New Laptop and iTunes Install

Ringfinger

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I am getting a new laptop, yay! Anyway, I have all my music on my NAS at the moment. I pointed iTunes to it and all works fine.

Now, with my new laptop, I want to install iTunes and then point it to that library but also keep my current library file that I have I guess so that all playlists are intact? How do I do that and how do I store that library file on my NAS so I have nothing stored locally?

Can anyone help?
 

Peligro911

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I am getting a new laptop, yay! Anyway, I have all my music on my NAS at the moment. I pointed iTunes to it and all works fine.

Now, with my new laptop, I want to install iTunes and then point it to that library but also keep my current library file that I have I guess so that all playlists are intact? How do I do that and how do I store that library file on my NAS so I have nothing stored locally?

Can anyone help?

Hold shift or the command if a Mac when opening iTunes and select the library on the nas
 

Ringfinger

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I have had it on the NAS for a while and have had no performance issues to date.

It is a PC. So, I get the part about the files on the nAS but how do I get the library file on the new PC before it creates a new one?
 

Ringfinger

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Oh, wait a minute, read that again. Okay, so you are saying keep the library file local but the music files on the NAS? Okay, so do I hold down shift when launching to get that library file off of the NAS and then go to options to point the program to the NAS for the music files? So, then how do I get the library file to ultimately reside on my laptop?
 

Ringfinger

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Let me ask you a question, what kind of performance issues? Sometime it lags when scrolling or when I do a search in the search box. Is that an issue that others have? Seems to correct itself when I reboot PC. I was thinking it was windows related. Files seem to load and play quick. What issues do you speak of? And I assume hitting shift and launching iTunes and then picking the library file off of my NAS is what I am supposed to do? Now, one more question. The old PC that I was using iTunes on, it was set up the same way. Do I need to now have it store the file locally so that things don't get messed up or can both computers access the library file with no issues coming up? I know the file will get rewritten As iTunes is used so that is why I am concerned. I don't want to mess things up as I will likely rip music to and access from both computers. Another one, when I sync my iPhone, I imagine I should only use one computer all the time? Where do those files get stored anyhow and will I need to bring them over to the new computer? Thanks for all of the help.
 

Ringfinger

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Holy mackerel! That's a lot of options. Let me narrow it down:

1. I have an NAS that is a iTunes media server however in order for it to work, you have to have iTunes running on a computer.

2. I do have home sharing enabled now so that I can play music/video on my Apple TV that is stored on the NAS.

3. Let me simplify my life a little. With my current PC, I would like to store the itunes library file locally. I will let my son use it to back-up his iPhone and load music onto it. That's all it will be used for. With my new PC, I will store the itunes library file locally. I will enable home sharing. I will use the PC solely to back up mine and my wifes phones, to rip music to, to manage playlists from, etc. That way, from this point onward, all new music/playlists etc. will be controlled from the new laptop. Nothing new but my sons iPhone backups go on the old PC Does this make sense and if so, simplest way to accomplish? I think that is 1 and 2 combined?

4. When I do back up my iPhone, where are the contacts and settings stored? In that NAS folder you told me about or locally on the PC? I am going to assume that backing up to the new PC and continuing to do that should not present any issues so long as I am consistent in doing so?

5. Maybe Option 4 is the easiest? I would not delete any music however. The only issue is I have video on the NAS but I assume I can access it from both computers because I will have them pointing to the NAS folder? Wouldn't all you mentioned show up on both computers because such media will be stored on the NAS anyhow? If I end my subscription however, then I lose all my music, right? The only way not to is download all from the cloud, however since I would only be using one PC to add all new stuff, etc, that should not be an issue because I will have all my music still on the NAS. Is this redundant?
 

