11-01-2008, 03:33 AM

Due to the limited amount of space that my macbook has, i've resorted to have a mix of songs in iTunes that is sourced from the internal hard drive and from my 500 gB hard drive.

The startup library for iTunes is pointed directly onto the default music folder within the internal hard drive.

When files are usually added to iTunes from hard drives, it plays just fine, with no "lost files".

But most of the time after the machine is restarted, some of the files can't be located.

The funny thing with this whole scene, will be some files within the folder can be played and some can't. Everytime you remount the external hard drive, different files can be played and some files can't be located.

I remember once i managed to make all files playable, but i forgot the sequence to make it work again. Anyone had this problem before? Or at least know of a solution

11-01-2008, 08:35 AM

Your best bet is to swap between library files, this is best done after you firstly consolidate your entire library to the external, you can create a smaller local music collection later

Keeping your iTunes collection on an external

The following assumes you want to keep all your iTunes music and movies on an external disk and ensure new music is always stored on the external drive.

First, you need to consolidate your iTunes Library to a folder you have chosen of the external drive.

Select the command consolidate library from the Advanced Menu. This will copy all your itunes media to the external folder and link the itunes library file to it

The files will now be on the external while the library.xml file (the index as it were) will still be in the Users > Me > Music folder of your mac.

If you want this file on the external as well as well, copy it to external iTunes folder, start itunes with the alt key pressed and you will have the option to select the library file now on the external



Select the library file you just copied and now both your music and the library are on the external

You can now delete the old Itunes folder off your mac

You can also use the choose library dialogue to switch between a large music collection on the external and a smaller music folder on the mac if you wish

11-01-2008, 10:04 AM

I've looked at that guide before. I already have all my songs in my external hard drive. That is how the songs are being referenced by iTunes in "Windows Boot Camp".

But i want 50% of the songs i have to be within my computer itself when i go portable.

It still doesn't help solve the half internal half external problem i encounter. I know it's the more basic and conventional way, but with already 20k songs in my list, i wouldn't want to start from scratch separating "some" songs internally and externally.

The problem still lies, some songs get referenced properly, some doesn't, and when you remount the hard drive, the problem might be reversed, or just some random songs get referenced (reference in this context means getting played)

11-01-2008, 10:57 AM

I would suggest keeping your external itunes library file on the external disk along with the music



Then create a new local itunes library file on your internal drive using the method above. You will now have a blank local library file. You will have to change the music folder in Advanced preferences to point to your local User > Music folder. You can then add music to your local version of the itunes library.

Now you have 2 music folders and 2 itunes library files, on the external and internal drives respectively. To switch between the two use the alt key on start-up, and remember to change the advanced preferences > Music folder location depending on which music library you are currently using

11-02-2008, 03:01 AM

Thats a viable option like i say. Its just a tragedy that i've compiled too many songs for the mac hD to sustain before switching it 50-50 (internal,external). I wouldn't mind doing it if it was a blank iTunes, but with already 20k songs, its hard honestly. So i thought of keeping the conventional way and see how i can solve the problem on hand.

I mean, if i have the files taken directly from hard drive to iTunes, it should be able to play knowing that they dont have (alphabetical) drives for mac.

No problem on Windows iTunes. Wacky problem in mac version.