# iTunes question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654 "2017-03-07T22:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MTVhike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MTVhike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTVhike)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654/1 "2017-03-07T22:19:08Z")
Prior to the demise of my system disk, I noticed that it was getting very full. Examination of the contents revealed much of the data was taken up by music. I moved those files to another disk and successfully made my iTunes program see that disk. Then, my system disk failed and I created a new system disk, installing a new copy of iTunes on it. I cannot seem to make that new iTunes installation see my old data (the second disk is still in the computer). I went to Preferences and found where iTunes was looking for the music; it said c:\user\music. I changed that to d:…where I had put the music files, but iTunes still doesn’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654/2 "2017-03-07T22:42:28Z")
While it seems like you should be able to just reinstall iTunes, change the Media Folder Location, and _Bang! All done!_ unfortunately it’s not that simple. First, what OS are you using? Second, is your music still listed in iTunes or is it blank? ---
**Author:** ![MTVhike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MTVhike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTVhike)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654/3 "2017-03-08T11:36:54Z")
DCnDc; I’ve been using Win7 all along, although I’m going to use Win10 on a new computer. I was hoping to copy my entire Music folder to the D: drive of the new computer, and am trying to make sure I don’t have this same problem again. My music folder is very complicated, probably due to the many times I have moved it around. The simple answer is that there is an iTunes folder under music, which contains an “.iTunes preferences.plist” file and a subfolder called “iTunes Music”. Under “iTunes Music” are a lot of folder with the music in them (some labeled with the composer’s name and some labeled with the artist’s name), and another “.iTunes preferences.plist” file. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654/4 "2017-03-08T16:45:27Z")
My understanding is that in order to change the iTunes folder location, you hold down the SHIFT key while starting iTunes. Did you already do that? ---
**Author:** ![MTVhike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MTVhike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTVhike)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itunes-question/781654/5 "2017-03-10T13:28:36Z")
Thanks, markn+, I didn’t try that, but will try. I did manage to get iTunes to find my music files, but many of them are duplicated in multiple folders. This creates another problem - duplicate copies of the same music (each copy shows up on iTunes). If I delete one copy outside of iTunes, I know that I can remove the missing copy manually, but if I do wholesale changes in the music files, how do I get iTunes to recognize these changes? What does the “Keep the iTunes Media folder organized” command actually do?