Ringfinger

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So now, take this one step further, is it possible if I have iTunes match to even though I have four computers some of which have music stored locally, all have their own different iTunes libraries, if I have music match, will I be able to upload all of that under my ID to the cloud and then have it all sync back to all these separate computers? What about music that I ripped from CDs and then that uploads to the To the cloud? I understand that they will all have to be logged in under my account, that is my iTunes account, but what I'm wondering is is this a way to have all the computers be able to access all of the music without having to access the NAS? I would assume that if I wanted to discontinue my iTunes match service then I would have to download everything off of the cloud onto one computer and store on my NAS? That is what I am thinking but I have many questions obviously.
 

Ringfinger

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Oh, and one more question, what about music that was downloaded under a different userid? Will that I'll be up loadable to the cloud under my ID with iTunes match?
 

Ringfinger

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Okay, I have been working on this for hours now, ugh! I do appreciate all the help, and here is where I am so far:

1. On new PC, installed iTunes, it set up a new library locally on the laptop. I pointed it to the NAS in the preferences>advanced. I did the import and it took quite a bit of time as I have like 7000 songs and there are 250 apps. When finished, I verified files not stored locally, no problem, that was fine. I then turned the copy media function back on and checked the keep organized tab. Well that opened a can of worms and I had to point like 100+ songs back to where their MP4 files were. Ugh! When I was almost done I think it started to do this by itself, does this make sense?Also, If I were to go to file>organize library, what would that have done and would it have screwed anything up? Why would I do that in the future? Anyway, after all was said and done, have some issues with it. It can see the music/video/apps etc on the NAS and play them. That is good. However, the NAS does not show up in the shared area on the left as it should, I can't see the old desktop (see #2) that I set up and I set up sharing however I can't see it in my Apple TV and I don't see the airplay logo in the bottom right of the screen as I should. Now, this is an issue that needs to be resolved. This is your #1 mentioned above.

2. I opened iTunes on the old desktop, held shift, and created a new library locally. All fine there. I have home sharing on. I can see the NAS and music under the shared area. I however can't see anything else on the NAS such as video, apps, etc. When I hit the music (not the shared section) and the video , there is nothing. Basically, it is not accessing the NAS for it's files other than where I see the music under the NAS shared area. I think the reason for this is I did not do as in #1 above import function as I was afraid I would screw up the folders on the NAS like I did when I did it on the laptop. The preferences are pointed to the media file on the NAS however. I can also see the laptop under the share however it seems to not see anything and times out and goes back to welcome screen. Also, it is sharing with the apple TV however since it has nothing in/on it, it says the library is empty and the apple TV can't play anything. All I want to do is have the laptop accessible to apple TV anyhow so I can see the videos. So, how do I fix this situation? This is your #4 and #5 mentioned above.

3. I would like to add sharing to other computers however since #2 above did not work, how will it work on others? (like my sons and my wifes laptops?)

4/ iTunes match is running now and I plan to use it on other PC's once I can solve the above. Please help.

5. What does this mean: 12) Basically unless I'm going to be off my local network, the iTunes library on my laptop is an empty shell and I don't have any media (except for photos/home videos which aren't part of iTunes anyway) stored on it. a) music thru iTunes Match, b) video/podcasts via the Home Share, c) iOS apps downloading to iTunes I have turned off because I can always get them again via the purchased tab of the AppStore (although I do have the Mac Mini set up to download any apps purchased with my Apple ID because I'm paranoid).

I understand you don't have anything stored on it but what does a,b,c mean and where is that option?

I really need help, thanks!
 

Ringfinger

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Gotcha on the a,b,c. You don't have them stored locally. Still having issues. ITunes match keeps locking up my iTunes, not sure what to do. The NAS showed up under shared but have not clicked on it because it keeps locking up. Also, what did you mean in 6 in you post prior? About deleting from library and all that? Hope you are having a good holiday, I need to take a rest from this!
 

Ringfinger

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Okay, update and questions. I have also posted on Apple site. I will just cut and paste:

1. All my songs have been matched or uploaded. Now, if I want a higher sampling rate copy downloaded to my PC (music is stored on my NAS actually), how do I do that and will it replace my old file? I store my library on an NAS I have but my library file is local for performace improvement. Would I lose that downladed better version if I were to discountinue my service?



