using iTunes with 2 different computers connected to an external HD

jumanjijumanji
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Hi there,



I'm running iTunes latest version on Windows XP SP2. I have all my music stored and maintained on my external HD which is connected to my desktop box. Now I wanted to connect the HD to my Laptop and run my iTunes Library from there. To get this going I copied the complete iTunes Folder (incl. subfolder 'Artwork') and the two library files 'iTunes Music Library.xml' and 'iTunes Library.itl' into the corresponding iTunes folder on my Laptop. The drive letter of the music directory on both computers is the same (eg. H\My Music\\...), only the iTunes folder may be different, as it resides under 'My documents' on both machines but different signons...



Result: On my Laptop the whole library seems to be the same, titles, artists, even album covers, everything is there, but if I want to play the song, iTunes can't find the song?!?



What did I wrong? Any other files and/or setting I must copy? What is the smartest solution for this problem?



Thanks



Peter

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 1
    rezwitsrezwits Posts: 879member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jumanji View Post


    Hi there,



    I'm running iTunes latest version on Windows XP SP2. I have all my music stored and maintained on my external HD which is connected to my desktop box. Now I wanted to connect the HD to my Laptop and run my iTunes Library from there. To get this going I copied the complete iTunes Folder (incl. subfolder 'Artwork') and the two library files 'iTunes Music Library.xml' and 'iTunes Library.itl' into the corresponding iTunes folder on my Laptop. The drive letter of the music directory on both computers is the same (eg. H\My Music\\...), only the iTunes folder may be different, as it resides under 'My documents' on both machines but different signons...



    Result: On my Laptop the whole library seems to be the same, titles, artists, even album covers, everything is there, but if I want to play the song, iTunes can't find the song?!?



    What did I wrong? Any other files and/or setting I must copy? What is the smartest solution for this problem?



    Thanks



    Peter



    Well I do this on Mac OS X, and I wanted to set this up for windows also, but I shuddered at the thought. You might be able to do this for a Windows Windows setup.



    I would make sure you just use your external drive, same drive letter would probably be a plus, but make sure you set the iTunes Music Folder Location to be basically "H\" Thats what I would have it setup as. I also copy every possible iTunes file over every time I switch computers AND use iTunes. This also works with iPod syncing too. But like I said I do this on Mac OS X.



    Hope this helps, to me it didn't sound like you set the iTunes Music Folder Location.



    Laters...
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