How do I move an entire iTunes music library to a new PC?

timberflake

My friend has just brought a laptop to replace his desktop PC. His desktop is quite old and a couple of years ago he brought a new internal HDD to cater for all his music (we'll call this the f: drive). iTunes is therefore not pointing at the "default" location of "my music", but instead at this f: drive.

He now wants me to move his entire iTune collection onto his new laptop (some 30-40gb), what would be the easiest way to do this? I have a 120gb external HDD which I think may come in handy but any info on how to actually move the library over without having to import it all over again would be great!

Millionaire

You can just copy the iTunes folder across to the external harddrive and then copy it across to the new laptop.

Remember to de-authorise the old itunes files from itunes on the old pc if you have purchased any music via itunes.

sra

• Move the Itunes folder over to the new computer and put it where you want it.
• Make sure Itunes on the new computer is fully closed.
• Hold down shift and click on the Itunes shortcut
• Rather than Itunes starting, you should instead get a box asking you to choose a library (sometimes it doesn't appear straight away or you have to try again)
• Point it to the iTunes Library.itl file in the moved Itunes folder.

The old Itunes library should appear and that one will be used from now on.

hope this helps

timberflake

Millionaire wrote: »

You can just copy the iTunes folder across to the external harddrive and then copy it across to the new laptop.

Remember to de-authorise the old itunes files from itunes on the old pc if you have purchased any music via itunes.

That would be true if I was moving it to the same location ie from "my music" folder to "my music" folder but as I said thats not the case.

timberflake

sra wrote: »

• Move the Itunes folder over to the new computer and put it where you want it.
• Make sure Itunes on the new computer is fully closed.
• Hold down shift and click on the Itunes shortcut
• Rather than Itunes starting, you should instead get a box asking you to choose a library (sometimes it doesn't appear straight away or you have to try again)
• Point it to the iTunes Library.itl file in the moved Itunes folder.

The old Itunes library should appear and that one will be used from now on.

hope this helps

Thanks for that, will give it a go.

sra

timberflake wrote: »

Thanks for that, will give it a go.

Make sure you browse over to the moved library file - By default the box will open with the default iTunes Library.itl in front of you and you have to navigate over to the moved folder and find its iTunes Library.itl file

Millionaire

timberflake wrote: »

That would be true if I was moving it to the same location ie from "my music" folder to "my music" folder but as I said thats not the case.

Then you just add the folder that you want to the library via the itunes menu. It will be added with all your previous settings.

That's how i did it anyway when I transferred from my last pc.