You can transfer iTunes manually in copying your files to something external to your old computer, and then connect that something to your new one, or you run both old and new computers at the same time and somehow connect them together.
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How to Copy an iTunes Library to a New Computer
Basically, you have three choices. You can transfer iTunes manually in copying your
files to something external to your old computer, and then connect that something to
your new one, or you run both old and new computers at the same time and somehow
connect them together. You can also use the iTunes built in solution and back up
everything to DVDs, or you use a software, which will transfer the iTunes library
contents automatically.
Step 1:
Consolidate all your music on the old computer so that it is located in one folder: File
> Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files
Step 2:
Find the folder in your old computer called iTunes. Probably it will be in a folder
called My Music. What you need to transfer is all of the contents of the folder iTunes.
Step 3:
Let's look first at how you could copy this folder to something else which you will
later connect to your new computer.
Step 4:
The easiest gadget to use is a USB memory stick. Buy or borrow one, plug it in to
your old machine. It will look like a new drive (G: or J: or whatever). Copy your
folder over to it. If your library is too big to fit on the stick, you will either have to get
a bigger stick, or transfer just a part of the folder and go back for the rest bit by bit.
Step 5:
You can do the same thing with an external hard disk, if you have or can borrow one -
this will hold far more data than a stick. Alternatively you could burn a CDROM.
Step 6:
Plug the USB stick, hard disk, or CD ROM into your new machine, where it will
again look like a new drive. Now, under "Edit" then click "Advanced." This will tell
you where iTunes has set up the storage file on the new computer for all iTunes media
(probably under "My Music". You should copy the contents of your old computer
iTunes media into this file (so iTunes will know where to find it.) Next, go to "File"
and import Library from this new location. It should find all of the files, import them,
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and use them as your new library.
Step 7:
If you can connect your old computer to a network, you will be able to see other
machines on the network. You may be able to copy your files on to another machine,
then connect your new computer to the same network and download the files into it.
Maybe you can connect both old and new machines to the same network, e.g. a router.
This is the manual way:
Step 8:
If you have playlists and folders you want to retain, then follow these extra steps: On
your old computer with the original library open iTunes, and click on file, library, then
export the library to somewhere you can remember. Email this file to yourself (it
should be something like "library.xml"). On your new computer (with the music
uploaded using one of the previous methods) open iTunes, click on file, library, and
"import playlist". Import the "library.xml" or similarly named file, and iTunes ought
to restore all of the original playlists and settings you had originally. There may be a
message stating that one or more music tracks weren't transfered because they were
not found-this is highly likely because of the unreliable method of manually moving
all of your music from one computer to the other.
Step 9:
Transfer iTunes using DVDs: Open iTunes and click on file, library, Back Up to Disc.
Insert a disc and start the backup. You'll need several DVDs, depending on the size of
your iTunes library.
Step 10:
Transfer iTunes using Software: TuneSwift is a 3rd party app, allowing you to transfer
iTunes from your PC to another computer (PC or Mac). All you need is the
application - http://www.copytrans.net/copytranstuneswift.php - and an external hard
drive to store the iTunes transfer file. Just follow the on-screen instructions and you're
all set.
Tips:
Don't be tempted to upload your files onto a website. This would work OK, except
that internet upload speeds are usually far slower than downloads, and will take a very
long time if your library is of any decent size.
If you're using a mac the library is most likely stored in /Users/*Your Short
Name*/Music/iTunes/
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Related Tutorials:
How to transfer or backup iPhone contents to PC
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