Moved my music to another drive - point iTunes to new location?

[SlinkyMike]

I manage my music manually - I do so because I have a specific strategy which allows me to locate the actual files without iTunes etc.

I have moved the music to a new volume and I'd like to point iTunes to the new location.

I have searched online but the only solutions that I have found include allowing iTunes to manage my files - I do not want this.

I was hoping that a simple search and replace in some XML file would do the trick... anyone have any experience with this?

 

[bwana]

iTunes preferences > Advanced > iTunes Medial Location Folder?

You might have to rebuild the library.

 

[Synaesthesia]

You have to delete the itunes library file and then edit the XML file with search/replace.

Then iTunes will rebuild the iTunes library from the XML file. (back up both first)

Another solution is to re-add all your music. But you lose all your playlists etc.

 

[SlinkyMike]

You have to delete the itunes library file and then edit the XML file with search/replace.

Then iTunes will rebuild the iTunes library from the XML file. (back up both first)

Another solution is to re-add all your music. But you lose all your playlists etc.

Yea, attempting this now - was wondering what to do with the iTunes library file - thanks for that.

 

[SlinkyMike]

Damn - the new XML file keeps getting overwritten when I open iTunes... wtf?

 

[Synaesthesia]

There was a guide for that somewhere, I will look for it!

 

[Synaesthesia]

Ah yes, I remember now. Don't delete the iTunes Library file - you must edit it with a text/hex editor and just delete everything, leaving it as a null file or empty file.

Then with the null iTunes library file in place, iTunes will think the iTunes library is corrupt and try to rebuild from the XML file - your modified XML file and all will be well!

 

[SlinkyMike]

Ah yes, I remember now. Don't delete the iTunes Library file - you must edit it with a text/hex editor and just delete everything, leaving it as a null file or empty file.

Then with the null iTunes library file in place, iTunes will think the iTunes library is corrupt and try to rebuild from the XML file - your modified XML file and all will be well!

Dammit! I should have checked back - I got hacked off with it and just re-imported everything (80 odd gigs - still churning) - it seems to have held onto the album art which was my main concern... would have liked to hang onto my playlists etc.

 

[Synaesthesia]

Oh well, that sucks. The same's happened to me. At least you still have all your music etc.

 

[KSINGH]

its freaking annoying. i moved my itunes folder to an external. tried pointing itunes to it but that did not work. brought the folder back to the laptop and overwrote the library file. but thats a problem as well. downloaded an updated itunes setup file.

must still re-install it. very annoying.

 

[limnos]

All I did was move (not copy/paste) the music folder to the external HD WHILE iTunes was open and playing and it changed the directories itself......

Same thing happens if you delete a song or rename a song that is playing in iTunes.

 

[undesign]

I moved it to a new HDD recently - just keep the same directory structure and reassign the drive letter on the new HDD to what the previous HDD was.

 

[SlinkyMike]

Oh well, that sucks. The same's happened to me. At least you still have all your music etc.

True dat.

its freaking annoying. i moved my itunes folder to an external. tried pointing itunes to it but that did not work. brought the folder back to the laptop and overwrote the library file. but thats a problem as well. downloaded an updated itunes setup file.

must still re-install it. very annoying.

Ha! you just didn't ask the google about that What you needed can be done quite easily.

All I did was move (not copy/paste) the music folder to the external HD WHILE iTunes was open and playing and it changed the directories itself......

Same thing happens if you delete a song or rename a song that is playing in iTunes.

This raises another nagging issue for me: under which circumstances does OSX copy when dragging or move when dragging... it is not consistent, there must be some logic but I simply cannot recognise the pattern.

I moved it to a new HDD recently - just keep the same directory structure and reassign the drive letter on the new HDD to what the previous HDD was.

Inelegant my dear boy, very inelegant.


Something missing from iTunes IMHO is the ability to find something by location.

Many times I am looking for a (badly or not tagged) song in iTunes and tear my hair out because I know where it is on my drive as I do not allow software to arrange my files, trying to find it in iTunes really requires some search-fu.

Media Monkey had this functionality and I loved it!

 

[undesign]

Inelegant my dear boy, very inelegant.

In the eye of the beholder boet. Quick, easy, no nonsense solution.