iTunes - transferring music and playlist structure to new HD intact...

rich_edwards79 · #1 (**permalink**) 21-02-2008, 10:37 PM

I hope this isn't a stupid 'noob' question, I did a Forum search and couldn't find anything similar, and whilst Google has given me some pointers I can't find anything specific to my query.

As I mentioned on another thread I recently had to replace my computer for the second time in six months (that'll teach me to buy a used Time Machine). I had around 10GB of music on the 40GB HD which I use iTunes to listen to (no choice, as I have an iPod). I've installed this drive as a slave to the 80GB drive in my new machine, and my iTunes and music files have survived intact (phew!)

My problem is that I want to transfer these onto my new C drive (and a new install of iTunes) whilst preferably preserving my play counts, last played data and most importantly my playlists, of which I have about 30 each containing between 50 and 100 tracks. Now whilst I've found some directions online on how to do this they all either assume you can still open the original copy of iTunes to consolidate the library (I can't, as it's on a slave drive which was a C until its motherboard croaked) and that the files are all in one place (in fact, mine are stored in a number of folders under My Music).

I got this horribly wrong last time and ended up basically having to go through thousands of tracks and rebuild all my playlists manually. In fact it was the prospect of having to do this again that annoyed me most about my PC giving up on me. If at all possible i'd like to avoid the same this time round - any suggestions to how I can transfer my music library AND playlists using the .xml file without consolidating the library or opening the original install of iTunes (unless of course there's some way this would be possible from a slave HD that's been amputated from its Mobo?) would be very gratefully received!!!

penguinpaul · #2 (**permalink**) 22-02-2008, 10:28 PM

If your using vista, there is this nice merge thing, where you can just copy the "my music" folder, and paste it into your area where the proper one is, and it will give you an option to merge the two folders. that way, your playlist should be in the folder where itunes looks.
alternatively, pop all the music onto your ipod, and somewhere there is a program that will let you import ipod stuff into itunes even with a different playlist...

rich_edwards79 · #3 (**permalink**) 26-02-2008, 09:44 PM

Hi Penguinpaul, thanks for replying!

Unfortunately I use XP, and I can't copy all the music to my iPod because it's only a 1GB Shuffle and my library is 10x bigger than the available space.

I have noticed that I can still open my old copy of iTunes via Programs on what is now the D: drive. However when the library window opens, it's empty (of music AND playlists). Now whilst I hoped that opening iTunes from D: (I haven't yet installed it on C:, and would even be happy to use the copy on D: if it's possible and just create a desktop shortcut) would preserve the playlist structure and links, I'm guessing that the reason it hasn't is because it's looking for links to the music on the C: drive, when of course the designation of that drive has now changed to D:.

What I don't know is how to deal with it - any ideas?

Thanks,

Rich

penguinpaul · #4 (**permalink**) 27-02-2008, 09:26 PM

hmm yes i see... is there any way to change the drive it looks for stuff on? otherwise, would it not be possible to import all the tracks by importing folder, and selecting the folder that everything is in (that way making it easier to import), and is it the same with playlists?? can you import them?
also, what version of itunes??