HT203167: If you see an exclamation point next to your items in iTunes

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rabbate

Q: Most of my files are not correctly connected to itunes

I am trying to move my iTunes files to a Seagate personal cloud.  I followed all of the steps and now most of my music is not correctly set up in iTunes.  I hope there is a mass update method to connect the music to iTunes.

Posted on Aug 6, 2016 11:49 AM

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Q: Most of my files are not correctly connected to itunes

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  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Aug 6, 2016 1:07 PM in response to rabbate
    Level 10 (85,368 points)
    iPod
    Aug 6, 2016 1:07 PM in response to rabbate

    Is your computer running OS X or Windows?

     

    tt2

  • by rabbate,

    rabbate rabbate Aug 7, 2016 8:59 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 7, 2016 8:59 PM in response to turingtest2

    Windows 10 64bit on both my desktop and laptop.

     

    I deleted all of the files on the iTunes running on the desktop and then copied them again.  That worked.

     

    New problem.  On the laptop, All of the files are doubled on the laptop but none of them are correctly connected to the Seagate Personal Cloud.  I would like to delete and start again but the ITunes message has me concerned.  It stated "These songs will also be deleted from any iPod, iPhone or iPad that synchronizes with your iTunes library."  YIKES

     

    Thinking about it, I will probably go ahead and delete every and perform the same copy on the laptop.

     

    Any thoughts?

     

    Purpose of all this?  I have an older desktop that cannot connect with a new iPod.  Apple support suggested I get a personal cloud and use the laptop to update the iPod.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Aug 8, 2016 12:45 AM in response to rabbate
    Level 10 (85,368 points)
    iPod
    Aug 8, 2016 12:45 AM in response to rabbate
  • by rabbate,

    rabbate rabbate Aug 12, 2016 8:34 AM in response to rabbate
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 12, 2016 8:34 AM in response to rabbate

    Hello Again,

    Thanks very much for your help.  I am thinking it is time for a do over. 
    My desktop still points to the files on the HDD

    My laptop is pointing to the files on the Personal Cloud

     

    I am thinking of doing the whole thing over again.  Is that necessary?

     

    I plan to "Move" the files to the Personal Cloud.  Originally I had copied them.

     

    Any thoughts?

    Ralph

     

    Capture.JPG

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Aug 12, 2016 8:57 AM in response to rabbate
    Level 10 (85,368 points)
    iPod
    Aug 12, 2016 8:57 AM in response to rabbate

    The problem is that you have moved (or copied) the files using Windows Explorer. iTunes doesn't know what you've done. If you tell iTunes to consolidate the files to a new media folder as described in iTunes 12 for Windows: Change where your iTunes files are stored then iTunes updates its record of where everything is stored as it goes along.

     

    Given you are where you are now it might be possible to fix things.

     

    The "missing file" issue with exclamation marks happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool has moved, renamed or deleted the file, one of its parent folders, or the drive it lives on has had a change of drive letter, or you've moved a non-portable library to a different path (see Make a split library portable for details). It is also possible that iTunes has changed from expecting the files to be in the pre-iTunes 9 layout to post-iTunes 9 layout, or vice-versa, and so is looking in slightly the wrong place.

     

    Select a track with an exclamation mark, use Ctrl-I to Get Info, then click No when asked to try to locate the track. Look on the file tab for the location that iTunes thinks the file should be. Now take a look around your hard drive(s). Hopefully you can locate the track in question. If a section of your library has simply been moved, a folder renamed, or a drive letter has changed, it should be possible to reverse the actions. If the difference between the two paths is an additional Music folder in one path then this is a layout issue. I can explain further if that is the case. If everything is where it is supposed to be try Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows.

     

    In some cases iTunes may be able to repair itself if you go through the same steps with Get Info, or when playing a track, but this time click Locate and browse to the lost track. It may then offer to attempt to automatically fix other broken links. Although it says something like "use the same location" I think it expects to find the tracks in the same artist & album layout they were in previously, with one systematic change to the path.

     

    If another application like Windows Media Player has moved/renamed the files, or the library has been moved from OS X to Windows, then the chances are that subtle differences in naming strategies will make it hard to restore the media to the precise path that iTunes is expecting. In such cases, as long as the missing files can be found somewhere, you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes. See this post for an explanation of how it works. It might need some tweaking if your media is in a non-standard layout.

     

    If you want me to try to provide specific advice please post back the following details:

    1. The location of the media folder under Edit > Preferences > Advanced
    2. The location of a sample missing track shown under Get Info > File > Location that begins file://localhost/
    3. The true path to the file whose details you gave in 2

     

    Actually you've supplied 1 & 2. I'd recommend renaming the iTunes Music folder as iTunes Media to match the modern layout. Once you've fixed the broken links you should also use the option File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files to complete the transformation of the library into the standard shape.

     

    tt2