That's pretty much it - not sure what else you were thinking about. Definitely recommend getting the whole into one place, sticking with it and then backing up, backing up again somewhere else, backing up on-line, backing up at a neighbours house, backing up etc etc...get my drift ?

No idea how big your itunes library is, but I laugh in the face of anyone without several backups and the thought of re-ripping all those CDs. Makes me lots of friends.

what I meant was I had already got library on external drive with iTunes itself on c:

was working ok but has now got confused as to where some of the files live. Wondered what simplest way to referesh it was ?

... consolidate your files using ITunes: File - Library - Organise Library - check Consolidate box. This should copy all the music files that you are using on ITunes/your IPOD to your ITunes library. You could then back this up on a regular basis - and remove the files that are all over the place.

and if I don't keep the external drive attached it automatically thinks the C drive is where the library is.

Pain in the bum having to redirect it everytime I plug the drive back in.

So, just to be clear -

1. Your iTunes Library (not the actual music files but the information about the music - it'll have a file called 'iTunes Music Library.xml' somewhere) is on the external drive?
2. Your music etc is also on the external drive?

If your Library is on the external drive, and it's not plugged in when you launch iTunes, the programme is missing a key component and - fairly reasonably - creates a new Library.

If you move the Library from the external drive, it'll be happy. You can keep all of the music etc on the external drive.

and I got my terminology wrong, sorry, I meant that *music* was on F:\...

Library file is safely on c:\... . Easiest thing to do turned out to be to follow a suggestion here:

http://forums.macosxhints.com/archive/index.php/t-34147.html

and first reset the music folder-and then point again to the correct place on f:\... This had effect of re-reading all the file names and has removed the little exclamation marks. I also took the opportunity to allow it to update to the new "Media Folder" style, with the "Automatically add to iTunes" area etc. Also have consolidate etc set.

Seems to be working well, thanks to all who responded.