iTunes forum: iTunes Media Folder Question

I was planning on consolidating, I just wasn't sure about a couple of things.

I need a folder that is completely independent of other folders. ie, it isn't just referencing a path to my music (i think consolidating takes care of this)
But I also need a folder that only has what is still left in iTunes. Like I mentioned, whenever I deleted unwanted tracks from iTunes, I didn't send them to the recycle bin, because I don't want to delete anything. However, I would like to put all of that stuff I kept on my old hard drive, and just have one very clean iTunes folder on my new one that only has what I need, and nothing else.

You can imagine folk would be up in arms if deleting an item in iTunes deleted the file as well. If this is a requirement iTunes may be the wrong app for you.

But you could have used the Shift Delete method on iTunes (windows)
Noted at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3842

Bob
PS. I don't want to upset you but it appears you are using iTunes without learning the finer points. And you are right, why should we?

I apologize if I wasn't completely clear. Deleting from iTunes DID NOT delete the file as well. Everything I find on backing up iTunes is going back to the iTunes media folder. Therefore, since the files that I took out of iTunes were not actually deleted, backing up that folder would be like me backing up a bunch of stuff I don't want. This would waste space, and I would also have to clean up my iTunes all over again the next time I put it on a computer.

I want to back up iTunes, only what is still in iTunes, and not everything that is in the iTunes media folder. I also need it to be in a folder that is independent of all other folders, and not just simply referencing the path to the music.

I think someone wrote an app to do that but for now I'd try consolidation and begin your search for an app that will do what you want.
Bob

I guess I could be a little clearer:

I need to somehow get rid of all of the orphaned files that are left in the iTunes media folder, but that have been deleted from iTunes.

I then need one folder that I can put on my hard drive that has all of my iTunes music and that is independent of all other folers. Colsolidation can take care of this, I know, but the first step is the one that is limiting me. Consolidating now will just give me a folder that has 20 gigs of stuff I don't need anymore.

I have the newest version of iTunes, running on Windows 7.

https://www.google.com/search?q=find+orphaned+files+in+itunes seems to find existing discussions and ideas.