I have recently switched from a PC to a Mac. As I had spend plenty of time labelling the music, adding ratings and creating playlists that synchronise with my differente ipods, I wanted to migrate my music library preserving everything.
After searching the web for a long time I didn't find any method that migrated everything.
After much trail and error I have found a method that preserves everything including album art, subscribed podcasts, purchased music and audiobooks, play count, ratings, lists, etc.
This method also applies when moving an itunes library from PC to PC or Mac to Mac.
1. First you need to consolidate your PC library, this is done in Itunes going to Advanced/Consolidate library.
2. Locate the Itunes folder on you PC. The path of this folder can be found in the Itunes application. Go to Edit/Preferences and there click on the tab Advanced.
Make sure that the Itunes folder contains the folders "Album Artwork", "Itunes music" and the file "iTtunes Music Library.xml"
3. Go to your Mac and locate the itunes folder using the same procedure described in 2 (note preferences is located under Itunes menu). Delete it.
4. Move the Itunes folder from a PC to the Mac folder found in the previous point. Copy the "iTunes Library.xml" somewhere else in your Mac (for example to the desktop)
Prepare a tea (or two if you have a big library)
5. Once copied, go to the Mac Itunes folder and delete the "iTunes Library.itl"; do not delete "iTunes Library.xml"
6. Open iTunes Library.xml that you have copied to your desktop with a text editor and replace the old path to you music library with the new one.
For instance the iTunes Library.xml of my PC has the following in the path to a song:
Locationfile://localhost/M:/iTunes/Zucchero/hit%20estate%202001/01%20Baila%20Morena.mp3
-because my Itunes folder is on my M: drive-
On your iTunes Library.xml of your Mac you need to replace all the "M:" with the Itunes folder locations in your Mac, that will usually be "Users/TekFreak". Where TekFreak is your username. In case of doubt right click on the folder to obtain the path.
7. Open Itunes, choose File/Import. Import the iTunes Library.xml you have just modified. In the process it might ask you to enter your account name and password for your purchased music. Do it.
Update: it seems that in iTunes 8 File/Import options does no longer exist. Some users have reported that now it is done using File /Library/Import Playlist.Please provide your feedback on this in the comments.
Update 27 april 2009: A anonymous user informs us that using File/Library/Import Playlist on the modified XML works. He notes that he got duplicates "standard" playlists, e.g. "Recently Added", etc. but these were can be easily cleaned up by deleting duplicate playlists.
Update 10 September 2010: Tested on iTunes 10
8. Log in to your Itunes account.
9. The cover art that you have manually updated in your old library is found in the Album Artwork folder. However the cover art that was automatically downloaded from itunes it has to be downloaded again. Hence select all the music of your library and right click to obtain cover art. Don't worry the manually updated cover art will be preserved.
Enjoy!!
If you enjoyed this post drop a line in the comments
In order to help other users please drop a line in the comments if it worked for you and in what version of iTunes you tested it.
After searching the web for a long time I didn't find any method that migrated everything.
After much trail and error I have found a method that preserves everything including album art, subscribed podcasts, purchased music and audiobooks, play count, ratings, lists, etc.
This method also applies when moving an itunes library from PC to PC or Mac to Mac.
1. First you need to consolidate your PC library, this is done in Itunes going to Advanced/Consolidate library.
2. Locate the Itunes folder on you PC. The path of this folder can be found in the Itunes application. Go to Edit/Preferences and there click on the tab Advanced.
Make sure that the Itunes folder contains the folders "Album Artwork", "Itunes music" and the file "iTtunes Music Library.xml"
3. Go to your Mac and locate the itunes folder using the same procedure described in 2 (note preferences is located under Itunes menu). Delete it.
4. Move the Itunes folder from a PC to the Mac folder found in the previous point. Copy the "iTunes Library.xml" somewhere else in your Mac (for example to the desktop)
Prepare a tea (or two if you have a big library)
5. Once copied, go to the Mac Itunes folder and delete the "iTunes Library.itl"; do not delete "iTunes Library.xml"
6. Open iTunes Library.xml that you have copied to your desktop with a text editor and replace the old path to you music library with the new one.
For instance the iTunes Library.xml of my PC has the following in the path to a song:
Location
-because my Itunes folder is on my M: drive-
On your iTunes Library.xml of your Mac you need to replace all the "M:" with the Itunes folder locations in your Mac, that will usually be "Users/TekFreak". Where TekFreak is your username. In case of doubt right click on the folder to obtain the path.
7. Open Itunes, choose File/Import. Import the iTunes Library.xml you have just modified. In the process it might ask you to enter your account name and password for your purchased music. Do it.
Update: it seems that in iTunes 8 File/Import options does no longer exist. Some users have reported that now it is done using File /Library/Import Playlist.
Update 27 april 2009: A anonymous user informs us that using File/Library/Import Playlist on the modified XML works. He notes that he got duplicates "standard" playlists, e.g. "Recently Added", etc. but these were can be easily cleaned up by deleting duplicate playlists.
Update 10 September 2010: Tested on iTunes 10
8. Log in to your Itunes account.
9. The cover art that you have manually updated in your old library is found in the Album Artwork folder. However the cover art that was automatically downloaded from itunes it has to be downloaded again. Hence select all the music of your library and right click to obtain cover art. Don't worry the manually updated cover art will be preserved.
Enjoy!!
If you enjoyed this post drop a line in the comments
In order to help other users please drop a line in the comments if it worked for you and in what version of iTunes you tested it.
It works for me!!
ReplyDeleteAll my ratings and cover art are there
Thank you
I was trying to move my iTunes library from one PC to another, and at first only the songs were there, but after I tried this, all of my playlists appeared, and the ratings though of some of my songs.
