OS reboot, now to restore iTunes library?

upmeath

I gave my laptop to a mate recently to have it wiped and rebooted.

Before doing so, I backed up 80+Gb of music to my external hard drive, and the most recent iTunes library file too. I've my laptop back now, reinstalled iTunes and I want to load the old library.

I've looked under FILE > LIBRARY and there's nothing there about importing a library, only back-up/export/consolidation options, and an import playlist option. I currently have a blank iTunes, no songs, I want to get the whole lot back in from the E: drive without any major headaches ie. without losing playlists, artwork, et cetera. I have LIB files and XML files backed up, can someone point me in the right direction? Any help at all is much appreciated!

FAO Mods: I already posted this query in a thread titled "iTunes library missing" in an effort to keep related topics tied to single threads, that way it's easier to access information when it's all bundled together. It might be an idea to merge related topics because the sheer volume of related queries in different threads means its a free for all, the information is scattered and peoples' queries get lost. Thanks.

philiporeilly

If your iTunes folder was in the default location and you copied it completely (music files / library files / xml files etc etc) then copy it back to the same default location on your new PC / Mac. All should be okay but you will have to authorise the computer in iTunes if you have protected content.

make sure iTunes is not running and then start and all should be back to normal.

upmeath

Thanks for the speedy response. I'm probably going to ask a few no-brainers here because I'm not much use with the nuts and bolts of iTunes.

philiporeilly wrote: »

If your iTunes folder was in the default location and you copied it completely (music files / library files / xml files etc etc) then copy it back to the same default location on your new PC.

I'm running XP. All my music is and always has been stored on an external hard drive, to keep my hard drive nice and fast. I just moved the Library and XML files out of the iTunes folder when I was handing it over for rebooting. So I need to copy and paste the XML and LIB files I saved into the new iTunes folder, do I? Thanks again for your help.

philiporeilly

upmeath wrote: »

Thanks for the speedy response. I'm probably going to ask a few no-brainers here because I'm not much use with the nuts and bolts of iTunes.



I'm running XP. All my music is and always has been stored on an external hard drive, to keep my hard drive nice and fast. I just moved the Library and XML files out of the iTunes folder when I was handing it over for rebooting. So I need to copy and paste the XML and LIB files I saved into the new iTunes folder, do I? Thanks again for your help.

Install the latest iTunes app and copy the iTunes folder to the same location on your new PC (prob My Documents > Music > iTunes). Leave your music on the external drive as before.

You MIGHT need to change music location in iTunes app. Preferences > Advanced > iTunes Music Folder Location (click change and point to external drive).

hope that works!

upmeath

Thanks again, I've had limited success.

I went to FILE > LIBRARY > IMPORT PLAYLIST
and imported the XML file from E:\music

After some whirring and chugging iTunes reappears with all of 39 songs, about 18000 shy of what should have been loaded from the XML file. I've checked the file paths on all these songs and they did indeed come from E:\music, what I'm wondering now is why the other 18000 didn't follow

They're all still on E:\music, and the XML I used dates from late February, just before I gave my laptop away... Any thoughts?

I remember in the past sometimes the external hard drive was E:\ and sometimes it was F:\, would this have any impact?

philiporeilly

upmeath wrote: »

Thanks again, I've had limited success.

I went to FILE > LIBRARY > IMPORT PLAYLIST
and imported the XML file from E:\music

...........

No need to do that. Make sure iTunes is not running. Go to your iTunes folder on your new machine and overwrite it with your old version. DO NOT select FILE > IMPORT etc as you are putting the old library files in place.

As said before you may have to update the Music folder location in iTunes preferences.

philiporeilly

upmeath wrote: »

I remember in the past sometimes the external hard drive was E:\ and sometimes it was F:\, would this have any impact?

If it switches drive name (usually if usb key or other drive plugged in beforehand) songs will become marked as missing. You will have to update the iTunes preferences to new location.