How to deal with "iTunes"

• iTunes

Something that has always distressed me about iTunes is that it tries to hide information from me. It does its best to withhold simple information about where my album artwork is, and where my playlists are kept. The worst thing is when I change computer or update my hard drive and have to re-install everything and I lose all my stars and playlists that I have become emotionally attached to.

Not any more.

How does iTunes work?

iTunes has three main components:

1. •the application
2. •the music files
3. •the rest

Within the rest are all your settings, the album artwork picture files, and the playlist files.

I keep my music in a folder that I designate, called “C:\Data music”, but you will have noticed a Windows habit of creating default folders called My Music and My Pictures etc. These do irritate me although I do recognise the need for them. Locate My Music, usually to be found within My Documents. Inside My Music you will find a folder called “iTunes”. This is the folder that iTunes uses to place ‘the rest’, and this is how we can trick iTunes.

Moving iTunes and my music files to another computer

The idea is to move all the music files to the same identical place on the new computer (or hard drive) as they were on the old computer (or hard drive). We re-install iTunes, add all the music files to the application, and then finally replace the rest folder for the old one, and hey presto! It should all look and behave as it used to on the old computer. To do this you need to respect the same identical folder structure for the music and only swap the ‘rest’ folder after installation and adding the music. Also, don’t forget to de-authorise your old computer (or hard drive) before closing down for the last time.

Step-by-step moving process

Follow these steps:

1.Backup your music, and the rest folder (called iTunes)

2.De-authorise your old computer (or hard drive)

3.Re-install iTunes on the new computer (or hard drive)

4.Press ALT + E, then F to get to Preferences

5.Go to the Advanced tab

6.Designate your music folder with the identical name as for the old computer by using the Change button

7.I like to check the ‘Copy files to iTunes folder when adding to library’

8.I also like to ‘ Keep iTunes folder organized’ so I check this also

9.Close iTunes

10.Place all your music in your designated music folder, just as it was in the old computer

11.Replace the whole contents of the ‘rest’ folder (called iTunes) inside the My Music folder that you will have located on this new computer. To do this you will be first deleting the contents and then placing your version within this folder. You do not want any stray items from the new installation of the iTunes application hanging around to interfere.

12.Open iTunes, and hopefully, all will be as on the old computer.