How to upgrade Mac iTunes library from v6 to v11?

March 7, 2013 7:34 AM

Computer #1 runs iTunes 6, and uses a library that's on a remote SAMBA share (NSLU2, if it matters). I want to move the library to a local drive on Computer #2, which came with iTunes 11. What do?

Computer #1 runs OS X 10.6.8, computer #2 runs OS X 10.8.2.

For what it's worth, I can't just re-import all the tracks manually, because a large number are WAVs which don't have ID3 tags, and also MP3s and AACs that I've had to tag manually in iTunes over the course of several years.


The iTunes folder on the SMB share contains the following files:

iTunes Library
iTunes Music (folder)
iTunes Music Library.xml

I've tried simply copying this iTunes folder to a local drive on computer #2, and then in iTunes 11 going into preferences, and pointing it to that folder. But whether I point it to the root 'iTunes' folder or the 'iTunes Music' folder inside it, iTunes 11 won't see it.


I've even gone through and used Perl to change the path of each track in 'iTunes Music Library.xml' to point to the appropriate path after I copied this folder to computer #2's local drive, and then done 'Import Playlist', but in that case for some reason it only sees about 1/4 of the 50,000+ tracks.


I've tried following several online tutorials, but to no avail.
Ideas, hivemind?
Thanks!

posted by raspberry jam and clothes iron to computers & internet (3 answers total)

One way to solve part of this issue would be to batch compress the WAVs to ALAC using e.g. ffmpeg and then use some sort of Tag&Rename/Mp3Tag-like software to populate tags from file names and directory names. Should be a total of two unattended batch operations, and with ALAC being lossless you can generate identical uncompressed files if you're editing them or whatever down the road.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:40 AM on March 7 [1 favorite]

If it's any consolation, the MP3s and AACs that you tagged manually will retain their tags if you just import them into iTunes 11. Tags in these formats are stored in the files themselves, they aren't metadata in the Library or XML file. The WAV files you can convert to ALAC (Apple's lossless format) and then the tags will be retained in those, too.
posted by bcwinters at 7:42 AM on March 7

Adding to Inspector.Gadget's idea, you could use iTunes to convert the manually tagged files to ALAC (or another format, if compression is acceptable).

In iTunes, go to Edit -> Preferences -> Import Settings. Choose an appropriate target format in the "Import Using" dropdown box.

Then just right click the files in your library and choose "Create Apple Lossless Version" (or "Create MP3/AAC version", depending on the target format you chose).

iTunes should write the tags to the new files for you.
posted by dosterm at 11:58 AM on March 7