Migrating to a new Mac - iTunes Library

[Peakoverload]

Currently I have a very slow 27" 5K iMac Late 2015 but tomorrow my new Mac Studio is being delivered!!

I don't want to do an automatic migration as my iMac is somewhat bloated with stuff I don't use anymore with loads of left over folders from old applications etc.

I think I've backed up everything I want to move to the new Mac with one exception, my iTunes library.

I've always had the media files for my library on an external USB drive and this will be the same on the Mac Studio. However I'm struggling to find my actual iTunes library database files.

I realise that these should be in user>music>iTunes and indeed I do have a iTune Music Library.xml file but it's modified date its creation and modified date are identical and are back in 2019. In fact all the files and folders there have similar modified dates within a few days of each other. As I use iTunes nearly everyday and bought a new album just last week, the modified dates should be current.

I do have a memory of somehow moving my Music, Photos and maybe my Documents folders off of the system drive and onto a USB drive as I was running out of space but I've checked every single drive and cannot find another iTunes folder with a Library file in it and if I check the properties of the Music, Photos, Documents folder, it says they are still on the system drive.

How can you find which database file iTunes is using so I can make sure it is backed up or is there a better way to move the iTunes library to a new Mac?

 

[IWT]

Hi and welcome again.

There's a lot to consider here. Firstly, you repeatedly refer to iTunes which I assume is related to an earlier Operating System (OS) which is......? We need to know please.

As you know, iTunes was replaced by Music and, importantly, Music is structured quite differently from iTunes. For example: General, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, Books, Photos, Files and Info are now accessed via the Finder; not the Music app (or iTunes app as in your case).

Splitting things up in this way requires iTunes to be converted to Music and Finder etc. Normally a new OS will do this for you, but to do so, it needs accurate details of where exactly your iTunes Library exists; with all the songs, videos, podcasts etc as they are currently integrated with iTunes.

If you open iTunes, then use the Keyboard shortcut - Command plus comma - to enter iTunes Preferences. Click on Advanced and right at the top, it will show "iTunes Media folder location".

This requires, in your case, that the EHD with iTunes is mounted. Problem is that you seem to have some aspects of the original library on your Mac and some/all the current library on the EHD. Please tell us where the "iTunes Media folder location" is, as shown in the above paragraph.

I also have to assume that you have "Keep iTunes Media Organised" ticked - it's at the very top of that window.

And beneath it, please confirm that "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" is also ticked. These two features are critical to what you are trying to do.

If you can get your head round my rather convoluted explanation and answer the questions I've posed, we could be well on our way to forming a strategy

We can go on from there.

Ian

 

[Peakoverload]

Apologies, after using iTunes for 20 years I still think of it by that name even though it's now Music.

You can pretty much replace iTunes with Music in everything I said above.

My 'Music' media folder is on an external hard drive where it has always been even when it was iTunes and yes it is set to keep media organised as is the copy to media folder when adding to library.

 

[IWT]

OK. Well most of what I said still applies, thankfully.

In Music app, this is where you find the location of your library. It's slightly different from iTunes.



In view of the new info, have you any additional questions that we can help with?

And which OS do you have, please?

Ian

 

[Peakoverload]

OK. Well most of what I said still applies, thankfully.

In Music app, this is where you find the location of your library. It's slightly different from iTunes.

View attachment 36298

In view of the new info, have you any additional questions that we can help with?

And which OS do you have, please?

Ian

I'm running OSX 12.3.1.
Shouldn't I see an XML file or something inside the Music Media Folder, like you used to have in iTunes? All I have are folders for things like Audiobooks, Downloads, Movies, Music, TV Shows etc (15 folders in total). I can't see anything that would be a 'database' of some kind to store playlists, ratings, play counts, etc etc

 

[IWT]

This may help:

Finder > Macintosh HD > Users > your name > Music

This is what I see:



If I click on iTunes, I see this:


If I click on Music, I see this:


Previous libraries is empty. Underneath is my Music Library, as shown.

The reason for the iTunes bit is that in the conversion from the old iTunes to the new Music, certain files are preserved, I presume.

You haven't converted to Music app yet, so concentrate on my settings for iTunes. I suspect, but don't know, that you have the Musiclibrary on the EHD and all the supporting files are on your Mac.

If you wished to make screenshots as I have, of these various stages in Macintosh HD, we might get a better idea of how things stand.

BTW, the latest version of Monterey is 12.4.

Ian

 

[IWT]

All the Folders and Files you mentioned, like iTunes Music Library.xml, are all shown above.

Ian

 

[Peakoverload]

Aha! Yes, that's the file. Cool, got all that backed up now as well. Just need the Studio to arrive. Although I don't think I'll be able to even turn it on until the Studio Display arrives which isn't due until some time in July

 

[ferrarr]

Although I don't think I'll be able to even turn it on until the Studio Display arrives

You can if you have a TV that has an HDMI input and an extra HDMI cable.