Songs imported into Itunes only play for a few seconds

Here's what worked for me ...

Under the Advanced menu, click Consolidate Library ... and let the consolidation run. (NOTE: this will not delete any files, just copy ones that aren't in the iTunes music folder into the iTunes music folder.)


Follow iTunes Help's instructions for removing files. Be sure to KEEP THE FILES when prompted.

In iTunes, select the items you want to remove, and then press the Option-Delete keys on your keyboard.

In the dialog that appears, click Remove.

To leave the files on your hard disk, click Keep Files.

Delete any playlists that refer to the removed files.

From the File menu, choose Add to Library ...

Add the files back to the library.

Re-create your playlists.


This worked for me. Good luck.

P.S. I knew my files themselves weren't corrupted, as they played fine in Real Player.

I think I might have found an answer - importing a folder and or Limewire!

Either Limewire mess's with the files, folder or your system or iTunes attempts to stop illegally downloaded files being played. iTunes might also do it if importing a lot of files in one go.

I imported a music folder that isn't mine from our home network drive that has a few tracks in it downloaded through Limewire. I re checked some of the files in Ableton Live and they are actually damaged! So I tried importing one of the Limewire tunes again individually after finding some info online (links to the pages at bottom) and the track plays no prob now. I also un-checked the "look for shared folders" in iTunes preferences.

For about 2 years now I haven't been able to import more than 3 files at a time which is why I imported a whole folder (about 50 tracks) just after the software update and C.D importing.

My concern is that importing a whole folder even without any Limewire downloads in it might well be treated this way by iTunes. Most of the tracks in our network drive folder that have been downloaded through Limewire are legit direct connect transfers from producer to producer or legit submitted tracks!

Hope this helps.

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/03/14/limewire-reportedly-unhappy-with-itunes-7-1/2#com ments
http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/03/15/limewire-will-make-a-mess-of-your-itunes/

Reqs

I have the same issue. Although it only applies to only one artist in my entire library. Once that artist's music comes on, it is not played in it's entirety. Also, that artist was the most recent download from iTunes. It used to play the full length, but now it is shortened - some play for half the song while others play for 13 secs. Now that they started doing this they have this in memory for all future plays. But again, it is only the one artist from the most recent iTunes purchase - downloaded as the album - 2 months ago - and it has been happening for two weeks now.
Time listed for the song is wrong - the songs are shortened - time is calculated correctly for the amount of time it plays - 13 secs, 19 secs, 38secs, 1:38, 3;02 etc... all randomly shortened. One song's time is listed as not available - yet plays for 3:10 secs - not the full song.
I suppose I should have backed up??

I do not have any illegal music - it is all uploads from my cds and purchased from iTunes store.
I hope we get to figure this out.
Maybe it is from iTunes software updates?? I am on a mac laptop. 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook 10.4.11

Glen

Do you know if the whole song has been imported? It might have only done the first few seconds.

I am having the same trouble but worse!

Some of my music files only played for a few seconds but I didn't take any notice or investigate and upgraded iTunes to 7.6.2.9. (I have listened to them with no problem for years). First thing I did was burn in 2 C.D's and from that point on, every single track in iTunes only plays for between 2 seconds - 2 mins !! All the other media players I've tried do the same so I guess the files have been altered or tagged somehow.

I put a few mp3's into Ableton Live and they are fine. No breaks or stopping so the files don't seem to be damaged.

No joy finding answers on the net although I have found posts that go back to 2004 about this sort of problem. One dated 2005 (iTunes 6) is about tracks that have just been imported from C.D that only play for the first few seconds - this is because only the first few seconds of the track have actually been imported and this problem started after software update.

I sincerely hope there is someone out there that can help us.

reqs

Oh dear... throwing away C.Ds is prob never a good idea. I hope your collection can be replaced in time.

Anyway, Limewire or not iTunes is def messing with our files and Apple should sort it out. I mentioned adding folders to the library before and this does seem to be something that def causes trouble so do it carefully if at all... a nightmare for someone in your position. The same is still happening when I import from C.D so I have given up trying to do so - perhaps the next iTunes update will behave differently.

I only use it because of my iPod :~(

Reqs

I am going through the same problem. The files aren't corrupted because they play in full in Windows media player as well as any other player. These files I imported in mp3 format instead of aac (Advanced Audio Coding). There is something going on with iTunes. I don't use limewire or any other peer to peer program for music. The only thing I may do that could be a problem is store my music on an external hard drive. I will figure this out and get back to you. if you can't find my post here than google it I may decide to post it else where.