How Do I Point iTunes to use my backup ext drive?

I believe the solution is fairly simple.

First, quit iTunes (if it is currently running). Then, relaunch iTunes while holding down the "Option" key.

You should be presented with a dialog box that reads:

Choose iTunes Library

iTunes needs a library to continue. You may choose an existing iTunes library or create a new one.

Click on the "Choose Library" button, which will allow you to navigate to the iTunes folder on your backup drive. Be sure you choose the actual iTunes folder, and not one of the folders contained within the iTunes folder, such as "iTunes Music."

Assuming your backup was current, you should be back in business, with everything working exactly as it did before your disc crashed.

Once you're satisfied that all is well, create a NEW backup of your entire iTunes folder on a backup drive, just as you did before.

Good luck!
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Also, regarding those Advanced Preferences in iTunes:

I changed the Advanced Preferences in iTunes to point to the backup location, but I think this is only to tell iTunes where to rip new music.

What this does is point iTunes to the location of the "iTunes Music" folder. This folder is where the actual music files reside. And, as you point out, the "iTunes Music" folder is just one component of the iTunes Library.

Making this change does NOT change the location of the "iTunes" folder (which normally CONTAINS the "iTunes Music" folder). What it does, in effect, is put an alias of your "iTunes Music" folder into your "iTunes" folder. This alias then directs iTunes to the ACTUAL location of the music files, wherever that may be.

So while this allows iTunes to locate the music itself, it DOES NOT tell iTunes where the actual "iTunes" FOLDER resides. And since iTunes is expecting this folder to be on your now kaput disc (which it can no longer access), until you redirect it to the "iTunes" folder on your backup disc, it is at a loss as to how to proceed, so it will appear "broken."

Redirecting iTunes to the proper folder on the backup disc should restore everything to its pre-crash state.

Hope this makes sense!
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Rel, I don't think that will work.

Choosing the library file on the backup as the new library will not let iTunes find the music. The library file that is backed up is exactly like the one it is replacing and therefore still pointing to the old drive that crashed. It will look for the music files on the crashed disc and won't know they are on the backup disc.

This is also incorrect.

What this does is point iTunes to the location of the "iTunes Music" folder. This folder is where the actual music files reside.

The music files may or may not be in that folder. It only tells iTunes where you want to put any new files that are imported or ripped. You can have music files scattered about on any attached drive and iTunes can find them as long as they have not been moved since first loaded into the current library

Your concept of redirecting iTunes and aliases is also incorrect. A given library has pointers that point to specific locations like drive/artist folder/album folder/song file so unless the song you are looking for is in that exact folder iTunes can't find it. The only way to "redirect" is to use the function where iTunes allows you to search for a lost song but as the original poster said this is very tedious for a big library. I do think once it finds one song on an album it will know where they all are for that album but still tedious.

Other than that I think you pretty much nailed it :>)

Herman,

Don't mean to be contentious, but I believe it is you that has it completely wrong.

Holding the option key on launch allows iTunes to work with multiple libraries (have you ever actually tried this??).

In this case there are two libraries in question: the original (now fried), and the back-up (hopefully identical to the original).

If iTunes is pointed to the back-up, it should not be able to tell the difference between the back-up and the original library.

The only thing that MAY prevent this from working, is that the back-up was made by dragging and dropping, which could conceivably result in iTunes becoming confused.

Your point that iTunes is versatile enough to not require all music files to be in the "iTunes Music" folder is certainly correct. However, disasters like this make a very strong case for keeping all your music in one place, rather than scattered hither and yon on your hard drive--or worse yet--on multiple hard drives.

Perhaps Brian (Cycles2), the original poster, could update us on his progress?
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