What causes a CD to read something other than its content?

[memebag]

Are you going to have one central machine on which you keep all the music (like a master machine) and then other machines (laptops, etc...) that also have their own libraries?

That depends on your definition of the word "library". I want one network drive with all of the content (music, movies, whatever) and an iTunes database on each PC. I want all of the PCs to reference the same MP3 files, for instance, but keep their own playlists, play counts, ratings, etc. I can do it, but I can't see a way to do it without blowing away all of the existing database info or creating tons of duplicates on the network drive.

[ssullivan]

I want all of the PCs to reference the same MP3 files, for instance, but keep their own playlists, play counts, ratings, etc. I can do it, but I can't see a way to do it without blowing away all of the existing database info or creating tons of duplicates on the network drive.

You can do this without creating tons of duplicate audio files. When you use the File - Add to Library command, iTunes does not create a copy of the media file, nor does it move the media file. It simply creates a link in the database to the media file, which is left in its original location. So you can have a central network drive with all your files on it, and then individual computers on that network, each with iTunes installed, and the library in each iTunes installation referencing files stored on the network drive. There's no need for duplicate media files doing this. And each computer's individual iTunes installation will maintain its own playlists, play counts, and ratings.

I don't think you'll have to completely blow away your existing playlists. Try just moving the music files from an individual computer to the network drive, then opening a playlist in iTunes after you've moved the files. When you open the playlist, iTunes will tell you it can no longer find a file and ask if you want to search for the file in a new location. Click Yes or OK to run the search. It will then allow you to browse to the network directory where the files have been moved to, and should update the database to reflect the new file locations. I did something similar to this a few years ago when I got a new hard drive, and made it the master drive in my PC. However, I kept the old drive as a secondary drive. iTunes was reinstalled, along with the OS and all my software, on the new drive. However my music was all on the old drive. I was able to get iTunes to update the database links to every media file I had without having to blow away and rebuild any existing playlists.

[memebag]

You can do this without creating tons of duplicate audio files. When you use the File - Add to Library command, iTunes does not create a copy of the media file, nor does it move the media file. It simply creates a link in the database to the media file, which is left in its original location. So you can have a central network drive with all your files on it, and then individual computers on that network, each with iTunes installed, and the library in each iTunes installation referencing files stored on the network drive. There's no need for duplicate media files doing this. And each computer's individual iTunes installation will maintain its own playlists, play counts, and ratings.

But these are 2 existing iTunes instances. They already have media files on their local drives. I need to move them to a shared, central drive and preserve their database. I can't just copy all the stuff to the shared drive, then re-add it to both iTunes. The iTunes will then have 2 copies of everything, the local one in playlists, the shared one not. I know, I've already tried these things. Hence my dissatisfaction.

I don't think you'll have to completely blow away your existing playlists. Try just moving the music files from an individual computer to the network drive, then opening a playlist in iTunes after you've moved the files. When you open the playlist, iTunes will tell you it can no longer find a file and ask if you want to search for the file in a new location. Click Yes or OK to run the search. It will then allow you to browse to the network directory where the files have been moved to, and should update the database to reflect the new file locations. I did something similar to this a few years ago when I got a new hard drive, and made it the master drive in my PC. However, I kept the old drive as a secondary drive. iTunes was reinstalled, along with the OS and all my software, on the new drive. However my music was all on the old drive. I was able to get iTunes to update the database links to every media file I had without having to blow away and rebuild any existing playlists.

iTunes has never asked me if I want to search for the file in a new location. Is there a trick? Which version were you running?

[ssullivan]

But these are 2 existing iTunes instances. They already have media files on their local drives. I need to move them to a shared, central drive and preserve their database. I can't just copy all the stuff to the shared drive, then re-add it to both iTunes. The iTunes will then have 2 copies of everything, the local one in playlists, the shared one not. I know, I've already tried these things. Hence my dissatisfaction.

iTunes has never asked me if I want to search for the file in a new location. Is there a trick? Which version were you running?

I'm using iTunes version 7.7.1.11. I'm on a Windows XP PC.

I just tried it on my PC and it works. The key is you have to try to play the file after you've moved it.

Here's what I did:

1. Move the file from the local computer to the network drive.
   
2. Open iTunes.
   
3. Select the file you just moved to the new drive from the iTunes Music Library.
   
4. Click Play.
   
5. iTunes will tell you the file cannot be located and ask if you want to search for the file in the new location. Click Yes.
   
6. iTunes will open a window that allows you to select the new drive and/or directory the file is saved in.
   
7. Click OK.
   
8. iTunes will update the database with the new file location. It will not create a new entry for the same song. Your existing playlists will be preserved. You only have to do this once for each file.
   

Do this, and it will work. Yes, it's a little bit of a hassle, and you do have to try to play each file to get iTunes to ask you to specify the new location for the media file. But it will work, and you won't have to rebuild any playlists, or end up with duplicate copies of everything.

[memebag]

Do this, and it will work. Yes, it's a little bit of a hassle, and you do have to try to play each file to get iTunes to ask you to specify the new location for the media file. But it will work, and you won't have to rebuild any playlists, or end up with duplicate copies of everything.

Thanks for the research, but I have over 10,000 songs in iTunes. Having to play each of those files and tell iTunes to find it again isn't going to improve my opinion of this software.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

The actual CD also has six tracks:

Bay City Rollers

Jimmy Eat World

Kelly Rowland

Bowling For Soup

Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

BBMak

It's only the text, the songs are still the same. What would cause this?

Probably just wishful thinking by your CD player!!!

Bay City Rollers? Seriously?