Merging iTunes libraries (Windows)

[MajorFubar]

A friend of mine has two Windows PCs with iTunes on them, onto which he's ripped different CDs over the years.

He asked me to pop round earlier tonight to merge the two libraries onto one PC because the other PC is heading for the bin. Foolishly he was under the misguided opinion that I knew what I was doing.

Anyhow I located where the ripped CDs were stored on both computers (something like My Docs/My Music/iTunes). I used a 16GB USB stick to copy from the source PC to the destination PC, and bingo: now all his artists' folders appear together in his iTunes folder on one PC.

I though that would be it.

I should have known better.

For some reason his computer doesn't 'see' the new folders and albums, even though they're in the same location as the CDs he ripped on that computer.

I've tried to give it some logical thought, and I've figured this must be because iTunes keeps a note of all the CDs it knows it's ripped to his iTunes folder on that computer. So it's ok with those. But obviously, it doesn't 'know' about the 50-odd albums we've manually copied this evening from his other PC's iTunes folder.

Any idea how we get it to refresh its list of what it thinks is there, without having to manually re-rip over 50 CDs?

(If it's of any relevance I think he's running iTunes 10.6)

Thanks guys.

 

[Paul.]

Your right that iTunes needs to know where the files are, it doesn't just scan the folder contents. All the music file data is recorded in a big xml file. You add music by going to File then Add to Library. If you have iTunes setup to automatically manage files, it will duplicate the files you add in to the iTunes library folder so you can select the USB as the file path.

Hope this helps

 

[MajorFubar]

Paul

Thanks for your input.

Sounds like in trying to be smart by doing a straightforward copy->paste I've clucked-up iTunes' logic.

Fortunately I still have the USB stick here with his 50+ albums on it.

So you're saying if I go back to his house tomorrow, shove the stick in his PC and get iTunes to 'Add to Library' from the contents of the stick, it will be a happy bunny?

Annoyingly, all it will effectively do is recopy all the tracks I've already copied, and to the exact same location.

But I suppose at least then it will update its library of what's there.

 

[Paul.]

Yep, as long as let iTunes manage library is ticked in the preferences, it will move the files and do everything for you.

 

[MajorFubar]

Thanks Paul I'll give that a go. Perhaps if I can sort it, my credibility will be restored.

I did tell him I knew naff-all about iTunes' library and filing system though, and all I've done is prove myself right lol.

 

[Ryan92]

Paul is almost right on that one, though you can't add them from the USB stick or every time you try and play the song iTunes will be looking in the removable disk drive (which obviously won't be there all the time) for the song, rather than the folder you put them in on his hard drive. You are better off putting them all in a folder on the hard drive, which is seems you have already done, then adding that folder to the library, either by dragging and dropping into library, or going through file/add folder etc . .

 

[Paul.]

Paul is almost right on that one, though you can't add them from the USB stick or every time you try and play the song iTunes will be looking in the removable disk drive (which obviously won't be there all the time) for the song, rather than the folder you put them in on his hard drive. You are better off putting them all in a folder on the hard drive, which is seems you have already done, then adding that folder to the library, either by dragging and dropping into library, or going through file/add folder etc . .

Thats why you tick let iTunes manage library. That way iTunes copies the file automatically to the library

 

[Ryan92]

Paul is almost right on that one, though you can't add them from the USB stick or every time you try and play the song iTunes will be looking in the removable disk drive (which obviously won't be there all the time) for the song, rather than the folder you put them in on his hard drive. You are better off putting them all in a folder on the hard drive, which is seems you have already done, then adding that folder to the library, either by dragging and dropping into library, or going through file/add folder etc . .

Thats why you tick let iTunes manage library. That way iTunes copies the file automatically to the library

Ah, fair enough, I just thought as he had already copied it, that would end up with him having two copies of the songs actually saved to his computer. Happy to be proven wrong though . .

 

[Paul.]

Well of course you need to delete the old files, but best to set up iTunes to do its job properly. Having iTunes mange is way better than risking files being strewn all over the machine, on the desktop, in the downloads folder etc.

 

[Xanderzdad]

Choosing the add folder option in iTunes will be far easier and quicker.

If you select the whole music folder it will effectively rescan all the files and ensure the index matches the files.

No need to copy the files a 2nd time.

This method ensures you only have one copy of each song.

 

[Paul.]

It's bad practice to meddle without the iTunes folder in my opinion. I never copy direct to the folder. Let it sort itself out.

 

[MajorFubar]

Guys I just thought I'd let you know that thanks to your advice I've sorted it out for him. No need to recopy the files either, it was just a case of selecting "Add to Library...", then pointing the file-requester to the location of his iTunes music folder. Bang! The copied albums appeared quick as a flash. There were about a dozen obscure albums which required a quick Googling for cover-art (which he said didn't have cover-art on his old computer either) and that was that. I feel I should share the pint he's promised to me as a thank you, so consider that you've been handed a virtual beer

:cheers: