[iTunes] moving iTunes from one mac to another

[joAnn ortiz]

I would experiment by backing up my preferences & xml files and then  
do the following:

Leave your music on the external as you intend to. Determine which xml  
files etc. are current. External or Mini. Copy those as well as  
any .plist files associated w/iTunes that reside on your Mini.  
Naturally make sure your external is visible & mounted to your MBP.  
Once the items are copied launch iTunes & see what you have. Worse  
case scenario it doesn't work but you have everything still working on  
your Mini. I want to say the only issue I ever had w/that was that I  
had to redirect the paths to where the music was once, but it found  
everything (including ratings, etc. after that.) I also used to keep  
everything on an external.

Sorry, but like I said, it's been a while since I have done this, but  
I used to do it all the time both in order to mirror my library & have  
an updated backup right down to the play counts, ratings, date added,  
etc. Come to think of it, all you may need to do is copy over  
the .plist and be done with it. Personally I never had any luck with  
the export feature - but that could just have been me...

Whatever you end up doing, I'd love to hear what gives you success.  
Please post your results.



joAnn

www.flydragonconsultiing.com


On Nov 03, 2009, at 8:00 AM, Hector Luna wrote:

> For storage, I specified the location on the external and have iTunes
> copy the music there. I was planning on doing the same on the Macbook.
> I know the music will be safe, but its the ratings and playlists that
> have me concerned. Thanks for your reply...
>
> On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 8:54 AM, joAnn ortiz <ask_alice at mac.com> wrote:
>> Hi Hector,
>>
>> I haven't  done this in a while but I never have a problem with  
>> simply going
>> into my music folder and copying the complete iTunes folder over to a
>> different machine. I used this method as old fashioned backup  
>> between my
>> MacBook Pro & my old 15" snowball iMac. (Been a few months now)
>>
>> I know one thing to consider is whether or not you actuslly STORE  
>> your music
>> in your iTunes folder or throughtout your computer. That would  
>> directly
>> impact on whether this would be smooth or not. In any even, I have  
>> never
>> lost a playlist or path to the music file this way.
>>
>> Good Luck
>>
>> joAnn
>>
>> www.flydragonconsultiing.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Nov 03, 2009, at 7:24 AM, Hector Luna wrote:
>>
>>> I am currently using a Mac Mini as my primary home system. I have  
>>> 80+
>>> gigs of music on an external USB drive. I am going to retire the  
>>> Mini
>>> and switch to a Macbook. My plan is to use the export feature on
>>> iTunes to generate the XML file that I'll import into the Macbook,
>>> once I've connected the external drive. I really want to retain my
>>> playlists and ratings. Is this a plan that will accomplish that?  
>>> I've
>>> looked over a few postings about transfers, but none seem to address
>>> this scenario.
>>>
>>> Any thoughts?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring.  They're
>>> Fascist.  Throw some ground balls, it's more Democratic. - Crash  
>>> Davis
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>>
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>
>
>
> -- 
> Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring.  They're
> Fascist.  Throw some ground balls, it's more Democratic. - Crash Davis
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