transferring itunes files from one computer to another

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Hi,

I need to transfer my complete itunes folder from my old powerbook running itunes 9 on OS X 10.4.11 to my new imac running itunes 10 on OS X 10.7.3.
If I download the complete itunes folder from the hard disk on my old powerbook on to a pendrive can I just transfer the folder to the new imac even though the versions of itunes and OS X are different?

Please help - many thanks
 
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OK hears how to move it,
1. Open iTunes Preferences click on the Advanced button and select keep iTunes music folder organised. Click OK.
The software puts your music into the correct album and artist folders, naming tracks according to disc and track number and title.
This makes it easier for iTunes to move you media.
2. Location, to transfer you library, playlists intact, to an external, or or newly added internal drive you need to guide iTunes to the new location.
First connect the new hard drive, then then return to iTunes' Preferences and click the Advanced button in the Pref window again.
3. New direction, near the top of the menu you'll see folder location.
By default, your iTunes music folder is kept in music/ iTunes on your home directory.
Click the change button to the right of this, and use the finder menu which appears to navigate to the new drive you want to host your collection on.
4. changes, Once you've selected your new drive, click the new folder button in change music folder location window, enter a name for the new iTunes music folder and click create.
iTunes will keep your media hear in the new drive.
Click OK in the advanced window.
5. Get it together, Now you need to get your media onto the new drive, along with all the playlists and other personal data, in the file menu select library and choose Consolidate library. This command will copy all your existing music (and video and other media) into your newly set up iTunes music folder.
6. Sspace race Step 5 will fail if your library is larger than the drive you're trying to copy to. so ensure the storage device you're planning to use is big enough for your existing library.
The process takes time to complete - exactly how long depends on the size of your collection.
7. Delete/don't delete, Now you can delete your original iTunes folder on you Mac.
Under no circumstances delete the iTunes library or iTunes music library.xml files that may be in the same location as the music folder.
These are essential in order to maintain your playlist and play count information.
8. iTunes library (reprise) iTunes library is a database of the media in your library and the playlists you've made. Delete it and you lose them, plus star ratings and more.
The iTunes music library .xml file makes your music and playlists available to other applications on your Mac, including ilife.
9. The iPod way, There's another way to transfer your library between computers: use your iPod. Open iTunes on you old Mac, connect your iPod, select it using the devices section of the menu, click summary and select the manually manage music and video checkbox, which also enables disk use.
10, Manually managing, Click OK on the warning message that appears and then click apply. Now you must return to iTunes Preferences sand ensure copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library is selected.
If it is, skip to step 112. It isn't, enable it in the checkbox and click OK.
11, Consolidation complete, choose file-library-consolidate library. iTunes will copy all your music to a central repository - if your Mac lacks the space the process won't work correctly, Once this process is complete, click on music and the size of your library appears at the bottom of the iTunes window.
12, Transition tunes, Now launch iTunes. All your music, playlists play counts and ratings have moved to your new computer.
The iPod method also works between computer platforms, though success depends on having enough free space on your iPod to contain the original media files and associated data.

Once you've moved your music over to you new computer in part 7 where you delete your old library and keep the iTunes music library.xml files, if you replace those to your new iTunes library folder it should work with out your old one, worth a try.

I do hope this is helpful to you
 

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