How do I copy music from Windows Media Player library to an external hard drive? My o.s. is Windows XP?

If you run out of disk space on your computer, it is easy to move your library to a high-capacity external hard disk drive. However, you may experience problems if you attach the external hard disk drive to another computer and then try to play licensed files that you purchased from an online store or tracks that you ripped from a CD with copy protection turned on. Typically, licenses for these files are valid on the computer that the file was originally downloaded or ripped to.

For more information, see the questions earlier in this column about moving licenses for purchased songs and ripped tracks. This procedure assumes that you are moving your library to a new hard disk drive attached to your current computer to free up disk space.To copy your digital media library to a hard disk drive1. Connect the hard disk drive to your computer.

Click Start, and then click My Computer. In the My Computer window, under Hard Disk Drives, double-click the hard disk drive name to open it. Create a My Music folder on the hard disk drive.

Copy your music files from the My Music folder on your computer to the My Music folder on the hard disk drive. For more information, see "To copy your digital media library to your new computer" in the first question. Delete all files and folders from the My Music folder on your computer.

If necessary, repeat steps 4 and 5 for any digital media files stored in the My Videos or My Pictures folders on your computer. You digital music files are now moved to your hard disk drive. Next you must refresh the entries in your library so that the file paths are updated to include the new locations on the hard disk drive.To update your digital media library1.

In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Search for Media Files. The Add to Library by Searching Computer dialog box opens. (You can also press F3 to open the dialog box.) 2.

In the Search options area, click the Browse button. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select the empty My Music folder on the computer, and then click OK. In the Add to Library by Searching Computer dialog box, click Search.

When the Progress bar indicates that the search is complete, click Close. If necessary, repeat this procedure for the digital media files stored in the empty My Videos and My Pictures folders on your computer. Your library should now be empty.