iTunes Library (Damaged)

Question

Level 1

9 points

iTunes Library (Damaged)

So, I'm posting this again because the previous thread I mentioned this in got the 'answered' status... Wasn't really mine, it was from someone with almost the exact same problem. So here goes...

I started iTunes yesterday, and it was importing my library for some reason. Nothing much happened, until iTunes said my library.itl file wasn't a valid file, and therefor was renamed to iTunes Library (Damaged).itl.
iTunes opened, with the newly created Library.itl file, but half of my tracks were gone from its database, as well as all of my playlists, preferences, downloads,... everything was like, reset.
Can this be fixed in ANY kind of (easy) way?
I still have the damaged file, some iT files and over 1000 Temp Files, which I think might also be a way to recover my library...

I've tried a lot of ways, but I can't seem to recover my music library. I can't find the answer in the apple help sections, and another apple forum.

Can anyone please help me? I'm really bummed out about iTunes just 'destroying' my personal library for no apparent reason... I put a lot of work into those playlists and stuff.

Acer Aspire 9420, Windows Vista

Posted on Jan 14, 2008 8:34 AM

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Answer 1

Numsii

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2008 8:36 AM in response to Jcrash

I had the same problem. Fortunately, I got my entire library back without having a backup. Here's how I did it.

Follow these steps:

1. Quit iTunes.

2. Locate your iTunes folder.
* For Mac OS X the iTunes folder is stored in one of the following locations:

/Users/username/Music

* For Microsoft Windows XP and 2000 the iTunes folder is stored in

\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\

* For Microsoft Windows Vista the iTunes folder is stored in

\Users\username\Music\

3. Open your iTunes folder.

4. Drag the iTunes Music Library.xml to the Desktop

5. Drag the following file from your iTunes folder to the Trash:
*

* Mac OS X: "iTunes Library" (in versions of iTunes prior to 4.9 this was called "iTunes 4 Music Library").

* Microsoft Windows: "iTunes Library.itl" (in versions of iTunes prior to 4.9 this was called "iTunes 4 Music Library.itl")

6. Open iTunes.

*iTunes creates a new "iTunes Library.itl" and "iTunes Music Library.xml" in your iTunes folder.

7. Close iTunes.

8. Drag the 'new' "iTunes Library.itl" to the Trash.

9. Rename "iTunes Library (Damaged).itl" back to "iTunes Library.itl"

Hope it works you as it did for me and you get you entire library back to the way it was. Now back it up.

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Answer 2

polydorus

Level 6

11,967 points

Jan 15, 2008 1:21 AM in response to Jcrash

I am fraid the best thing is to start again with you library.
With iTunes closed, Drag both iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml out of the iTunes folder to your desktop.

Then start iTunes and a new library will be created.

You have two choices, here:
1) Simply add your iTunes Music folder with File>>Add folder to library.

2)attempt to rebuild you library using the xml file. This link tells you how although you have already carried out the first step which is moving the xml file to the desktop.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93313

The success of method 2 depends on the state of your xml file. You may be able to recover playlists with it, but if you don't like the result, method 1 always works although you lose all playlists counts and ratings.

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Answer 3

polydorus

Level 6

11,967 points

Jan 14, 2008 10:36 AM in response to Jcrash

I have never used NOD32 so I don't know how to set it up, but there should be a preferences or options somehwere. You should find something that will allow you to exclude files in there. A quick google suggest it might be under Control Centre>>Setup then options, but there should be something in the help.

The temp files really are useless and you neeed to delete them so you know if you have fixed the problem. Then monitor your iTunes folder to see if they come back.

I would uninstall your scrobbler plugh in, at least as a diagnotic test.
There is some Apple help on thid Party plugins here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300063

AS far as the damaged library is concerned, maybe fixing the temp file issue will help. But it is something that seems to happen to people occasionally and having a backup copy handy, as I suggested in my first post is a good idea. That is once you have got the library how you want it.

