iTunes and media folder on NAS

Posted by: Joppe on 19 March 2013

Hi,

 

I have started to rip my cd’s to a NAS and use iTunes as replay and synch iPhone etc. on MacBook Pro. 

 

I point iTunes to my NAS under Preferences-Advanced-iTunes Media Folder Location (/Volumes/music/iTunes Media) but for some reason iTunes keep reverting to the default location on the MacBook (/Users/jakob/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media). I assume when the NAS goes in sleep mode and contact is down? Does anyone else experience this problem, or even better found a solution you could share?

 

/Jakob

 

Posted on: 19 March 2013 by Iver van de Zand

Hi Jakob,

 

I remember from the past when I used iTunes, changing the library location is a bit tricky. If you Google the "iLounge" website, you'll find there some really useful step-by-step guides changing the Library location and avoiding pitfalls. The guides are in the help - section of iLounge, I guess

 

Good luck,

Iver

Posted on: 19 March 2013 by Joppe

Thanks Iver, iLounge certainly contain a lot of info. I have looked through a few "tutorials" and it seems that iTunes use the default when the "external" isn't available. And should change back to the chosen when available, I will have to check this next time it happens. But I believe I tried closing iTunes and restated again with the NAS folder available without success...

Posted on: 21 March 2013 by davidm

Not sure how useful this is, but I have my iTunes library on my NAS (Synology). There is a NAS setting to ensure it does not go completely to sleep, but I think the drives stop accessing until woken.

 

When starting iTunes hold down the 'shift' key on Windows (not sure the OS equivalent) and point it at your library on the NAS. Everything will be there - handy if you are losing the library directory. 

 

Within iTunes preferences I have set the default location as the NAS and I have never had any issues with it defaulting anywhere else.

 

Good Luck

Posted on: 22 March 2013 by Joppe

I don,t know if it was the shift thing or if it would have worked anyway but when i started iTunes it had defaulted to user... again. Closed iTunes, connected to Nas in finder and pressed shift while starting iTunes and voila! It now points to the NAS. Thanks!!

Posted on: 24 March 2013 by garyi

This is a historical issue with the crap-a-hola which is itunes.

 

Your best bet is to rip to yur nas with XLD or similar on pc and turn on the DAAP server no doubt available on your NAS to deliver that content to the itunes clients in your house.

Posted on: 26 March 2013 by DCOne

My setup is as follows..

 

CDs are ripped to Mac using XLD, which automatically stores them in itunes. I use a separate realtime syncing program, which monitors the iTunes music folder and automatically copies changes to the music folder on my NAS device.

With this configuration, I have my music available on iTunes for any 'i' devices that require syncing, I also have an identical library available on my NAS which my Naim unitilite uses as a music source.

Initial setup takes a bit of work and you will of course require twice the storage space. You will however, be glad you went this route, the first time your hard drive fails... And they do fail regularly.