New PC- What problems if any will I run into?

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viper69

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I have an old PC using Win7, and iTunes v12.10.11.2.

I have a new PC with Win11, and I will of course install the latest iTunes version, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Is it possible to transfer over the iTunes directory and all related files (prob not) over to the new computer?

Or am I better off starting fresh on the new PC, and adding my songs from my SSD on the old PC to the new PC via USB drive etc? Thanks!
 

cjmnews

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The latest iTunes should work fine on Windows 11. Be sure to get the release from Apple directly, don't use the Microsoft Store as it may be crippled due to Microsoft restrictions.

Moving the iTunes Library should be straightforward. Back up the iTunes folder on Windows 7, restore on Windows 11. Especially if you use the same user name to log in with on both systems.

Having the same login on Windows 11 will make it easier for that transition to work, it may be a little tricky due to the Microsoft requirement to use a Microsoft account to log in. That can be bypassed a few different ways, set up Windows with no Internet was one way (maybe fixed by now), set up Windows with a Microsoft account, then create a non-Microsoft account user and use that for daily stuff and ignore/remove the Microsoft account (should still work). There are dozens of articles on it, check them out.

I think you are one of the "let iTunes manage my music organization" people, so that will be easy. The iTunes Library and all the music should be in the iTunes Folder. Back it up on the Windows 7 system and restore it on the new Windows 11 system

If you one of the people that has Music everywhere (iTunes Preferences does not use Copy Music to iTunes Library and Keep iTunes Library organized options enabled) then you will need to backup the folder(s) where the music is, put them in the exact location they were on the old computer, then copy the iTunes Library and put it on the new computer. Assuming this is done precisely and with the same login, all should work.

Now if you are stuck logging in with a Microsoft account and have all tracks under iTunes, then you can "fix" the path issue quite easily by following the same processes listed above. Then open iTunes, and play a track. It will complain that it can't find the track, click the locate button and manually navigate to the path where the song is. Select the song and click OK, when it asks if you want to update the entire library with this path answer yes. iTunes will adjust all the paths for the new location.

For those with music scattered all over the place, they should do the same steps for the folder with the majority of the music. This will fix most of their music. The other folders will get fixed incorrectly or not at all, and they will need to fix each track manually after that.
 
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