Options for moving an i-Tunes library from PC to Macbook??

Having just bought a brand new MacBook Pro 17 yesterday, I opted to build the machine from scratch that involved installation of lots of applications, one of which was iTunes. Instead of using the Time Machine to restore my previous setup, I just went to the backup disk and copy the ~/Music folder to same one on my new machine and voila - it just worked. Upon starting iTunes, everything was there as it used to be, including the Date Added details.

So I guess that the procedure of copying the iTunes library from PC to Mac would be just as simple as that - You just copy the whole folder. One thing that it might not work when you use drag and drop is that it may refuse to copy some invisibles files. I just go to the Terminal app and type:

sudo cp -r <itunes folder>/* ~/Music/.

This of course assumes that you plan to save the iTunes folder under ~/Music but similar procedure applies if you plan to store your music library somewhere else.

Easiest way us to copy the music files to an external drive, then on the new Mac to import them into iTunes.

Easier than trying to maintain the library between the two disperate systems.

Eloise

p.s. Sorry just read you said about this method and the "date added" changes. Sorry. If you search google there are ways to convert the iTunes Library file to mac format but I don't recall the exact details.

Another approach (if you will be keeping both the PC and Mac and if you have a home network) is to share your iTunes library from the first machine to the second. You can enable the options for this in the "Sharing" pane under iTunes Preferences. No need to copy any files to a different location and therefore change the "date added" on iTunes.

I use this approach (sharing from the main iTunes library on one MacBook to a second MacBook located in the listening room which then streams to the DAC) and it works really well.

Sharing works well if you do not travel. One of the reasons that I keep a separate iTunes library in my MacBook because sometimes I am away from home for weeks.

Thanks for the replies. My reason for moving the library is I want to eventually get rid of the PC.

The sharing option in i-Tunes 9 is a nice option. I tried the drag and drop method using this option yet the modified and date added dates still get changed.

I also tried saving the library to an external drive and then copying to the macbook.

There appears to be no option for preserving the dates. Many of the tracks have the same time stamp which makes sorting useless. Oh well.

I suppose I will use the sharing option and leave the library on my PC. I use this library for my i-touch and it doesn't take up much space at 128K AAC (<50GB).

I'm in the process of reburning my entire collection at lossless which will be stored on a 1TB external drive for use with the Naim kit.

quote:

Originally posted by QTT:
Sharing works well if you do not travel. One of the reasons that I keep a separate iTunes library in my MacBook because sometimes I am away from home for weeks.

For that I have my iPhone (automatically synchs with the MacBook to store the most frequently played tunes).

quote:

Originally posted by jazzfan:
For that I have my iPhone (automatically synchs with the MacBook to store the most frequently played tunes).

Yes, I do exactly that but I prefer listening to my MacBook while I am sitting in front of it.

With all due respect - have you tried using Google to answer this question?

I just typed "convert itunes library from mac to pc" into google and the first entry I found (from LifeHacker.com" told me a procedure for converting the .xml iTunes library from PC to a Mac - basically search and replace PC file/folder references with Mac style ones. Have you tried this?

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by Eloise:
With all due respect - have you tried using Google to answer this question?

I just typed "convert itunes library from mac to pc" into google and the first entry I found (from LifeHacker.com" told me a procedure for converting the .xml iTunes library from PC to a Mac - basically search and replace PC file/folder references with Mac style ones. Have you tried this?

Eloise

Thanks, I read that previously. After reading the how to i was left wondering if the date fields were affected with this procedure as the author's main goal was to transfer ratings and playlists (attributes I'm not concerned with). This particular author admits that this procedure doesn't work with all meta data and the article is somewhat dated so I opted to not go down this path.

I'm going to call apple today and see if there are other sorting options available in iTunes 9.

Novelty,

May I ask why you care about "date added" fields?

It surely isn't one I have ever used.

-Patrick

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Novelty,

May I ask why you care about "date added" fields?

It surely isn't one I have ever used.

-Patrick

What was that cd I bought a couple of weeks ago?

I was thinking that as well. All I could think was a selective photographic memory where by you could remember when you added but not the name of the cd haha.

Where's all my money gone this month ...?

What did I get for Christmas ...?

You want to be able to find something you cant remember you got, but are pretty sure you want to listen to it? Strange, but whatever.... I was just curious.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Novelty,

May I ask why you care about "date added" fields?

It surely isn't one I have ever used.

-Patrick

It very well could be I don't need the field. I've become accustomed to using the field to maintain the CD/track sequence of my library while in i-tunes.

I prefer to have my library sorted alphabetic by artist AND the CD track order in tact. By using "date added" the CD tracks are always in the order in which they were burned.

I think part of my problem is I never learned to properly use the "compilation" setting in iTunes, but I'm not certain.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Novelty,

May I ask why you care about "date added" fields?

It surely isn't one I have ever used.

-Patrick

How about a smart playlist for syncing to iPod to make sure you have everything you bought / ripped in the last 6 months on the pod.

Eloise

Eloise, likes, garyi,

Yes those are reasons. I had never considered those scenarios.

I just returned from the "genius" bar at the Apple Store where I demonstrated to the genius my sorting issues after copying my iTunes library from PC to Mac.

He expressed there is "no magic bullet" for this issue. he recommended I make an individual play list FOR EVERY CD IN MY LIBRARY and I indicated I would rather slam my balls in a vise.

So for now, I will continue using the library on the PC. The sharing feature of iTunes 9 makes this a little less painful at least.