[MSM Hobbes]

Ok, grab a pillow, refreshing drink, and your glasses,,, here be a long post. Thanks!

I've a MB and iMac [Intel versions], both running 10.4.11, and both have five different accounts [woman, 2 critters, me, and then me/admin]. Within ~4 of these 10 accounts, have collection of music in iTunes and photos in iPhoto. Desire is to put all music together and all photos together, on the external HD [Buffalo 500 GB FW+USB], moving all these from the two computers, freeing up internal HD space. So, there will be no music or photos [besides newly acquired] on the MB and iMac HD's themselves - just access all from the Buffalo. I've formatted 450GB into HFS+ [Mac OS extended - journaled], and then balance into MS-DOS, just in case ever wanted something there from my work Dell laptop.

Questions:
1. how best to move the songs to the external HD, from/with iTunes?
2. how best to move the photos to the external HD, from/with iPhoto?
3. what is best/safest/fastest means to then access the music?
4. what is best/safest/fastest means to then access the images?
5. can just move the iTunes and iPhoto folder themselves onto the ext. HD, and then access via holding down "option" when opening the application?
6. but if 5 is possible, what about all the images and songs in the other accounts? I don't want multiple iTunes and iPhoto on the ext. HD! So, is it possible then to just move the images themselves from these other accounts, into the iTunes/iPhoto app that I've moved to the HD first?

7. I will want to have backups of all music and photos onto another Buffalo HD, which will be in a safe. Yes, just a tad anal about this protection - but figured for the relatively low cost [~$135 each] for the external HD's, this is funds well spent to protect these images and songs. How would be best to update this, if done every 2-4 weeks or so? What application would be best?

btw, both iTunes and iPhoto are latest rendition via Tiger.

Thanks much! Sorry for the length of this post - just desire to make sure get it all right, do not want to lose any of the 10's of thousands of photos that have, for example...

Can I believe its just as simple as what is within these docs:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449?viewlocale=en_US
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1229
But even if so, how then how to move the other photos/songs from the other accounts into the same new folder that is then moved over to the external HD?

ps: I've read about apps such as iPhoto Buddy [which doesn't seem to be available - host site saying 'exceeded limit' ] and iPhoto Library Manager - anyone actually use these, have any pros/cons to mention?

[Serge_N_Gin]

Originally Posted by MSM Hobbes

Within ~4 of these 10 accounts, have collection of music in iTunes and photos in iPhoto. Desire is to put all music together and all photos together, on the external HD [Buffalo 500 GB FW+USB], moving all these from the two computers, freeing up internal HD space.

OK, so far this seems perfectly achievable and I think I understand your needs and aims but I'm not clear on how you will connect your 2 Macs to the 1 ext HD, or is that not part of your plan? Optimally, you will also need to have the ext HD connected before firing up either iTunes or iPhoto.

I'd also suggest a full backup of your iPhoto/iTunes media before making a start with the shift.

Here's a thread where the OP seems to be asking the same question as you.

Another Link re:

Share your iTunes music library over your home network

1. how best to move the songs to the external HD, from/with iTunes?

I'd stick to the advice found at your provided link.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449?viewlocale=en_US

Here is another more in-depth explanation to help with the process:

Managing your iTunes Library on an External Hard Drive

2. how best to move the photos to the external HD, from/with iPhoto?

Once again, you've provide the answer.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1229

I suggest that you wait a week or so to make sure there aren't any problems before you drag the original iPhoto Library in your Home ~> Pictures folder to the Trash.

10.4: Share an iPhoto library among multiple users

3. what is best/safest/fastest means to then access the music?

After enabling Sharing for the main iTunes account held on the ext HD, then each user would see the library in the left column of the library, when they fire up iTunes in their respective accounts.

4. what is best/safest/fastest means to then access the images?

Once again you can share the iPhoto Library directly from the ext HD to all accounts and the main photo library icon would show up and be accessible by all.

5. can just move the iTunes and iPhoto folder themselves onto the ext. HD, and then access via holding down "option" when opening the application?

I would follow the steps outlined at the two links you provided.

6. but if 5 is possible, what about all the images and songs in the other accounts? I don't want multiple iTunes and iPhoto on the ext. HD! So, is it possible then to just move the images themselves from these other accounts, into the iTunes/iPhoto app that I've moved to the HD first?

With the iTunes media, AFAIK it'd be easy, with a simple import needed for each batch of songs from each account. Don't know about the photos though, with modified and originals all needing to be moved per account ... you might need to use the Export feature for each users library then go from there ...

7. I will want to have backups of all music and photos onto another Buffalo HD. How would be best to update this, if done every 2-4 weeks or so? What application would be best?

Can't advise here as I haven't really gone down this road but really need to. I downloaded SuperDuper! but haven't gotten around to reading the tutorial yet ... but it seems to be what I need and you should check it out.

Can I believe its just as simple as what is within these docs:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449?viewlocale=en_US
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1229

It really might just be that straight forward!

I've read about apps such as iPhoto Buddy and iPhoto Library Manager - anyone actually use these, have any pros/cons to mention?

I have a paid for version of iPhoto Library Manager and it's very good to have onboard if you have a stack of photos. You can switch between libraries with 1 click and copy photos between libraries. You don't end up with duplicates, they are only alias's that are created in any newly created libraries ... you need to register to be able to copy over any more than a small amount of pics at one time.

Hope this helps

[MSM Hobbes]

Serge_N_Gin - thanks! Sorry, just now getting chance to check this and reply. Great help there.