Importing files to iTunes goes to local HDD and not eHDD

Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I have all my music on an external HDD and stream wirelessly to my Macbook Pro.

I just noticed that the previous CDs and folders that I have imported to iTunes have been imported to the local Macbook Pro HDD.

I have been copying those folders and pasting them into the external HDD.

Is there a setting I can choose in iTunes to ensure that imported folders go to the external F: drive?
 
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
8,967
Reaction score
287
Points
83
Location
London
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini Core i7 2012 | White 2009 MacBook 2 Ghz | 733 Mhz G4 Quicksilver
F drive, are you using a PC?

You need to set where iTunes imports music in iTunes preferences

The first option - iTunes music location (ignore the highlighted purple bit)

 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I don't have an option to set where the imports go, as you do in your photo. I only have the window where I can set the iTunes folder.

I am using iTunes 8.2.1

And my F drive comment is my post-Windows mentality cropping up now and again.
 
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
9,383
Reaction score
417
Points
83
Location
Irvine, CA
Your Mac's Specs
Black Macbook C2D 2GHz 3GB RAM 250GB HD iPhone 4 iPad 3G
You do have the option, you're just not looking in the right place. Click on iTunes in the top left and click on Preferences. Then click on the Advanced tab and you'll see the options that louishen posted.
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I swear I don't have them.
The icon options are different and not in the same order.
And the various options are not worded in the same way and there are different ones.
I am using iTunes on a Mac with the latest updated version.
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Well, it appears as if the latest import went to my eHDD and not the local drive, as with previous imports.

Awkward.

What is the best way to move the songs on the local disk to the eHDD and point iTunes to the proper location? Do I have to do each step separately or is there a simple way to move them with one click.
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Messages
878
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Kailua Kona, HI
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15", 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, OS X 10.8.2, iPad 1, 80gb iPod, ATV 1, iPhone 5
I have yet to figure out how to make it do it automatically but what I have to do is mount the external drive, via airport, then open iTunes. Other wise my iTunes reverts back to the local drive.
 
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
480
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
I have yet to figure out how to make it do it automatically but what I have to do is mount the external drive, via airport, then open iTunes. Other wise my iTunes reverts back to the local drive.

This is the correct behavior. From Apple's support site:

If you move your library to an external drive, you'll need to power up and connect the drive before starting iTunes. If you don't, iTunes will prompt you to either locate the library or to create a new library (which will result in an empty library).

When I used to run my iTunes library on my AEBS external drives I would hit this issue all the time because most of my drives had a little bit of lag when spinning up. iTunes would immediately drop to my local HD. To get around this I now use an external drive connected to my Mac Mini via Firewire and share/stream music from this library to the other machines on my network.

You may want to check out the full KB article from Apple for reference:

iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Music folder
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Messages
878
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Kailua Kona, HI
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15", 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, OS X 10.8.2, iPad 1, 80gb iPod, ATV 1, iPhone 5
Is it possible to make those drive mount automatically when connected to the home network? If so, is it possible to have certain drives mount automatically to one mac and other drives to another mac?
 
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
480
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
I believe you can make an external SMB mount a Login item in OSX and have it automounted at login. To try this goto SystemPreferences->Accounts->LoginItems. Click the '+' symbol. You should be able to add the drive (of course you will have to have it mounted at this point).

I have never tried this myself and I am sort of interested to see if it works. Please give it a whirl and report back.
 
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
480
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
BTW...I am not being lazy and not trying it myself...I am stuck on a business trip and don't have access to my network or any of my external drives :)
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Messages
878
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Kailua Kona, HI
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15", 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, OS X 10.8.2, iPad 1, 80gb iPod, ATV 1, iPhone 5
You were right. I never thought that a login item could be a device. There is a side effect though. It opens finder windows for each drive. So I put the check mark to hide on start up but that didn't change anything. I can live with that though.

Great tip! Thanks
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
0
Points
16
wmprice,

What was your workaround when some files were on your local HDD and others on the eHDD?

Did you copy those files on your local disk to the eHDD and reimport them?
Is there a way to just redirect where iTunes looks for those files?
 
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
480
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
Good question. Basically what I do is this:

Essentially iTunes can look for sources anywhere. You can add items to your library via the 'Add to Library' option. However, you have to make sure to uncheck the

'Copy files to iTunes Music Folder when adding to Library' option in the Advanced iTunes preferences.

This way you get a unified view of your library that could be spread across multiple drives/hosts etc.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top