Q: Itunes library and duplicate items and Windows Explrr folders
I have a 2 or 3 general questions about iTunes. I download all my iTunes to a PC and only really play them there. Hence the questions about iTunes folders in Windows Explorer.
1 How do duplicates happen in the library? I have loads. I've seen the advice on removing them. This helps a bit but it's still a piecemeal task. How do I stop it happening in the first place?
2 Also on duplicates. Last night I went into Windows Explorer on the PC I use for downloading and playing iTunes, and went into the iTunes Media/Music folder. I painstakingly went through every album folder removing any duplicates here. However, on opening iTunes itself today, the duplicates all seem to be still there in the library list. Why didn't this work? Doesn't iTunes load content from that folder? if not, why am I advised to back it up?
3 What does the iCloud symbol next to some of the tunes mean? If I run the cursor over it, it says 'download'. But surely I downloaded it when I bought it and added it to my library? Why would I have to download it again? Does this symbol that the tune in question can't be played if the PC is offline?
4 One of the tracks in my Library list was not appearing today in my Windows Explorer iTunes Media/Music folder. i may have deleted it accidentally while I was removing duplicates there and have now downloaded it to the album folder in there. Presumably then, the iTunes library does not load constantly from the Music Folder on a Windows PC? Does it only load from there if backup is needed?
If so OK but other files appear in the Library that are not there and it asks if I want to locate the file?
I suppose my confusion stems from the assumption that the iTunes Media/Music folder in Windows Explorer should precisely indicate what will appear in the Library in the app.
iPad 2, iOS 8.1.2, 12.9 GB capacity, 4.9 GB available
Posted on Jul 15, 2016 1:47 PM
Vondegru,
Regarding questions 2 and 4: iTunes does not automatically "load" any files from the folders. You can do an optional optional one-time initial scan when you first install iTunes, which will add all found compatible files into the iTunes library. After that, files don't get added unless you take some action to add them.
Posted on Jul 16, 2016 4:53 PM