ReplyDeleteBut therein lies the problem; I previously had about 3500/5000 songs rated (due to countless hours of "iTuning"), and now only 150 of my songs have their previous ratings. NONE of my play counts are there, and the "Date Added" for all of the songs is the same (the date I transferred them into iTunes from the old hard drive).
Does anyone know or have any suggestions on how to retrieve the rest of my ratings, play counts, and possibly even the original download dates?
Thank you very much!
The songs rating worked for me. The date added is when it was added to itunes. There´s nothing you can do about it
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! Your instructions accomplished what no less than six AppleCare technicians said could not be done!!!
ReplyDeleteSo I'm really the only one for whom it didn't work completely? :( That kind of sucks; no one has any further suggestions to help.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the information. You saved me hours of work!! Everything transferred perfectly (playlists, ratings, lyrics, artwork, etc.).
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that didn't automatically update was my Go Cubs Go ringtone. It was in my iTunes folder, but it didn't register. All it took was a File, Add File to Library & I was all set. Thanks again!!
My PC doesnt have a firewire input. Is there a way to connect my pc to my mac and then just "add to" my mac library? I don't want to "replace" it with my pc library.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a router/switch you can connect both computers using a lan (don´t forget to disable the PC's firewall, it took me hours to figure out that it was the cause of why my pc woudn't connect to a Mac). Apple.com has good tutorials how to connect to a Pc from a Mac.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have a Lan connection you can burn one or several DVDs with the library and all the required files
Hi.
ReplyDeleteThat worked perfectly. Thank you very much!
Steve.
I see no File/Import in iTunes 8.0.1.11
ReplyDeleteI havent tried it myself but it seems that import is done in iTunes 8 using File > Library > Import Playlist.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone confirm it works?
Aparently it works see http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8123974
ReplyDeleteGreat post :-)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Siôn
Much easier than everything else I was reading. Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteWorked like a champ.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for some feedback on your import question with iTunes version 8. You are correct in saying you can simply use File/Library/Import Playlist on the modified XML. I used that, and it worked fine.
The only odd thing that happened was I got dupes of the "standard" playlists, e.g. "Recently Added", etc. These were easily cleaned up by deleting duplicate playlists.
Thanks! Very good and useful post :)
ReplyDeleteFile --> Library --> Backup to Disk
ReplyDeleteMake DVD's as instructed
Open iTunes in new computer
Put DVD #1 in drive.
Follow prompts. Everything will move.
This may be new.
THANK YOU! After trying to follow export/import instructions from iTunes.com and getting a "files not found" error a few times, I found your advice, followed it and am enjoying success! (Yes, maybe a DVD move as mentioned on 18 Aug would be easier, but this method works just fine.) Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am using iTunes 9.0.1 on PC. Transferred from XP to Vista over WLAN. I have a large library of only music of about 30 GB. I first tried Home sharing but I didn't manage to get it working (maybe a firewall problem). Then I did a backup to 7 DVDs but the restore failed on the third DVD (out of memory, cannot save library errors). Your method seems to have worked just fine. Pedro.
ReplyDeleteWow this has saved me many sleepless nights! Transferred 40G of music and worked perfectly! Cheers
ReplyDeleteThank you sooo much - this has saved me SO MUCH time!
ReplyDeleteWow thank you so much, this has helped me loads! Im useless when it comes to computers and i managed it all on my own! One question, do i move the itunes music library.xml file back into the itunes folder now? I have left it on the desktop.
ReplyDeleteGlad it worked!. That's why I started this blog, feedback like yours encourages me to continue updating it.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your question you can delete the library.xml that you used to import it.
Rosie one question, what version of iTunes are you using?
Its a new computer so i have itunes 10
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU THANK YOU. Migrated over 60gb from recovered hard drive to new PC. So relieved to still have playlists, playcounts, artwork etc. Your instructions are perfect. Thanks again, Oli from London
ReplyDeleteI just got a new Mac because my previous one caught on fire when the logic board burst, but I was able to recover my hard drive. I'm trying to import my library from my old hard drive because my library was perfectly organized and had all album artwork, play counts, etc. But when I try to import the .xml file, it says the files can not be found. Meanwhile it imports the playlists (with no music), my podcasts, and movies. Help?
ReplyDeleteThank you - awesome tutorial! I did have some trouble with importing the database (just didn't show up), so I've found another tutorial here that shows how to do an automatic transfer:
ReplyDeleteHow to transfer iTunes to a new computer
Successfully transferred iTunes, music and a bunch of other programs.
Hope this helps!
After transferring my entire music folder from old PC to new PC, I did the Add Folder to Library process which brought all my songs over but no playlists, counts, or ratings!
ReplyDelete(***read the last paragraph first before doing!!!!):
1. So I went to C:\Program Files\iTunes and copied all content in that folder from my old PC and pasted into the same folder location on my new PC. (NOTE: shut down iTunes AND press ctrl/A/t Delete to open your Task Manager, click the Processes tab, find iTunes, right click and end the iTunes process.)
BUT!!! That didn't do it! So...
2. I went to: C:\Users\Roy\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer and did the same thing- copied all contents within that folder of the old PC and pasted into the same location on the new PC.
BUT!!! That didn't work either! So...
3. I just went to my old PC: C:\Users\Roy\Music\iTunes, copied all contents of that folder and pasted into the same location of my new PC and THAT WORKED!!!!
Now, I don't know if I would have done Step 3 first, if that would have worked without the previous steps. You could try working the steps backwards. Not sure if all the Program Files or AppData stuff needed to be copied over or not, but it's working now just as it was on my old PC so I am happy. I hope it helps someone.
How to Move all iTunes data from old Mac to new Mac
ReplyDeleteClick Here
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