Possible bug with iPhone synching and external iTunes libraries

David, please help me. I have my music in an external drive, and I made a sync with this drive turned off, so now iTunes thinks the iPhone is full, and it says that it does not have the space to copy the songs, and I can't delete them since they don't exist. This is the biggest bug I've ever found on iTunes or iPhone for that matter.

I know I can make a restore and start again from scratch, but I wish there was another option. Someone please help me!

Looks like the old iTunes XML file was the culprit. I'm not getting this issue anymore.

I'm not sure how you guys are getting this glitch. I keep my 70+gb iTunes library on a 160gb WD Passport that I usually carry around with my Macbook Pro. The iPhone has it's own set of smart playlists that sync to it, and yes, it does autosync on connect.

If my hard drive is disconnect when I try to sync, it just gives me an error message saying it can't find the specified files, but it removes nothing. I have been constantly getting new phone numbers sync I switched from Verizon to AT&T now, and every connect, iPhoto pops up asking if I would like to "import x images" and another prompt pops up detailing that I have x amount of new contacts and if I would like update my address book.

Are you fellows that are having issues using windows based PCs or Macs?

I have yet to have any odd glitches, I just accidentally call people when I am updating my address book at times.

I just found a huge list of iPhone bugs at http://www.applehound.com/node/104

i have this issue, I use a separate flash drive for podcasts. Both external drives have the same letter designation. Itunes even says, something to the effect if you sync everything non music you will lose your music... wasn't a big deal, but i have realized my seperate music drive, podacst drive solution currently is outta play.. i know also need to see how to keep 2 sets of outlook contacts (His and hers iPhones)

Actually, the one thing I'm curious about is this: I usually take my external drive with me to work, so if I plug in my iPhone there, it shouldn't have a problem.

However, my work computer's iTunes is NOT authorized to play certain songs that my home computer IS authorized to play. Same library, different computer, different authorization key. I wonder if this will cause problems with the iPhone. I'll post if I find anything interesting.

Funny that I would check TUAW right in the middle of activating my new iPhone. And I have an external library.

Will I stop the activation? Feck no.

I have done this with my iPhone, as long as the playlist is still there it should be fine, it won't be able to find the songs to play them through iTunes, but it they are still referenced in the playlist you choose to sink then they will stay on the phone.

I went looking at my ~/Music folder, and noticed there were two XML files: iTunes Library.xml and iTunes Music Library.xml. The former lists its version number as 7.1.1 while the latter is 7.3.1. My suspicion is that these are in conflict. I moved iTunes Library.xml to another location and will see what that does to help.

I keep all of my music stored on an NAS and whenever I'm on the road my phone, iTunes and Macbook don't exhibit that problem. I would imagine this could be more attributed to user error than anything else ... chances are that some setting got changed somewhere within iTunes that has it overwrite everything with each sync.

Either way though, it's definitely weird. Keep us posted on what turns out to actually be the problem (and inevitable solution!) so we know how to counter it if and when it comes up!