iPod Nearly Full Mac Hard Drive - Need To Go External

[jroug]

Hi-

My Mac is telling me it doesn't have enough disc space left to take in more music and I have three stacks of CDs on my desk that I need to import (still loads of room on my 160GB iPod, though!).

I understand I can transfer my iTunes library to an external HD and then direct iTunes to look for my library on the external, but I'm not 100% sure how to do it and am slightly terrified to proceed for fear of losing the library.

Can anyone lay it out in simple terms so even I can do it without snafuing it entirely? Thanks!

 

[chas0001]

From the Horse's Mouth....

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

 

[jroug]

Thanks - assuming this works for my Movies as well?

 

[Cynicalone]

Thanks - assuming this works for my Movies as well?

Yes everything get's moved, including TV Shows, Movies and Podcast's.

 

[bndoarn]

i used this method and the only thing that doesn't get moved (well the only thing i've noticed) is iPhone/iPod Touch applications.

 

[Cynicalone]

i used this method and the only thing that doesn't get moved (well the only thing i've noticed) is iPhone/iPod Touch applications.

Yeah I haven't found a way to move those. Seems odd that they don't get included with everything else.

 

[pisces03x]

The reason that these applications cannot be moved is because they remain on your hard drive (they are not part of your iTunes Library, apparently - neither is album art)

This is how I went about fixing that on my PC, but I'm pretty sure it works the same way on a Mac:

1. I created the third-level directory "iTunes" on my external drive (<DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>\Library)
2. I followed all the directions given by Apple in that link above (changed Library location and consolidated my library)
3. Under the iTunes folder in Windows (C:\Users\<NAME>\Music\iTunes), I copied the folders Album Artwork, iPod Games, Mobile Applications as well as the files iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Extras.itl, iTunes Library Genius and iTunes Music Library.xml to my external drive under the directory <DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>
4. I opened iTunes while holding the shift key, and selected the iTunes Library located at <DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>\iTunes Library.itl

After doing this, everything (playlists, album artwork including the ones downloaded from the iTunes store, iPod 5G games and iPhone apps, and Genius results) was successfully transferred without having to move another muscle.

 

[jroug]

The reason that these applications cannot be moved is because they remain on your hard drive (they are not part of your iTunes Library, apparently - neither is album art)

This is how I went about fixing that on my PC, but I'm pretty sure it works the same way on a Mac:

1. I created the third-level directory "iTunes" on my external drive (<DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>\Library)
2. I followed all the directions given by Apple in that link above (changed Library location and consolidated my library)
3. Under the iTunes folder in Windows (C:\Users\<NAME>\Music\iTunes), I copied the folders Album Artwork, iPod Games, Mobile Applications as well as the files iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Extras.itl, iTunes Library Genius and iTunes Music Library.xml to my external drive under the directory <DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>
4. I opened iTunes while holding the shift key, and selected the iTunes Library located at <DRIVE LETTER>\iTunes\<NAME>\iTunes Library.itl

After doing this, everything (playlists, album artwork including the ones downloaded from the iTunes store, iPod 5G games and iPhone apps, and Genius results) was successfully transferred without having to move another muscle.

Is this a PC exclusive issue or will it happen w/Mac as well? I have had to hunt down a lot of my album artwork and don't want to lose it on next synch.