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iTunes config & Backup software for Mac

Hi. I'll be using a MacBook as a music server only, which I'll purchase next week w/ Leopard installed. Couple of quick questions.

1. Because I'll need at least 230 gb for music, I'll have to put my iTunes library on external drive. Is it easy/straight forward cofiguring iTunes so that it knows I want my music library on external drive?

2. Because music will be on external drive, I'll have to back up that drive to a second external drive. (The internal drive on the MacBook will just be OS programs/files.) If I'm interested in backing up music library only, anyone know if Time Machine lets the user have a bit more fine tuning control, that is, not a plug and play, but a directed backup?

Thnx.
nycjdc
jeffreybowman2k
216 posts
 
1. Yes. Under "Preferences" /"Advanced" you can specify the external drive as your library.

2. Not sure.

Good luck.
grinnell
1,111 posts
 
Maxtor makes a nice 1tb drive for backup it uses 800firewire so its fast and they are around $375 now.

I dont remember exactly how to configure iTunes to point to an external but i did it once when i had too much on the school Mac server but it was not difficult, its a Mac!
herman
2,267 posts
 
FYI

If you set the external drive as the default storage and at any time start iTunes before you connect it or turn it on iTunes will change the storage location back to the internal drive and won't tell you it did it.

You should go to preferences each time before you rip to make sure the files go where you want them.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
The best way to use an external drive for iTunes is to make an alias of the external drive, rename the alias to "iTunes", and drag it into your Music folder. You don't need to change any setting in iTunes.

I wouldn't use Time Machine to backup iTunes library. Time Machine wants to keep everything. As you reorganize tracks in iTunes, iTunes will rename tracks and move tracks from folder to folder and that will cause multiple copies of the same track being backed up by Time Machine.

Also, if your drive crashed, you need to get a new one and restore all the music tracks from Time Machine. That can take a whole day for 230G.

I use a small program called SilverKeeper. It is a free download from LaCie. It simply copies files from one drive to another and keeps them in sync. That means after I run it, I will have two drives with identical contents. If my iTunes drive crashed, I simply make an alias of the backup drive, call it "iTunes", drag it into my Music folder to replace the old one and instantly, I will have all my music back without any restore.
nycjdc OP
10 posts
 
Thanks all for your comments/suggestions.

Is the Maxtor a quiet drive? I'm seeking ultra quiet and reliable drive. The connection will definitely be firewire, but may only be firewire 400; depends on if the anticipated minor refresh of macbook will include firewire 800 or not.

Any further suggestions on ultra quiet drives?

Is the G-Technology 320 GB any good?
What other manufactures should i consider?

Many thanks.
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