iTunes

Ok, I am trying to move my iTunes library from my PC to MacBook. I copied the My Music folder on the PC to a flash drive... inserted the drive into the Mac. I copies all files inside the iTunes folder into the Mac iTunes folder. I see all my music and podcasts but most of the files have an ! in the first column... When I click on the ! it says "original file could not be found...would you like to locate it." When I click YES... it does nothing. Do I need to re-subscribe to all my podcasts??

I'm not 100% sure, but it sounds like a corrupt or incorrect entry in the XML file "iTunes Music Library.xml" in the iTunes folder from Windows (My Documents\My Music\iTunes\).

It may be a big file, but check out the contents and find the tracks you're having problems with, and look in the "Location" key. Make sure the file path is correct, and that the file actually exists in the location the XML file states. If in doubt, compare it with a file you know works.

If you had your music on another drive on your PC, and you've copied all the files over, then the file location in the XML file (i.e. the pointer) will be incorrect. In mosts cases iTunes will still play the file anyway.

If you've never read XML before - read this.

I'm new to Mac's, OS X, iTunes and iPods, having only made the plunge a few months ago - so someone may know of a script that will go through the file and put things right automatically for you.

Edit: Found These which may help
How to re-create your iTunes library
What are the iTunes library files?
XML.com - Hacking iTunes
HOWTO: Move your iTunes music while preserving library data (when you don’t let iTunes manage your music library)

Thanks!! I am sure it is some whacky way that I copied and pasted the files over...

Another thing... when I open up iTunes and see the info for my iPod... where is has your free space, etc. The format says: Windows... could this be something??

Kim

All the iPod format means is that the drive inside was formatted using Microsoft Windows. If you ever do a reset on your iPod and re-format it on your mac, the format will change to "Macintosh". Windows formatted iPods can be read by Windows and Mac computers, Macintosh formatted iPods can only be read by Mac's as the file system is different.

I <think> that Macintosh formatted iPods are the only one's that get regular firmware updates via iTunes. Windows formatted iPod users have to wait for the big updates to come out.