Hi ho,
Let me begin by saying this information is directed at iTunes users that are dealing with a relatively recent install of iTunes - if you've got thousands of digital music files already nicely organized, I don't recommend making any changes. If you're just starting out with iTunes however, then perhaps this information will be useful...
With number of recent questions regarding the use of iTunes and WHS2011, I found myself fiddlin' around with my WHS2011 Media folders the other day, and noticed the iTunes Music Library had become a mess of sub-folders. I'd moved my WHS2011 default Server Folders location out from under the \ServerFolders directory and into the root directory of my media drive partition (the partition is named "Server Folders", so I didn't see the point of having an extra "ServerFolders" directory on there). I also directed iTunes to use the E:\Music folder as the "iTunes Media folder". I moved my Administrator\Music profile folder to point to the E:\Music folder as well (which placed the \iTunes folder with the library data in it within the \Music directory structure, rather than the C:\Users structure).
What I hadn't noticed while importing a load of fresh music with iTunes was that all the new music was going into a sub-folder of E:\Music named E:\Music\Music! All of my original music was nicely organized by artist and album folders within \Music (as it was when I copied it to the server), but all my new music was in the \Music\Music\Artist\Album structure - what's with that extra Music folder!?
No matter how I tried to convince iTunes that I want my music in the E:\Music folder, it always made a sub-folder for it... unless I put it in the E:\ root, then it filled the root with E:\Artist\Album folders, and essentially ignored the E:\Music folder. If I configured iTunes to not create the Artist\Album file structure, I could leave all the folders in E:\Music, however whenever I imported a new CD, it loaded the music into E:\Music\Music\Artist\Album. I finally got it working as it should - that is, with the WHS2011 Server Folder \Music containing only \Artist\Album sub-folders (as well as a couple extras, as I'll explain).
Here's the solution:
The key to success is to ensure the WHS2011 Server Folder \Music is a sub-folder of some other folder, and that parent folder becomes the the iTunes Media Folder location. You may either leave it at the default location, or move it as you see fit (I ended up putting my Server Folders for \Music, \Pictures, \Recorded TV, and \Videos as sub-folders of E:\Media).
When iTunes finishes moving your music, you should end up with a few additional folders in the Server Folders directory structure, which iTunes uses for additional media (depending upon what you've selected in the General preferences tab to include in your library). These may include \Automatically Add to iTunes, \Books, \Downloads, \Mobile Applications, \Movies, and the .iTunes Preferences.plist file. The good news is the \Music folder now just has Artist\Album sub-folders, and stays that way if you drop new music in the "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder, or import a fresh audio CD.
I supposed if I never had moved that Server Folder in the first place, none of this would have been necessary... although knowing the way some folks here like to tweak, I thought I'd post this info in case anyone else runs into the same issue.
Hope that helps,
-Jeff K.
Let me begin by saying this information is directed at iTunes users that are dealing with a relatively recent install of iTunes - if you've got thousands of digital music files already nicely organized, I don't recommend making any changes. If you're just starting out with iTunes however, then perhaps this information will be useful...
With number of recent questions regarding the use of iTunes and WHS2011, I found myself fiddlin' around with my WHS2011 Media folders the other day, and noticed the iTunes Music Library had become a mess of sub-folders. I'd moved my WHS2011 default Server Folders location out from under the \ServerFolders directory and into the root directory of my media drive partition (the partition is named "Server Folders", so I didn't see the point of having an extra "ServerFolders" directory on there). I also directed iTunes to use the E:\Music folder as the "iTunes Media folder". I moved my Administrator\Music profile folder to point to the E:\Music folder as well (which placed the \iTunes folder with the library data in it within the \Music directory structure, rather than the C:\Users structure).
What I hadn't noticed while importing a load of fresh music with iTunes was that all the new music was going into a sub-folder of E:\Music named E:\Music\Music! All of my original music was nicely organized by artist and album folders within \Music (as it was when I copied it to the server), but all my new music was in the \Music\Music\Artist\Album structure - what's with that extra Music folder!?
No matter how I tried to convince iTunes that I want my music in the E:\Music folder, it always made a sub-folder for it... unless I put it in the E:\ root, then it filled the root with E:\Artist\Album folders, and essentially ignored the E:\Music folder. If I configured iTunes to not create the Artist\Album file structure, I could leave all the folders in E:\Music, however whenever I imported a new CD, it loaded the music into E:\Music\Music\Artist\Album. I finally got it working as it should - that is, with the WHS2011 Server Folder \Music containing only \Artist\Album sub-folders (as well as a couple extras, as I'll explain).
Here's the solution:
The key to success is to ensure the WHS2011 Server Folder \Music is a sub-folder of some other folder, and that parent folder becomes the the iTunes Media Folder location. You may either leave it at the default location, or move it as you see fit (I ended up putting my Server Folders for \Music, \Pictures, \Recorded TV, and \Videos as sub-folders of E:\Media).
In iTunes go to Edit > Preferences > Advanced
On the Advanced Preferences page, click Change in the iTunes Media folder location
Browse to find your \Music folder that you've set up as a sub-folder and select the parent folder (default is \ServerFolders)
Select Keep iTunes Media folder organized, which will move your existing Album\Artist sub-folder structure to the new location
Click OK to save your changes and exit.
When iTunes finishes moving your music, you should end up with a few additional folders in the Server Folders directory structure, which iTunes uses for additional media (depending upon what you've selected in the General preferences tab to include in your library). These may include \Automatically Add to iTunes, \Books, \Downloads, \Mobile Applications, \Movies, and the .iTunes Preferences.plist file. The good news is the \Music folder now just has Artist\Album sub-folders, and stays that way if you drop new music in the "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder, or import a fresh audio CD.
I supposed if I never had moved that Server Folder in the first place, none of this would have been necessary... although knowing the way some folks here like to tweak, I thought I'd post this info in case anyone else runs into the same issue.
Hope that helps,
-Jeff K.