How do I move iTunes library setting files on Windows XP?

Factual Questions
1

Here’s the situation: my company, in its wisdom, has instigated a new IT policy that means our “My Documents” folders are synched with a remote server. (The result, given that the synchronisation is so slow and ties up the computer for so long, is that nobody’s storing anything in their “My Documents” folders, defeating the point of the policy… but that’s another thread that probably belongs in the Pit.) I am therefore storing everything in folders directly on my C: drive.

There is one application, however, that persists in storing its preferences files in My Documents, and that’s iTunes. Not only the library files, but all the album artwork. This means that every time I hook up to the work network, my computer hangs for 10 minutes while it checks and synchs dozens of .jpg, .xml, and .itl files. Now, strictly I suppose I should remove this extracurricular software from the computer, but I like to listen to music while I work; it makes me more efficient, so I think in the long run it’s more beneficial to the company that I continue to use it.

So I thought telling iTunes to move the library files elsewhere would be a piece of cake. I moved my music store, using “Advanced” settings in Preferences, to C:\mp3s, and away it went. Not so the library files, which persist in \My Documents\My Music\iTunes.

I’ve been googling like crazy but none of the handy hints work. The Apple site, and several other “tips and tricks” sites tell me to move the music to its new home, stop the app, delete the iTunes folder from “My Music”, and restart the app. This is meant to give me a “No libary file” dialog and invite me to make a new one in a different location. What actually happens is that it just makes a new library file that is blank, and then the computer hangs again as it tries to synch the folder with the remote 486 over a 300 baud acoustic modem, or whatever the hell is going on.

I’m thinking I might have to diddle around in the registry to move the damn thing. Or does someone know something I don’t? Any advice gratefully received.

2

Here’s something, although I don’t know if it’ll help or if you’ve seen it already:

Isn’t there a way to set up a folder with its own drive letter? Create your folder off of the root, set it up with a drive letter, then do this move to that drive/folder, and Bob’s your uncle. No idea if it’ll actually work, though.

3

Hey hey hey! That worked. Thanks, rowrrbazzle. I had forgotten about the shift-start thing - it didn’t work in an earlier incarnation of iTunes, so I assumed it wouldn’t work this time either. Cool.

4

It sounds like they’ve implemented roaming profiles—which, can be useful, but if you ask me, they’re largely a pain in the butt. Anyhow, in addition to rowrrbazzle’s link, and in case you have further problems with roaming profiles, you can ask your IT department to do one of two things:

1.) Create an OU in AD and an appropriate group policy that will allow you to use a local profile instead of a roaming profile (while useful to you right now, it’ll also useful to them in case more people start complaining). This will apply to all computers you use on the domain;

2.) Or, with less work for them, you could convert your account back to a local profile and avoid the synching:
[ol]
[li]Right-click on My Computer and choose “Properties”[/li][li]Click on the “Advanced” tab[/li][li]Click on “Settings” under “User Profiles”[/li][li]Find your user name in the list and click on “Change Type”[/li][li]Choose “Local Profile”[/li][li]Click “OK” on the remaining screens. [/li][li]Reboot[/li][/ol]
You’ll have to have administrative rights to your computer to do this, and this will only affect this one computer. So, if you log on to any new computer, you’ll be using a roaming profile for that machine (until you change it there, too).

And, of course, if they are using something other than roaming profiles (e.g., a third-party program that synchs just the My Documents folder), none of the above applies. :stuck_out_tongue: