, so in Preferences, select Advanced, and hit the reset but to set it back to the default file path: ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media

I also see in the Advanced tab a button to reset all dialog warnings.... Never used this. Perhaps it might do the trick? No idea!

 

[Gravydog316]

I have my iTunes library on an eternal hd;
i just created an alias to the external iTunes library & placed the alias in my Home Music folder, & it works fine, as long as the external hd is booted.

 

[Polekat]

Tried all of the above, with no success.

 

[hobowankenobi]

All of the above methods work, so there must be a something amiss.

The question is what....

Is it just the network error, or something else?

 

[Polekat]

I tried one more thing and it may have fixed it. I rebuilt the iTunes library following these instructions. I have synced twice now with no popup errors