# Moving Music to new MacBook from external hard drive and iPod



## Debba (Apr 11, 2008)

​I'm a newbie Mac user just recently ditching my PC (yay!) But I'm a big novice and would like to know two things.

1) I have an external harddrive with about 80G of music on it. I also have my iTunes library on it that I salvaged from the old PC. Is there a way to get my old library into my new MacBook? If not, how to I *easily* get all this music into a new iTunes library. I plan to keep the music stored on the external harddrive.

2) I have some music on my old iPod (40G classic) that doesn't exist on the harddrive, but would like to get it into iTunes as well.

Would appreciate any help!

Than you!


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

Depending on the format of the drive you might be able to just keep it on there and plug it into your mac. 

I don't know enough about this. Sorry. Someone will be along shortly to help.
:heybaby:


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Debba said:


> 1) I have an external harddrive with about 80G of music on it. I also have my iTunes library on it that I salvaged from the old PC. Is there a way to get my old library into my new MacBook? If not, how to I *easily* get all this music into a new iTunes library. I plan to keep the music stored on the external harddrive.


I don't know the structure of the iTunes Library on PCs, but I would imagine it is identical to the structure on Macs, so in theory all you have to do is:

a. Open iTunes holding the Option key down. It will ask you to choose a Library.
b. Point to your external hard drive's iTunes Library.

If the structure is the same, that's it, you're done.

If all you have are the actual music files and _not_ the other components (iTunes Library.xml et al), then use these alternate instructions:

1. Open iTunes. Allow it to create a library if it hasn't already.
2. Preferences -> Advanced -> UNCHECK the "keep itunes organised" and "copy files to iTunes Library when adding" boxes
3. Drag the entire music folder from the external into the open iTunes window.



> 2) I have some music on my old iPod (40G classic) that doesn't exist on the harddrive, but would like to get it into iTunes as well.


Among other options, a free program called Senuti ("iTunes" spelled backwards, get it?) will facilitate reverse transfer. Open Senuti *FIRST* then plug in the iPod.


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## Debba (Apr 11, 2008)

*Result*

chas_m,

Huge thanks! Turns out that the iTunes library I had from my old PC wasn't the same format/structure, but creating a new library and moving the music directory into iTunes was slick and easy. Also, Senuti is awesome. 

Debba


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