[Surfmeister]

Probably very obvious but can someone please tell me how I use my new external hard drive to store my itunes and all the music I'm adding to it? I am filling up my main hard drive which is why I bought the ext. HD in the first place. Have tried dragging the icon across but this has just copied it. I'm sure I'm being pretty stupid but please help?

[Dyeus]

Try to do a clean installation of iTunes on your ext. HD after thats done just delete the music folder on the ext. HD and replace it by the one that is on your computer.... then you start iTunes and u will slide that folder into the application and it should work just fine... (I am just not sure if u can choose a destination disk when you do an install with iTunes, if this is not the case then you would have to install another version of OS X on the ext. HD but I am not sure about this)

[pjskelti]

That's what OS X does wehn it sees two or more drives - I've my Ti drive partitioned into 3, and that's what happens when moving anything from one partition to another. It's a pain in the arse, but you'll soon learn to accept it and just delete the original to free up the space.
As for future files, within iTunes prefs pane, under impoting, you can select where the files are automatically directed to - so change that to the ext drive, and if you dl files via iGetter/Limewire/Acquistion, you can configure them to select the ext HD as the target.
It's that simple, and save reinstaling anything anywhere! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Surfmeister]

So first I have to duplicate OSX on my external Hard Drive in order for the imorting pref to show a choice of drives. As it is it doesn't give me a choice of drives. Would it work if I just copied my whole hard drive onto the ex. drive? Still a little confused. Sorry

[pjskelti]

I'm not 100% sure what's fully required, since I don't have an ext. HD.
I'm under the impression, that if your ext. HD is showing up on the desktop, then in the Advanced tab of iTunes Prefs you'll be able to select it as the target for saving your future mp3 files created by iTunes when imported (select bottom most option for this) as well as those dl'd.
You'll need to open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder inside Apps folder, and with the FW HD plugged in before launching this App, select it's icon, and format as HFS+ (obviously you'll need to do this before the above statement in previous paragraph applies).
That's all there is too it, iThink. All that's left to do is transfer the library folder to the ext HD, and erase/trash the original on the int. HD
Now, every time you import songs into your library, they will be stored on the ext. HD - just make sure it's connected up first.
Just remember, every partition is treated like a separate disc, and OS X doesn't transfer the original, but makes a copy and puts THAT onto the new location. If your happy with the copy fully working in the new location, then you can delete the original. Unlike Windows, it's a safety net , in case something should happen - like a HD crash mid transfer. At least this way your data won't be fekked and you can try again once the HD is found to be okay after rebooting.
If it was Win, you'd be looking for that backup you did the other day!!!!??? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
HTH

[AppleLaw]

As pjskelti said, you can go into the iTunes Preferences>Advanced and set your external drive's "Music" (for example) folder to be your default iTunes folder. Then, simply drag and drop the music to the external folder. If you keep "Keep iTunes library organized" and "Copy music to iTunes library" checked, iTunes will automatically copy every MP3 you double-click or add to iTunes to the external drive.
This is your best solution if you want to keep your music in just one place: the external drive.

[Surfmeister]

tried that but it doesn't show my ex. HD as a possible location even though it's on the desk top. Went to format the HD as HFS and found it was HFS, couldn't see how to make it "". Is that important?
Also tried to copy the itunes music library across but got an error-50 message.
What am I doing wrong/haven't done?
If I don't have the external HD as an option in the itunes/pref/adv is there likely to be a problem with the ex hard drive?
Have "verified" and "repaired" but no difference.

[pjskelti]

Right, boot from your OS X cd, with ext HD connected.
Go to the menubar along the top, and under INSTALLER, select Disk Utility.
Select the third tab from left (Format?) and select from the auto drop down HFS+ or OS Extended - Yes it is important!
After doing that, reboot from your int HD (since you haven't installed OS X on the ext) and you should now be able to do what I and AppleLaw have said.
That's all there is to it.

[Surfmeister]

erased the ex.HD reformatted as extended (like the int. HD) changed the music folder location and trashed the original. My ex hard drive is fast becoming the storage of my entire music collection.
Thank you very much.

[pjskelti]

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