iTunes and the external hard drive

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Hey,

I'm new to this forum thing, but hoping someone might be able to help.

I have a full hard drive on my iBook and have just purchased an external hard drive to help with the challenge. I want to move my iTunes music contents/library (around 16 Gb) across to the external drive AND make any new downloads/additions go to the external drive automatically as well.

What are the steps I need to do to carry this off? I imagine that it can't be that hard - hoping someone can help.

Cheers and thanks!
 
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when i did that i just selected my music that was on the computers harddrive and then drug it into my external harddrive. not the music that shows up in itunes, but the files that are actually in the itunes music folder.

Then for the harddrive u should open i tunes and go to preferences then click on the "Advanced" tab. There should be something that says Itunes music folder laction. you can hit change and select your external unit.

There may be an easier way to do the first part. im not that great with computers. but luckily you only have 16 gigs.
 

bobtomay

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That's all it takes.

However, using an external as your iTunes folder does create one problem that can show up in a couple of situations.

If you are subscribed to any Podcasts which automatically download and open iTunes while connected to the internet and not connected to the external drive - iTunes will change the location of the Music folder back to your internal drive so that it can download them.

Changing your setting of the Music folder location will occur anytime you add to the Library while not connected to the external drive.
 
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Bobtomay is correct, but I think if that happens, the "consolidate library" should fix it.
 
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nice thread. i might move mine to my external drive.
 
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Bobtomay is correct, but I think if that happens, the "consolidate library" should fix it.

you are correct, another way you could move it from the begining is just change the music folder location in preferences and "consolidate library." It will then move all your music/movies for you.
 
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Thanks, guys. I am learning tons. I have done what you've said, but am yet to test out everything. So, from what you are saying, any new additions to my iTunes library should now go to the external drive rather than onto the computer's hard drive itself. Right?

Also, my main motivation for getting the external drive was to clear some space on my computer's hard drive. Is it safe to now scrap the music on the computer's drive (as it is backed up on the external drive), and if so, how do I do this?

cheers and thanks!
 
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Please - anyone?? Is it safe to now scrap the music on the computer's drive (as it is backed up on the external drive), and if so, how do I do this?

cheers and thanks!
 

bobtomay

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Once you have moved everything to the external drive, you can delete it all from your internal.

I did it (and still do when I happen to open iTunes while not connected to my external and it downloads a podcast) by going to the 'Finder' - 'Music' - 'iTunes' (don't delete the stuff in this folder) - then open 'iTunes Music' - then on the Menu bar go to 'Edit' and 'Select All' - then go to 'File' - 'Move to Trash'

Then before emptying your trash - just for your own peace of mind - open up iTunes, play some of your music, make sure it is still all there and then you can confidently empty your trash.
 
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Does anyone know if the above mentioned steps will work if the external HDD is a firewire 400 drive attached to another mac and accessed over the network? I have a MBP and want to move my tunes to the external FW 400 on my Mini. The best access method for me is hitting it wirelessly over the network. I'm concerned with:
1) the fact it's on another mac and not on the MBP and
2) if the external FW drive goes to sleep what happens to the music transfers?
Any input would be a big help and my MBP disk is about full and I need to clear space for some new work related applications and data.
Thanks!
-Dave
 

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