I have a MacBook with Leopard on it and I want to do a fresh install of Snow Leopard. I will be able to manually transfer all my files to an external hardrive and back except for iTunes. I have 2 iPhones and 1 iPod Touch that syncs with my iTunes. If I just copy the iTunes folder will my phones and iPod touch still sync with iTunes or will I have to wipe + resync them? Thanks for your help.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Snow Leopard Fresh Install - How to transfer iTunes?
- Thread starter phalanx1
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Under Preferences>Advanced in iTunes, choose a new iTunes music folder on your new external , create a new folder which will be your new iTunes folder.
Then File...Library...choose Consolidate Libary and iTunes will copy over everything it needs to the new drive....including all your info about songs and preferences and the like...this includes iPod and iPhone info.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449 ....straight from the horse's mouth.
follow these exactly and you can't go wrong.
DO NOT COPY your files manually....allow iTunes to consolidate or copy the files to the new location for you or you may end up with an entire iTunes folder of songs and media that cannot be located.
BTW...there is no reason you need to re-migrate your library back to the internal once you finish the SL install. I host mine on an external so my internal isn't taken up with all my music and movies (160GB currently and growing!)
Then File...Library...choose Consolidate Libary and iTunes will copy over everything it needs to the new drive....including all your info about songs and preferences and the like...this includes iPod and iPhone info.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449 ....straight from the horse's mouth.
follow these exactly and you can't go wrong.DO NOT COPY your files manually....allow iTunes to consolidate or copy the files to the new location for you or you may end up with an entire iTunes folder of songs and media that cannot be located.
BTW...there is no reason you need to re-migrate your library back to the internal once you finish the SL install. I host mine on an external so my internal isn't taken up with all my music and movies (160GB currently and growing!)
Ok thaks I am going to try this! But, I bring my laptop around everywhere so I can't always have an external with me. How would I go about getting it back onto my HD once I install snow leopard? Thanks!
Follow same procedure...rename/relocate the iTunes music folder back to your hd after SL install and let iTunes consolidate...but you must have your external connected while it copies the files back obviously.
(Follow the apple instruction link I provided above...I edited the post. )
Sure thing! Just sent my iTunes library to a new external this weekend, so it's fresh on my mind right now.
Be sure to follow those instructions in my link from apple to avoid any issues.
Again...worst thing you can do is just simply copy files manually (which I managed to do this weekend!
)
I keep my music on an external, so this may or may not apply for you. But what I have done in the past is make a backup of my iTunes folder. After a fresh OS install, I just copy it back into the Music folder. Opt-click iTunes and choose library, and I am back in business.
I've done it several times and it saves so much time of having to re-create a library from over 300gb of music. Again I'm accessing an external drive for the actual music files. Not sure of the effects when your music is within your iTunes folder. I can't imagine it would do harm as your library xml hasn't changed, and as long as you don't alter your music file structure in anyway. I know my iPhone apps and some TV shows are there and are not affected by this procedure.
I never had to wipe my iPhone after this. As far as resyncing, I can't quite recall, but that's no big deal really.
I've done it several times and it saves so much time of having to re-create a library from over 300gb of music. Again I'm accessing an external drive for the actual music files. Not sure of the effects when your music is within your iTunes folder. I can't imagine it would do harm as your library xml hasn't changed, and as long as you don't alter your music file structure in anyway. I know my iPhone apps and some TV shows are there and are not affected by this procedure.
I never had to wipe my iPhone after this. As far as resyncing, I can't quite recall, but that's no big deal really.
I tried this this past weekend and I got "iTunes could not locate" error for every song and movie in my Library. I copied over the iTunes Library folder completely and exactly as it was on the previous drive which I was replacing since I was running out of room. I went into the preferences and chose the new hard drive folder and had the issue once I disconnected the old drive.
It was like even though I specified the new location of the library, it still had 'pointers' to all of the files at the old HD location. Consolidating the library pulled in everything properly and took maybe 15-20 minutes for my 160GB library.
That's why I recommend following the instructions on the Apple site above.
It was like even though I specified the new location of the library, it still had 'pointers' to all of the files at the old HD location. Consolidating the library pulled in everything properly and took maybe 15-20 minutes for my 160GB library.
That's why I recommend following the instructions on the Apple site above.
That is quite odd indeed. I have even copied my iTunes library to my wife's macbook, and also to another mbp i use for work with no issues at all. I did have to redirect iTunes in Advanced Preferences to the correct media file location, which for me is an external drive. For some reason it has worked for me every time.
But I certainly advise the OP to follow
's instructions to be safe.
But I certainly advise the OP to follow
's instructions to be safe.There's no difference...follow the instructions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Open a new Library folder on your HD and have iTunes consolidate your current library on the external TO your internal.
Just like moving to the extrernal.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Open a new Library folder on your HD and have iTunes consolidate your current library on the external TO your internal.
Just like moving to the extrernal.