Running iTunes from an external hard disk

[Haydn]

Is this possible? I think I've heard of it being done.

I back up my Mac laptop to an external Lacie hard disk. If the computer failed, could I run iTunes from the hard disk on another computer? I'm thinking that this would be quicker than copying my iTunes folder and files to the new computer ...

[Surreal]

Yes. Just make sure to turn off the "let itunes manage my library" option. Then you can just add the music from your external hard drive to your library as normal. If you hard drive isn't plugged in when you run itunes, the unavailable music will be grayed out.

edit: nevermind, I misunderstood the question

[Toon Town Dave]

I don't see it being a problem on a Mac unless Apple has started using a registry like Winblows.

Also, you should be able to put an entire bootable O/S on an external drive and boot from that to get your whole environment. Again, I think Macs are less picky than Windows when it comes to big changes in the underlying hardware.

At the very least, backing up /home (or whatever Apple uses for user home directories) plus a copy of essential software from /usr (or the Apple equivalent) should be sufficient.

Sorry, I'm a Unix guy so I probably don't have the proper Mac jargon.

[lipi]

Is this possible? I think I've heard of it being done.

I back up my Mac laptop to an external Lacie hard disk. If the computer failed, could I run iTunes from the hard disk on another computer?

yes. i do this when i dj. my music at home is on an internal drive in my mac pro. i back up the iTunes Music folder every week or two (or three, or four...) to an external drive.

when i dj, i take the backup drive and plug it into my laptop (which has no music on it).

caveats:

1) you have to authorise the new computer to play any tracks bought from the itunes store.

2) you have to copy the iTunes library files as well as the actual music. in all likelihood all this stuff is in the folder named "iTunes" in the Music folder in your home directory. it should contain an "iTunes Music" folder (the actual music files), an iTunes Library (three guesses), an xml file (gets regenerated, but may as well back it up), and an Album Artwork folder. copy all of this to the external drive.

3) when you connect the drive to your other computer, copy the iTunes library (but not the music) over the library file that was already on that computer. then open itunes and change the location of the library to your external drive.

please back everything up before you mess with this, 'k?