iTunes, new computer - HELP!

[Sara_H]

I'm sorry I am a complete technophobe.

My old laptop broke down about a year ago, a computer repairer put my itunes on a disc for me (I hadn't done it, I didn't know I had to - I thought it was all stored online, told you I was a technophobe!).

Today I have put my disc into new laptop, music went onto coputer somewhere, I opened itunes and clicked on add folder to library. It all went marvellously, until I tried to play mucic, in which case itunes tells me it cant play the song as the origional file can not be located.

So can anyone tell me - how to get these useless files out of my computer and how to get the music in so that I can play it?

Thanks in advance for help.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Sara: all your music should be in the Icloud, for you to listen on line or to download.
Give me 2 min, I'll post you a link.

 

[Sara_H]

I didn't have icloud - I'd been computer free for quite some time. The only reason I've bought a new computer is to sort my ipod and iphone out and now I cant make it work!!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Ok: open your ITunes, authorize your computer first.
Then go to here watch the Icloud demo, follow the instructions.

 

[JoeyB]

Only music purchased from iTunes will be stored in the Apple iCloud. Is that the case for you?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Everybody has Icloud: it comes free with Itunes, you just need to activate it.

 

[JoeyB]

It is unreasonable to suggest that when you added the music folder it was still on the disk and then you subsequently removed the disk? Hence why it couldn't find the original source? Just a thought...

 

[JoeyB]

Everybody has Icloud: it comes free with Itunes, you just need to activate it.

Yes but music imported to your iTunes library from your PC will not be uploaded to iCloud. Only purchases from iTunes direct will be backed up in 'the cloud' and be made available to download again.

 

[Sara_H]

No I'm certain icloud only arrived in the last year or so. Anyhow I never had it, I was offered it today when I managed to update my phone from os4 to 5 or 6 (cant remember which it was).
So the music is on this disc, its so in my ipod, but I obviously dont want to sync that yet until I've sorted the itunes library out.

 

[JoeyB]

When you say disk, do you mean DVD/CD or a portable USB jobby?

I'm pretty sure you will need to copy the entire library somewhere and then redirect your new iTunes install to the old library file. Exact file extension escapes me right now but pretty sure if you hold shift when double clicking the iTunes icon you will get a prompt to point to a new library file.

 

[JoeyB]

iTunes library.itl is the old file you will need to point your new iTunes install to.

See here for a couples of screenshots http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589

 

[Sara_H]

Its a cd or dvd - I dont know which.
Thanks for your answer JoeyB, but you may as well be speaking mandarin when talking of redirecting files

I think I need to start by removing what I've lready put in, but I cant even do that.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

If you install google music on your new pc, it will find all itunes and non itunes music, if on disk.
If you cannot find your music, you need to download it again.
Did you buy it all from Itunes?

 

[Sara_H]

If you install google music on your new pc, it will find all itunes and non itunes music, if on disk.
If you cannot find your music, you need to download it again.
Did you buy it all from Itunes?

No, it was mostly my old CD's.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

can you not rip the cd/dvs to your computer with windows media player?