Well, the observations come first...
I made 2 backups of iTunes on my external HD. One backup used the method called for on the CNET video, and one advocated by a blog writer who advised to just copy and paste the whole iTunes folder to the external HD.
Remembering that CNET's method basically copies just the iTunes media folder, I used an old copy of Chronosync to compare the 2 backup "iTunes Media" folders to the original.
Chronosync found zero differences between the "copy and paste" folder and the original on my MBP. However, there were over 4000 differences the syncing program detected between the original and the CNET method folder.
Some of those differences were in book folders, some in music folders,. Three "iTunes U" folders were marked for syncing. Podcasts, ringtones, movies, mobile applications... Chronosync found discrepencies it said needed to be synced in both the original to the new backup and vice versa.
exact results were this:
original to backup - syncs needed : 285
Backup to original - syncs needed: 3799
Conflicts: 0
When I compared the complete iTunes library to the "copy and paste" backup using chronosync, it did find the need to recommend 3 sync updates from the original to the backup, but these were in .xml , itl. and itdb files, so I assume these were called for just because of normal file updating that iTunes would do.
Interesting stuff, eh.... or is it just my obsessive / compulsive side showing through ? LOL
Anyway... first question: does anyone have a preferred method for moving their iTunes library to an external HD and using the external library?
Second question: once I start using the external HD, should I just throw away the whole iTunes folder, or just the iTunes media folder, or what?
Cheers and Thanks for any advice!
... And nice to see you are still here, P. 