New mac guy needs to move itunes library to laptop.

[flightgamer]

I just bought a new MBP 17 and I couldn't love it more. I want to start syncing my ipod touch to it instead of my old windows laptop. What is the easiest way to do this? I have a lot of apps etc and when I plug in my touch to the MBP it asks me if I want to erase everything on it. Please help me move my itunes form my old to new laptop.....THX !!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Do you still have your Windows laptop with its old iTunes library intact, and consolidated? If you do, then moving your iTunes library couldn't be easier. Copy the entire iTunes folder (iTunes Music subfolder and all) to an external drive formatted in either FAT32 or NTFS. Then, eject the drive from your Windows machine, and connect it to your Mac. Quit iTunes if it's running on the Mac, then overwrite the iTunes folder on your Mac's drive with the one you copied.

If your library isn't consolidated this task is a little bit more difficult, as you must additionally copy the folder(s) the music files live in to the drive.

 

[flightgamer]

I didn't realize it would be this easy!!!! THX
Yes i still have my pc library and am still syncing to it on the windows machine until I found an answer to this.
So I will just copy the whole "itunes music" folder with all the subfolders over !!!
THX again

 

[ckesten]

prob a dumb question.. but how do you consolidate it to one of those file types? thanks

 

[dotdotdot]

Go to File > Library > Consolidate Library and click accept or ok

Then copy the iTunes Music folder to the external drive

Copy from the external drive to your MacBook Pro

It should be that easy.

 

[ckesten]

Any idea how big the file will be roughly? I have about 13 gigs of space on my library... i ask because I don't have an external hard drive. but I do have usb memory things

 

[ckesten]

wait.. so consolidating the library will automatically convert it to those file types? sorry.. im a little off on this one

 

[wrldwzrd89]

wait.. so consolidating the library will automatically convert it to those file types? sorry.. im a little off on this one

No, consolidating the library does no format conversion. All it does is moves your music files to the iTunes Music folder, then organizes them.

 

[txhockey9404]

Any idea how big the file will be roughly? I have about 13 gigs of space on my library... i ask because I don't have an external hard drive. but I do have usb memory things

If you just got a new mac, I would have to recommend that you buy an external drive. You can use it for this purpose, then use it later for Time Machine. A portable 500gb can be had for under $200 and a desktop 500gb can be had for under $100. That way you have space for backups, and don't have to worry about moving stuff. I have one 500gb external and one 750gb external as well as my 250gb internal in my iMac. The 750gb backs up the 250gb and the 500gb (for iTunes and iPhoto). The 500gb drive is very convenient because if my iMac is ever not working, I can just plug the drive into another mac and use my iTunes as I normally would. The 750gb is basically protecting me from either of the other two drives dying. Now I just hope that the 750gb and another do not die at the same time.