iTunes - original file not found

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I know this is a very simple problem, with a simple solution!

But I can't seem to figure it out myself, even having checked Mac support.

I have a CD of mp3s.
I want to add them to my library. However once I do, if I remove the CD I can't play the tracks anymore - I get an error reading - original file not found.

Do I have to leave the mp3s on my hard drive (copy them there from the CD)?
Isn't it possible to keep them only in the iTunes library?
If so, then how do I do it?

Thanks.
 
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Susan:

You are correct; you must move the tracks from the CD to the hard drive if you want to access the music when the CD is not present. You need to exercise some caution, however, depending on how choosy your ears are. When you choose the 'File' menu from iTunes, you have two choices to move your tracks from the CD to the library (and thus, the hard drive). If you choose 'Add to Library,' it should simply copy the files as present on the CD directly over to the hard drive. If, however, you choose 'Import,' the tracks will be processed using whatever encoder your iTunes preferences is set up for. That will shrink the files more (and save you some drive space), but it will also re-filter the mp3s and could be irritating for you to listen to.
 
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Thank you, Casdvm.

I can do this, but could you (or someone else out here) possibly confirm whether I have to leave the files on my hard drive after I've added them to the library?

I had been importing, then deleting them from the desktop once I'd put them into the iTunes library. That's when I had trouble.
I take it that I have to leave the files there as well as in iTunes?

Kind regards,
s
 
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s:

Check out your iTunes preferences. In the Advanced pane, you have choices about how to organize your music files. Anything you want to listen to has to be available to iTunes when you want to listen to it. So, if you have a bunch of CDs, you have to move all the tracks to the hard drive in order for iTunes to see them.

There is really no need to use the desktop once you have decided how to organize the library. For instance, if you check the boxes 'Keep iTunes Music folder organized' and 'Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library,' in your preferences pane, then whenever you insert a CD of mp3s, all you have to do is go the File menu, choose Add to Library, then select the CD from the window. If you want to add all the tracks on the CD, simply use the Command-A keys from the keyboard (the key with the Apple logo on it and the A key) to select all the tracks, and they will all be magically added to your iTunes library on the hard drive, and you can listen to them anytime you want.

Good Luck
 

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