Itunes Library Problems
 

I originally had all my music in ITunes in my old computer ( I think Itunes automatically creates a directory in C:/.

When I wanted to back up all my music, I copied that directory to an external HD and I went to Preference/Advance and change the libraty address to E:/Itunes (where I saved on the portable harddrive).

I successfully installed Itunes on my Netbook and able to rebuild the library from the E:/Itunes.

However I accidentally plug in a CD Drive and as SD card and opened up Itunes before I plug in my portable harddrive. I tunes automatically try to point to C:/Itunes. Which of course does not contain my music.

I just wondered what will be the best thing to do now? how can I Wipe out my library ont he Netbook and restart again?

I'm not sure I understand the question - are you saying that iTunes is now pointing to the wrong drive as the location of your music?

If so, then it could be as easy as changing the drive letter of the other drives, and forcing the portable drive back onto its original drive letter.

Yes bascially it points to the C: instead of the external harddrive.
But when I tried to change it to the external harddrive (under Preference/Advanced) some songs are still not picking up the new location and I have to manually go into some of the songs and associate it with the new harddrive location.

I think to save the hardache, I want to start over again and reimport all the song back into my Netbook C Drive (given I have 160GB now so space is not an issue for the time being).

What will be the best way to do this?

Thanks

You might have to add the folder and/or consolidate the library (File>Library>Consolidate).

I believe another option would be to name the external drive, then create a shortcut in the My Music folder on your C drive that lead to the named hard drive.

Delete the "itunes music library.xml" file from your music/itunes directory.

But it may be easier to do a simple search/replace inside the XML file for any references to the C: location, changing it to the drive letter of the external drive.

I've run into the same issue. The trouble is iTunes will look at your advanced settings for the location of your library and if the drive/location does not exist it defaults back to the c:\ folder.

Your PC must be configured that each new device starts at the next available drive letter after c: and continues from there, so it really matters the order the drives are connected.

What you could do for now is go into the advanced settign and repoint iTunes to the current drive letter with your music (I do this all the time). Unfortunatley it will porbably re-read the library as iTunes thinks this is a new one, but all your playlists, etc should still be there.

I cannot think of it off hand but will see fi I can remember, there is a way to force a specific device to a drive letter, so each time you connect the SD card it gets D:, the external hard drive E: and your other CD drive F: (or something like that).