iPod Questions about Itunes, the library, the ipod, and MBP...

[Matto1020]

I am going to be purchasing a new MBP here within the next week but have a question regarding Itunes.

Right now I have my entire library (about 45GB) on my PC but will transfer it over to my MBP.

Here is my question...Can I leave my library on a seperate external harddrive and then just plug in my Ipod to update podcasts?

If I don't have my external plugged in, will my library be saved but just unreachable or will it disappear? If its not plugged in...will my Ipod erase everything on it because Itunes cant see the library?

I know this sounds weird I dont really know how to ask it...but I am just wondering how hard it is to operate Itunes and the Ipod when your music library is on an external HD. I don't want to take up 45GB of space on my 120GB HD (which will be like 90GB after I open the box).

 

[mad jew]

You can keep the library on an external drive. If you open iTunes when the drive is disconnected you'll most likely get diverted to a new default library which will be held on your boot drive. It may still show all your music and playlists but it obviously won't be able to work with them and any additions you make will be placed in the new library. It's not a huge hassle and not terribly much can go wrong if you don't plug the drive in by mistake, but you'll soon learn to remember to do it each time.

As for the iPod; it's synced with a library. If you get to the point where you've opened iTunes without the external plugged in, the iPod won't automatically delete everything because it'll first ask if you want to sync with this new (and probably empty) library on your internal drive.

Remember that you can pick which library for iTunes to use by holding OPTION as you open it. This might help if you want to have a smaller separate version of your library kept on your internal drive for those times you don't have access to the external.

 

[richard4339]

You know, mods, this might be a useful guide: How to keep your iTunes Library on an External Drive.

I've been trying to find a basic walkthrough on doing this (my MBP is almost out of space) and I haven't had much luck! mad jew's simple explanation here is the best little reference I've found yet!

 

[skybolt]

There are complete instructions on Apple's Knowledge Base support.

 

[mad jew]

I found these at Apple's site:

• Moving the library on a Mac.
• Moving the library on a PC.

They're quite helpful but don't really give any specific information as to what might be the consequences of keeping the library on a non-boot drive.