What do I need to know about using an external hard drive with iTunes?

[speedythecat]

Like I'm sure many others, I have finally just about run out of space on my laptop where I keep my iTunes library.

I know nothing about external hard drives so feel free to educate me.

If I even knew how to pick one out (I don't) I assume you just plug it into the USB port. then it would show up in "my computer" and I would just drag my big iTunes music folder from my PC's "music" area into the external hard drive listed in "my computer".

I'm pretty sure it's not that simple though, so any help would be really appreciated. From advice on what model to purchase, to how to actually set it up and use it.

Right now I have a laptop with an 80GB hardrive and originally had 35-37 GB set aside just for my iTunes. Well, now that I've ripped over 300 albums @ Lame mp3 -V0 setting, that is just about shot and I'm not thinking about this any too early. LOL

Thanks,
Eric

[snowdog99]

Have a read of this article.

[speedythecat]

snowdog99, thanks for the link! I read about 1/2 of it and have saved it to my favorites to view in it's entirety later when I have more time. it looks like it may be just want I need. Quite a bit of it looks over my head though, seriously.

I was wondering, is any of that info out of date since we are up to iTunes 9.whatever now? Or would I follow the guide exactly as written in 2007?

Thanks,
Eric

[speedythecat]

Hello? Anyone out there?

[dhender02]

I followed the same directions about 8 months ago, using the latest version of iTunes at the time (I think 9.something). Anyway, I was able to transfer my library to a 2nd hard drive without any problems by following the directions on the link....

[jasn]

Don't forget that you will still need to backup your music to yet another HD (or disks), as the new external drive is still your primary music library.