“Am I supposed to delete all the info in the .xml file like I did with the .itl file???”

No, this should be clear from the instructions given in the post. You only “blank” the ITL file; you do changes to the XML file.

“I now have it stored twice on the new computer and once on the external hard drive.”

Yes, that’s because the default modus operandi of iTunes is to copy whichever song you add to it in its own special music folder (titled “iTunes Music” I think). It’s a bit of a bummer if you’re not used to it, I know, but there’s some logic behind it.

btw old OS is XP and new OS is Vista.

Another error is probably causing this, but I don’t have a clue what kind of error that may be. (Sorry I can’t be of more help!)

I have about 11,000 songs adding up to 80 gigabytes. I recently purchased a new hard drive and have been experimenting with your technique to move the songs. Everything works as advertised except when itunes tries to reconstruct the library – it runs for a few minutes and then chokes. I get the usual windows xp error message (send, don’t send, etc). I’ve tried this on one other windows machine with similar results. Is my library just too big?

Thanks in advance,

Aaron

i have a new vista notebook, and my old computer is a windows xp pc. my music has mainly been imported off cds using win media player to windows explorer files.then i add them to itunes by file/add folder to library. does this mean that i’m storing them twice- using more memory?
if anyone can advise i would be very grateful!
i moved my music files to my new computer using usb transfer cable. now i want to reload my itunes library with artwork etc, and have all the songs match up in their new locations. what do i do?? delete them off my new computer and transfer them all over again using my ipod? i still like being able to organise music through explorer- especially in vista. or can i transfer the library xml file as above and hope that it will work?

yep im very confused..

I was a bit nervous about fiddling with the itl and xml files but it turned out to be much easier than I expected.

iTunes gave some odd message about the library after recreating and created a folder with a backup. However, the new library was just as I had hoped.

I also used the Assimilate View Options script from DOug’s script to get my playlists sorted too.

Cheers

Thanks again.

Thank you.

So I guess the next step is to wait and see what problems come up. My husband owes me BIG TIME. I will continue to follow your blog and if a problem comes up I’ll check back in. Thank you so very much!!

The true number of songs is 1,832 and that was the last count on iTunes staus bar. So I am comfortable in agreeing with you on your explanation of the count.

On point #4: No, I don’t want iTunes to manage the music; but checking that box (“let iTunes manage your music library”) was part of the Apple steps before taking that final step and dragging the folder to the recylce bin— When I originally set up iTunes for my husband, I left this box unchecked. After the migration, if I uncheck the box and then sync his iPod, will that mess things up? Hope that clarify things. And thank you.

1. Let’s say you’re seeing the song “Imagine” and its duplicate in your iTunes library. If one of them is on drive C (I assume that’s the old, original location) and the other on drive D (your FreeAgent external drive), then this isn’t a byproduct of your external drive’s auto-backup feature. It just means that your iTunes library has all of the old entries, PLUS the new ones.

2. Does the iPod hold your entire iTunes library, or part of it? If it’s the former (i.e. the true size of your library is 1,832 songs), then the fact that your library now consists of 3,949 songs (> 2×1,832) doesn’t (necessarily, at least) mean that you lost some songs (that could have been the case if the new count was < 2×1,832); it may simply mean that you’ve got the old entries (1,832), the new ones (another 1,832) and some additional duplicates (285) which may be the result of your drive’s auto-backup feature; i.e. I guess (cause this is just it, a guess) that those 285 songs appear three times in your iTunes library.

3. The Software Update shouldn’t have any effect on what you’re trying to do; just to be on the safe side though, leave it until after you’re done with migrating your library.

4. RE: The “iTunes” folder & the “Copy files to iTunes Library” checkbox; I’m addressing these two together cause they’re related. I still haven’t understood what you’re trying to do here. Do you want to move to a scenario where iTunes does all the handling (read: organizing) of your music (I thought that was the case from your previous comment), or not?

I’d like to help out; I think I’ll re-read my HOWTO to freshen up my memory. (By the way, my next reply may be a bit delayed—I’ll be out in the road all day tomorrow.)

Finally, I took a look at the new destination folder to make sure all the songs were there. When I click on My New Music Folder, it lists the songs in alpha order and they all SEEM to be there. But get this—in the “i’s” is a folder called iTunes, right in the middle of this alpha order of songs. I click on that and I see every song that is on his iPod—again. But this list is more complete, I mean it has EVERY song that I see when I turn on his iPod. Do you think I’m still O.K. to take that “final step”? I realize this is alot to throw your way and I appreciate your honestly about being a little fuzzy on these things two years later. But if your can help me—and you certainly have on issue# 2 & 3—it would be appreciated! Postscript: iTunes is telling me it has an software update. Should I do the update before taking the “Final Step”? Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!