How to move your iTunes library to an external hard disk
I think that this has happened to almost all of us: our once in a time shiny-and-super-roomy hard disk is now struggling to breathe thanks to our ever growing iTunes library. The solution? Move the data to an external hard disk, taking advantage of their price drop and convenience. I use this brand despite some bad comments. It´s working for me so far, but of course you´re free to use any other device you consider fit. So, let´s get to it. More details after the break…
I have two different resources: one from Lifehacker and the official one from our Cupertino friends. I use the first one, since it allows to have the library completely autonomous from the computer, so this means that you can connect the external drive to another machine and the library will be completely accesible, all with playlists, play count, artwork, etc. The only downside is that if you have iTunes games for your iPod, they will remain on your hard disk. I haven´t found a way to put them out and join the party in their new home. Of course, if you have your external device formatted only for Mac OS X (HFS+ and the like), you will not be able to access it from a Windows machine. Sounds obvious?
One more thing: Ensure that you connect and turn on your new repository to your computer BEFORE opening iTunes, to avoid creating a new empty library and screaming in panic when you see that all your precious collection is “gone”… Don´t despair. Simply exit iTunes, connect your drive and re-open the app pressing the Alt key to allow you to choose the library that you want to use. Easy, isn´t it?
