iPod Transferring iTunes (new iMac)

[Spendrup]

Hi all!

Since my current iMac is dying I am considering getting a new one fully loaded 27' although wait for the keynote to see if something interesting is announced. Despite my concern about the rubbish screen of the iMac line (Mura shadows, yellow tint etc...as I had them all) I will have to move by gigantic iTunes library to the new one.
Currently my library is on external WD hard drives. I noticed many files like the iPhone applications remain on the iMac HD anyway even if the music is kept on the external HD.
When I'll get the new iMac, how shall I proceed to make absolutely sure I don't lose my music, covers etc..and all the related iPhone applications?

Let the new iMac do it when asked to transfer datas from a computer to another?
Plug the external HD with the library to the new one (I once did it and it was recognized but the itunes on the computer show no tracks, just empty!)
Any help much appreciated!
Many thanks!

 

[davedee65]

If you're going to set your new iMac up from a time machine backup of the previous system etc then you shouldn't have any problems, I did this a few weeks ago and all worked fine, even with files etc stored on externals.

However if you want to do a new clean install on the new iMac then you will have to tell iTunes where your music and films are on the externals so that it can build a library, that's probably why it didn't work before. But this is straightforward although depending on the amount of files it could take a while.

Hope that helps.

D

 

[davedee65]

sorry I should also have suggested that you transfer the iTunes preference files etc from the old puter to the new one, that way all your playlists etc will be transferred. If you set up from the back-up this will be done anyway.

D

 

[Spendrup]

sorry I should also have suggested that you transfer the iTunes preference files etc from the old puter to the new one, that way all your playlists etc will be transferred. If you set up from the back-up this will be done anyway.

D

Many thanks!I was indeed thinking to boot the old mac as "slave" and transfer manually the folder, I am not sure this could work as the old iMac's on SL and the new one will be on Lion. I can't use the TM since the old imac has way too many corrupted files.