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Help with music files in Windows 7

AgeOfParanoiaAgeOfParanoia Posts: 728
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in PC & Mac Hardware and Software #1
Sorry if this sounds a stupid question, but its been driving me batty, not being able to figure out what I should be doing - I am used to working with XP, and bought a new laptop a couple of months ago, with Windows 7.

I used itunes and Amazon downloads etc, and I used Sonicstage to rip CD's into MP3's, on my old laptop. I have transferred some of the MP3 files into the new laptop, into a folder marked MP3 files in the Music folder, but these are not showing when I open the Windows Media Player, the only files that show in it are my itunes purchases, which I can already see in itunes, so don't really need them to show again. I have gone into the Windows Media Player , Organize, Manage Libraries and it shows My Music and Public Music folders.

Would I be better just importing all my files to itunes either from mp3 files or CD again, and forgetting the Windows Media Player altogether, bearing in mind I can just drag and drop the MP3 albums onto non-apple devices anyway?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Comments

  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    #2
    I seem to recall trying the Amazon download software on Windows 7 a couple of years ago, and it caused some conflict with Windows Media Player that stopped it updating it's library?
    Might be nothing to do with it, but you could try uninstalling it and see if it helps.

    I presume you've tried playing these MP3s in Windows Media Player by right clicking the folder or file and selecting 'Play with Windows Media Player' or Open with.....?
  • barky99barky99 Posts: 3,921
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    #3
    a few thoughts...

    1) check where amazon mp3 download folder is ... click on 'view download folder' in the amazon mp3 application .... can change it to your mp3 files folder in files>preferences in amazon mp3
    2) Ignore/disable windows media player ... I've never had a need to use it (or anything like itunes)
    3) pick do nothing option rather than import to windows media player .... don't have itunes here but you might have an import top itunes option?
  • plateletplatelet Posts: 26,382
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    #4
    AgeOfParanoia wrote: »
    ...I used itunes and Amazon downloads etc.
    Make a note of where the amazon downloads are being stored as per barky's instructions
    AgeOfParanoia wrote:
    I have transferred some of the MP3 files into the new laptop, into a folder marked MP3 files in the Music folder, but these are not showing when I open the Windows Media Player

    My first thought would be that maybe Music Folder is not the same folder as My Music
    AgeOfParanoia wrote:
    I have gone into the Windows Media Player , Organize, Manage Libraries and it shows My Music and Public Music folders.

    Forget about Windows Media Player for a moment. That will just use what ever is in the library. Libraries are quite a neat new feature that consolidate stuff like music from lots of directories into one virtual one.

    (NB I'm doing this from memory on an XP machine at the moment, so I might be a bit vague on the details)
    • Open up explorer
    • On the left hand pane of the explorer window it should list libraries. Click on the music one
    • does it contain your ripped music? If not:
    • Navigate to the folder where your ripped MP3's are
    • On the explorer menu there's an option to include in library
    • Click on this and add the location to the music library
    • Navigate to the folder where your amazon MP3's are
    • Again On the explorer menu: include in library
    • Click on this and add the location
    • Now on the left hand pane of the explorer window under libraries. Click on the music one
    • You should now see the combined set of music files

    Once your library contains these open up windows media player again. It should now see all your music

    for more on libraries see here:
    http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/10283/understanding-the-libraries-feature-in-windows-7/
  • AgeOfParanoiaAgeOfParanoia Posts: 728
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    #5
    Thanks for your replies, I will take a look later, when I am back home.

    I don't have a problem with Amazon downloader as such (not yet anyway), I assumed the mp3 files, most of which were ripped through SonicStage, which I had transferred via USB, would show up in Windows media player, which they don't, as I have yet to decide if I want to import them all into itunes. If I go into those files and play, they do play with WMP, but a lot of the album arts are missing (Sonic stage did not always put them in), and I was going to add the arts through Windows Media.

    I also had a problem with one specific album, tried to transfer it from my work pc, again via usb, and it would not drag and drop into the music folder in windows 7 - but when I tried it again using a USB mp3 player, it worked fine. I think its just me not getting the hang of windows 7 very quickly, a number of things seem to cause me problems.

    I'm just off to look at that link you posted , platelet, thanks.
  • AgeOfParanoiaAgeOfParanoia Posts: 728
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    #6
    Thanks platelet, and everyone else too, finally got it to work, had to delete the default My Music folder (which had only 2 sub folders, itunes and mp3's) from the WMP library, then just re-select the mp3 folder only.
    Af first I thought I had actually deleted the itunes folder by mistake, but think its still working ok.:)
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