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Answer 4

polydorus

Level 6

11,967 points

Jan 14, 2008 8:53 AM in response to Jcrash

You have two problems which may or not be related.

Damaged Library.
Build Up of temp files in the iTunes folder.

The simple way to get everything back in iTunes loses counts, ratings and playlists.

Close iTunes, drag iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml out ot the iTunes folder to the desktop.
Start iTunes and an empty library will be created. Use File>>Add folder to library to add your iTunes Music folder.

It is a good idea to make regular copies of your iTunes Library files to guard against this problem:

The library files are in:
My Documents\My Music\iTunes

Close iTunes and wait about 30 seconds.
Copy iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml somewhere else e.g. into the Previous iTunes Libraries folder.

To restore, with iTunes closed drag the current itl and xml file from the iTunes folder to the desktop, then copy the backup iTunes Library.itl into the iTunes folder. The xml file isn’t necessary but can come in handy if the library needs to be recreated and the itl file is causing problems.

On the temp file issue, they are useless and can be deleted from the iTunes folder. They happen for a variety of reasons.

The first thing to think about is virus checking. The NOD32 virus checker is known to do this. Try turning off virus checking briefly, if that stops the problem, exclude iTunes Library.itl and iTunes Music Library.xml from virus checking.

The next thing to think about is plugins. Do you have any iTunes plugins, Lastfm's iscrobbler has been implicated in this problem.

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Answer 5

Jcrash Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 14, 2008 9:33 AM in response to polydorus

Okay, so I've tried loads of times with replacing the Library.itl (the bad one) by my original damaged version (good one) under the right name. But that didn't work.
I also tried replacing it with a Temp File after changing the file extensions, also didn't work. I've also deleted the majority of the Temp Files already.

So if I understand this correctly... there's really nothing for me to do but rebuild my library by importing my music files again, resetting my preferences and completely rebuilding my playlists?

You really did get my system pretty much nailed. My virus scanner is NOD32 and I DO use Last.fm's audioscrobbler plugin. (No other plugins)
I've checked NOD to exclude iTunes files from scans, but couldn't find it.

I don't really know where to go from here... Should i do a complete 'reset' by placing all my music in one single place, reinstall iTunes (again) so I get a fresh start?

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Answer 6

Jcrash Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 14, 2008 10:52 AM in response to polydorus

Even without the butt load of Temp Files (around 7GB), I get no good results.
I've already tried without the plugin as well, and it still doesn't work. The files in itself must be corrupt or something.
I guess there's nothing I can do but take a fresh start? There's no such thing as a magical converter that will un-damage my old library? Because it's still the right size it needs to be, the information is still there, it's just... corrupt.

Message was edited by: Jcrash

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Answer 7

Jcrash Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 15, 2008 3:02 AM in response to polydorus

I tried importing the .xml file... turns out the original one got destroyed instantly when the first library got Damaged as well. All i have is a half-right, no-playlist, no-info library in that xml.

Which means I'm going to have to start from scratch...
I'm going to wait until tonight in the hopes that a new iTunes comes out.
If not, I have some work ahead of me.

Thanks, although my problem isn't solved the way I'd hoped, you were really helpful, polydorus. Thanks.

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Answer 8

jayinsf

Level 1

0 points

Jan 28, 2008 3:26 PM in response to polydorus

I'm having the same problem. I updated to the recent version of iTunes and now I have the damaged itl warning. I did all that was listed in all of the "damaged itl" posts and nothing worked.

I even deleted and installed from scratch and that did nothing.
I unblocked the iTunes from my virus blocker and that did nothing.
I removed and imported the xml and that did nothing.

How can I fix it? I also have windows xp.

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Answer 9

Jan 28, 2008 4:20 PM in response to Jcrash

Are you guys getting a specific error message. If you are, tell me exactly what it is. I've had a similiar problem to this, but if you guys have any information about error message that you get or what "exactly" happens at the time of you library being damaged, I may be able to help.

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