2. When I rip a CD or whatever, does it automatically update to the cloud or do I have to trigger something to do so?



3, I noticed some items had artwork missing. I was able to either find it through iTunes or download an image and associate it to the album. I noticed tha has not seem to carry through to the cloud and I don't see the artwork there that I recently added and can see fine on my laptop, why is that and how can I get that artwork to the cloud?



4. I have an i Phone and my wife has an iPhone. I set up match for my iPhone and it said it would replace existing library and playlists. Fine, I understand all of that. However my wife has her own apple ID. I would like to set her up for match but I assume I would have to login her music/iTunes store under my ID on her phone? Will that screw up her phone when syncing to iTunes and somehow combine mine and my wifes phone info (contacts, apps, etc)? I sync both to my laptop. Can I somehow get her playlists off her phone and somehow into the cloud so that she will have them? I am assuming once I set her phone up for the cloud, she will lose all of her playlists as they are not set up on my pc as I just did a fresh install of iTunes before activating the service.



1. I want to install iTunes on my wifes computer, set up iTunes match for her, set up shaing. She will have a "shell" setup where notjing is stored as she is sharing with me and accessing the cloud. Do I need to set up that computer under my user id even though she has her own? I figure thats the only way to get her to iTunes match that I have?



2. How do I do this all? Meaning, I will have a local library file for her but I need to point her laptop to the NAS with the files on them. If I change her iTunes media file to that location on the NAS and check keep organized, will it screw up the files I have there? I noticed when I did that on my PC it moved some fles around and I had to reassociate lost files to songs. Took hurs. Would iTunes have done that automatically for me somehow? Should I not check the keep organized for her as she will not be adding music anyhow? What is the harm either way?



3. How do I see my pictures on my ATV unit? I thought I used to be able to but don't see an "app" on the ATV to do so, just photo stream which I do not want to do. I thought I used to be able to access the pictures stored on my NAS? Am I dreaming this or did it go away? My NAS is an iTunes server and I swear I used to be able to access them from my ATV? All I see on my ATV under my library is music, podcasts and movies.



4. I have my NAS sharing (home sharing) and I can see it on my laptop with iTuenes installed. When I click on it I see only music, no movies or anything else, why is that and is it something to do with home sharing? But, like I said I can see thse movies on ATV under my library. I can also see my playlists on the shared on my laptop but nothing is in them. I think that may be becuase they were set up under another library and now that I hve a new library file, they don't carry over? I don't see any of said playlists in the standard iTunes interface under playlists, just under the shared however like I said, no files in them. Also, the share comes and goes as in sometimes I see it sometimes I don't however I am always able to access the NAS from iTunes. Strange, may be network issues?



5. Along those same lines, sometimes the home share just up and dissapears from ATV. Maybe a network issue?



6. Lastly, I just did my first backup/sync of my iPhone to my new laptop with the fresh install of iTunes on it. It gave me some sort of message that I can only sync to one computer and do I want to overwrite or whatever? I said no and it did nothing. After that, I did a back-up however it seemed to go fast and I also did a sync. The sync was three steps, used to be like six and I did not notice any of my new apps being copied to it. Something is wrong here but not sure what to do, ideas?



Thanks in advance for any and all help
 

Ringfinger

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You have been incredibly helpful, thank you. I may be in the home stretch here, but have some questions and comments as follow:

1. When you say "library", you mean the actual copy of the file on the NAS, correct? In other words, delete the original files and download the upgraded copy? This will automatically save to the correct spot and folder on the NAS right because I have iTunes pointing to the NAS? You had mentioned in a prior post that if I "trusted" Apple, I could delete the original files. Well, I won't do that for safety's sake, I'll always have a copy on my NAS but it will be that "upgraded" copy we are discussing here. What is the difference between "removing from the library" and "removing from the library and sending to trash?" I would assume one just removes the "pointer" to the song or file where the other "removes the file and deletes the music on the NAS?" I guess by using iTunes match, I don't need to have that pointer anymore since all is stored "on the cloud". If so, I am assuming the computer right now is not looking for that library file anymore since I have match enabled? If I disable it, I would assume it would look for that local library file so it knows where my music is at?

