Simple iTunes Question

Dtc's answer is more to the point if you want iTunes to keep track of your library with minimal problems. I've found dragging and dropping stuff and then telling iTunes to find it can lead to some potential problems, especially if you just isolate the music folders and do a drag-drop. You're potential for problems is worse if you are moving WAV files as iTunes carries all the tags for those files within other files and links to them in a different way than the meta-tags used for other codecs (this is how I understand it and I have run into problems moving WAV files around). Do the copying and changing within iTunes to reduce your headaches - that's been my experience at least. Good luck.

Thanks to all. I used Almarg's instructions and they worked, but I am now wondering if I am missing something. I am not sure I understand the difference between the iTunes music folder, which is what I copied to external HD, and the iTunes Library, which I don't think I did. What is the difference, and is it better to copuy the Library that the music folder?

Neal

Neal,

My response was based on the assumption that what you wanted to do was to back up (create a duplicate copy of) all of your iTunes files (music and library), to protect against the possibility of failure of your internal hard drive, software corruption, etc. Some of the other responses addressed a different goal, re-locating your iTunes music and library to the external drive (so that iTunes would actually play each selection from the external drive). Let us know which of these alternatives you are trying to accomplish.

Also, note that my instructions were to copy the folder called "iTunes," which is a top-level folder within "My Music," not "iTunes Music," which is a sub-folder of "iTunes." By copying the top-level iTunes folder you would be simultaneously backing up both the library files and the music.

As was noted by one of the others, the library files contain information about the music, which among other things is used to provide the entries (name, artist, composer, etc.) that you see in the listings that appear when you open the iTunes program.

Regards,
-- Al

This is exactly what the Consolidate Library function is for.

Al,

My goal is both to back up iTunes songs as well as be able to play them from external HD, e.g., through USB connection to DAC, as well as burn discs from external HD.

I have to check whether I copied iTunes or iTunes Music.

Synthfreek, where is Consolidate Library function located?

Thanks for your help. Every time I think I am reasonably adept with computer I find I am not.

Neal