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wjwitte

Q: Can I Restore A Deleted iTunes playlist via Time Machine?

Can someone PLEASE help!

I would like to restore an accidentally deleted playlist from my iTunes. Can this be done with Time Machine? I have not deleted any song files from this library, just inadvertently hit the OK button when trying to remove a song from a playlist

iBOOK G3 800mhz, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Sep 18, 2008 12:47 PM

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Q: Can I Restore A Deleted iTunes playlist via Time Machine?

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  • by Glenn Carter,Solvedanswer

    Glenn Carter Glenn Carter Sep 18, 2008 1:11 PM in response to wjwitte
    Level 4 (3,360 points)
    Sep 18, 2008 1:11 PM in response to wjwitte
    I haven't tried it myself, but I think this is the procedure. Anyone chime in if I'm wrong.

    In a Finder window go to this folder:

    Home / Music / iTunes

    Now launch the Time Machine "time travel" interface. Navigate back to a date you know the music/playlist existed.
    Highlight the iTunes Music Library.xml file.
    Go to the "Gear" button in the tool bar and select "Restore to..."
    In the dialogue box navigate to:

    Home / Music / iTunes

    ... and click "Choose".

    Cancel out of Time Machine.

    Now launch iTunes. Is the play list with the correct music there? If not then you made need to do the next step. Quit iTunes.

    Before launching iTunes you need to hold down the Option key and then launch iTunes. It will then ask you which library you would like to use. Select your iTunes Music Folder and it will import it. Basically it's rewriting this xml file. This may take awhile depending on how much music you have.

    Hope this helps
  • by wjwitte,

    wjwitte wjwitte Sep 18, 2008 4:50 PM in response to Glenn Carter
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 18, 2008 4:50 PM in response to Glenn Carter
    You are AWESOME... Kind of a folksy reply from a 51 year old timer like me but C'est la vie.

    Tried it and the list came right up.

    Thanks Again & TTFN!