2. 10-4.

3. It still has not updated. Maybe I did something wrong? I just clicked on one track of the album and associated the artwork. Do I need to do a ctrl>click and select the whole album then associate the artwork maybe?

4. 10-4. I will verify the correct id's are used.


1. 10-4, that's what I will do so that she can use my iTunes match.

2. 10-4. By the way, what is the organize library setting/option for?

3. Hmm, that's strange, maybe that functionality was removed by Apple on a software update recently? I sear I used to be able to view my prictures on my ATV.

4. 10-4.

5, I use wi-fi for my ATV but have never had issues from that standpoint.

6. Will do.


Again, thanks for all of the help.
 

Ringfinger

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You have been far more help than I deserve! I really appreciate it. I am actually smart, I just have a technical background so I like to know exactly what is going on and all the options, sorry. Okay, my interpretation:

1. I'm going to try all that and see what happens when I delete from NAS and don't and see what kind of files show up or are replaced, So, going back to your post earlier, if I want to download all 256 bitrate files (those matched, not uploaded, I get that) I will delete from library (itl file) and from NAS and trash? That way, it removes the "pointer as well as the electronic music file?" Then, I do the playlist as suggested by you, but then I get fuzzy since I already deleted. You said to "delete from playlist but not library" so if I do as mentioned prior, it probably wont work? Lastly, so, on my laptop that points to the NAS files, if I am on the road, how will I play them from laptop? I can't, right? That's because it is not streaming but rather is playing from NAS?

3. The artwork I am about to give up on because it doesn't seem to work and I lost a bit. You say to delete and re-add and all that however there seems to be something I don't quite get. You say to back up the music files (10-4), then delete from iTunes Library but select delete from iCloud. So that means delete the physical file copy as well since I backed it up? Then you say to do album art, how can I do that if I deleted as prior? What would I be adding them to? I guess I am a lost cause...

2. As far as organizing, right now I have the local iTunes folder with the library, artwork and add to Itunes folders/files. I have the NAS with iTunes>iTunes Music>Then all the subfolders. That seems organized to me and I hesitate to choose that option as I fear it will pick stuff out of folders again like what happened last time!! Anyway, if I chose it would it go to my local folder or to the NAS folder?

3. I'll ask at Apple boards on the photos. I could be hallucinating!


Again, thank you thank you so much!!
 

Ringfinger

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10x Thanks!

Here is a link to replace your library:

How to use iTunes Match to upgrade audio quality | How To - CNET

I am going to do it bit by bit as I have read horror stories of live tracks being replaced by studio tracks and other mishaps. I am going to back-up my ENTIRE library (my original music files) and save it somewhere on my NAS in case I have an issue when it downloads the new version. Just to be safe. I can just create a folder and then drag the entire library onto it, right? I would think so but I read where someone did that and it didn't copy everything. It is a basic windows function, so not sure why it wouldn't do a copy like that. I can understand copy/paste may be an issue...

My main PC is my laptop, so it may travel. I will keep it as is (current library) but also do a shft>open itunes and create one I will call "travel", sign into i-tunes and turn on match. Simple enough and I will use that library file when on the road. I assume to choose a specific library file, when I open iTunes I..... (that is a question) ;-)

I'll try your artwork solution. I am assuming when you say delete, I am just deleting from iTunes library and icloud and not deleting from the NAS?
 

Ringfinger

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Sweet! I'll check it out. It is supposed to be under the computers icon on ATV. It may be my network but all things being perfect pictures should be there. Thanks for the heads up.
 

Fausty82

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I was just poking around in the new iTunes 11 and at least in the Mac version I found how to share photos with the ATV. Under File -> Home Sharing there is a submenu for "choose
Photos to share with Apple TV".

No idea if that option was there before or if it works well but just wanted to let you know.

Thanks! I don’t remember seeing that before... my understanding was that you had to use PhotoStream and it was all or nothing...
 

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