I just purchased a new Macbook, and I plan on migrating everything from my Mini to the Macbook from my Time Machine backup of the Mini. The issue I have is that my iTunes library is stored on an external drive and is not on my Mini drive or the Time Machine backup. The Library data files are on the local drive. How can I transfer the library from the external drive to the Macbook without having to reimport everything?
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Migrating iTunes Library from external drive to new Macbook
- Thread starter swindmill
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Well, if all the files in your iTunes library are music files, just drag them onto your computer and move them all at once into iTunes. Though I have a sneaking suspicion that that doesn't really answer your question. Hope I helped.
Kind of random and unhelpful, I love your avatar. The Flying Spaghetti Monster is one of the best gods I have ever seen. Hope that helps lighten your mood if my earlier advice didn't help.
So I'm wondering, ... if you move the iTunes folder from the mini's local hard drive over to the MacBook's local hard drive and then plug in the external drive to the MacBook ... if iTunes has no problem playing your library, you probably could then use the iTunes "Consolidate Library" feature to move everything back onto the MacBook.
I may try this. I think this is how I originally moved it onto the external drive. I have close to 100gb in video, so it's going to be a long process no matter how I do it. I'd like to avoid dragging and dropping then reimporting...that's my goal.
It looks like the "consolidate" option is gone under the latest version of iTunes. I wonder if I could just drag and drop the folder and then change the location of the itunes folder in iTunes preferences...
EDIT: Nevermind, the function just moved to the file menu
EDIT: Nevermind, the function just moved to the file menu
I think this guide does what you want to do: http://www.freerobby.com/2008/10/24...d-statistics-when-moving-your-itunes-library/
Just done this myself.
Plug the hard-drive into the new comp. Change the library location in itunes to the NEW destination, click 'consolidate library' and it will copy it all over for you. If you try it other ways it will not recognize the destination for all your music files.
Plug the hard-drive into the new comp. Change the library location in itunes to the NEW destination, click 'consolidate library' and it will copy it all over for you. If you try it other ways it will not recognize the destination for all your music files.
Yep. Works perfectly and took less than an hour to transfer a 130gb library.