How To: Sync iTunes between two computers via external hard drive
Update: So, I’ve checked out my post views, and this one has significantly more then the rest of our blog posts, and if you’re looking for a simple way to transfer music between computers, this might not be it. If you find a better method, let me know, but this is what I came up with.
Being a student living on campus residence, I don’t get all the nice features of having my own home network, such as setting up a FTP server to transfer files between my desktop computer and my laptop. Here’s a little instruction guide on how to sync two computers iTunes libraries via an external hard drive.
The problem:
I didn’t really think my plan though very thoroughly when I decided I wanted to have sync the libraries on my two computers together. I originally started off transfering my library over via my external hard drive, and throwing everything directly into iTunes. That worked fine at first, but I collect quite a bit of music, and after about a day, I had about 100 new songs I had to move over. I realized how difficult it was going to be to keep my computers syncronized manually, so I came up with a method of combining the libraries. As I said before I couldn’t wirelessly transfer the files over the school network, because all the effecient file transfering systems have been shutdown in residence.
I started poking around on the internet a bit looking for a tool to sync two iTunes libraries together, without a internet connection between them, but found nothing, probably because it’s not a problem a lot of people encounter. I downloaded a couple tools, fiddled around for a bit, and here’s the solution I came up with.
The Method:
Because there was no individual tool to transfer my music, I came up with the system of syncing two folders together, one on the external hard drive and one on my laptop. Then I’d need to sync it between my desktop and my external hard drive. That way, I’d update one library, sync the hard drive, plug it into my other computer, and then resync again. The requirements of this tool are:
- It has to be portable, or be able to run from a hard drive, that way I don’t have to install the tool on both computers.
- It has to have a more-or-less advanced syncing system, that updates both ways, and is smart enough to determine which copies I’ve added and deleted, and which to keep.
- It has to be easy to use, because if not, then I may as well use do it manually.
You may now be thinking “Now I’ve synced the files, but I still need to put them into iTunes”. iTunes is pretty annoying in the sense that it does not watch your music folder for new or deleted songs, so I have to find a tool that watches the iTunes folder and updates it.
The Solution:
I found a couple of nifty little programs to help me out, first for syncing the computers to the hard drive is called Allway Sync, when you download it, go for the portable version called Allway Sync ‘n’ Go. This way we can put it on the external hard drive without having to install it on both computers. Go ahead and download it. There is a little installer to run, but just aim it towards your external hard drive or portable device, and it’ll set up the autorun for you.
Next, go download iTunes Library Updater and install that on both computers. This is the tool to watch the folders and then automatically update them. If you open it up in the GUI version, you can do it manually each time you want to update, or you can do it like I do, and automate this baby using the console version of iTunes Library Updater. I have mine set up to check the folder each time iTunes opens, and add or remove files accordingly.
First, copy this into the text editor of your choice:
“C:\Program Files\iTunes Library Updater\ITLUconsole.exe” /a /l /r “C:\PathToYourMusic\My Music”
Replace “C:\PathToYourMusic\My Music” with the location of your music library on the current computer.
And save it as iTunes.bat, this will make a file that will execute when we open iTunes. If you run it by itself (by double clicking on it after you save it), you’ll see it opens iTunes when it runs. Second, we’ll want to replace the iTunes shortcut with this one, so go into the start menu or desktop (or whatever shortcut you prefer to use), and delete the iTunes shortcut, and drag this into it’s place. You can change the icon if you wish to make it look pretty, but I didn’t bother.
Now, when you want to open iTunes, just use this icon instead. It will open a console window, and then open iTunes shortly, while updating it’s library. Nifty eh? Now move to your other computer and repeat the steps from making the .bat file, and replace the iTunes icon there.
And we’re almost done! Just open up Allway Sync, and point it to your two folders you’d like to syncronize. This should be what you put for “C:\PathToYourMusic\My Music” in the .bat file. It’s a pretty simple program to use, and it has on-screen instructions on what to do. Syncronize your first computer and your hard drive, then unplug, and move it to the new computer, plug it in and run Allway Sync again, go to the Job menu, and click Add New Job (or hit Ctrl + N). Now syncronize the iTunes folder on your new computer to your external hard drive where you put your music. Rename your jobs (I made mine Music: Laptop to HDD and Music: Desktop to HDD), and your pretty much done.
When you first try to transfer files over to your new computer, it will probably come up with a warning about a conflict of some kind. This is the iTunes.xml file, make sure you DO NOT syncronize this file, because it will just make updaing your library more inconvenient.
Now whenever you want to syncronize your music just plug in your hard drive, hit the analyze then syncronize buttons, move it over, hit analyze and syncronize again, restart iTunes, and your music should be perfectly transfered.
Note: If you listen to podcasts it’s much easier to let them finish downloading before you sync your hard drive to your computer, this way you aren’t moving around temporary and partial files.
Dang, that was longer then I expected. I doubt many people will use this little tutorial, but it’s a nice little reference to those who are in the same situation as I.
Adam
Thanks for the tips. The Library Updater tool seems pretty cool.
Does you method enable me to synchronize the song data as well? For instance, when I rate a song on one computer, and then synch libraries, will the new song rating appear on the second computer?
Good question. Yes, it should, this is because it’s saving all the song data inside the ID3 tags inside of the file itself. There is some data that can’t be stored in the ID3 tag itself, which is contained in the itunes database, but as long as copy over the itunes database (it should be transfered with your music library), you’re good to go.
Thanks for the nice article. I am currently building a website that deals with all kind of synchronization issues. Your post helped me expand on the issue.
Thanks a bunch for this information. Helped me tremendously
Have you figured out a good way to balance the sound level on all your mp3’s so one song isn’t way louder than the next?
If you’re using iTunes, it actually has that feature built in. In the preferences, and in the playback section, if you enable sound check, it changes the volume of each track to be approximately the same. iPods have this feature too, but it drains the battery faster.
Also, it isn’t perfect, so some songs still might be slightly louder or quieter, but it helps.
“Nice One” ! … I have the exact same problem and stumbled into here.. I haven’t implemented it yet, but there’s nothing like someone finding the “trail” so that you can follow.. appreciate the time and effort for you to put this up for all !
(off topic – love the shot of the lake – “jealous” )
regards ( from Canada )