Reinstalling OS X - Need To Conserve iTunes Ratings

[Vick77]

Hi, I know this must have been covered before but I couldn't find it so if anyone has a link they'd be happy to share, I'd appreciate it.

Basically I'm having to completely reinstall OS X because I need to "upgrade" from Quicktime X to Quicktime 7 Pro and also my sound has completely stopped working. The speakers don't work and neither does anything plugged into the headphones socket. I'm hoping this reinstall might fix it.

I've backed everything up but (yes it's quite obsessive) 90% of my iTunes library is rated. It makes it easier to make playlists etc, I've backed up my library but I was wondering if anybody knows how to conserve the ratings / play counts / playlists etc. I've done a reinstall before and I lost all this info.

Sorry the post is so long, I'd appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[spinnerlys]

If you have backed up the entire iTunes Music folder (Macintosh HD / Users / YOU / Music / iTunes), you're good to go, if you store your music in there too.

For example, I store my music on my Desktop and have iTunes linked to it, but all my ratings and settings of my iTunes library are stored at Macintosh HD / Users / YOU / Music / iTunes.

 

[Vick77]

So once I've reinstalled everything, I just copy the entire folder back to where it originally was and once imported back into iTunes, everything should be just how it was?

Thanks for the reply by the way.

 

[spinnerlys]

So once I've reinstalled everything, I just copy the entire folder back to where it originally was and once imported back into iTunes, everything should be just how it was?

Thanks for the reply by the way.

No need to import anything, as iTunes stores its library file in that folder and once you copied that folder back onto the newly installed Mac OS, iTunes will open your "old" library.
Alternatively, you could test it via this method by creating a new library (don't forget to backup your library file though - Macintosh HD / Users / YOU / Music / iTunes / iTunes Music Library.xml, iTunes Library, iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb).

How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one

 

[Vick77]

Brilliant, thanks for the reply. It's much appreciated.