Help: iTunes wants to delete all my music and videos off of my iPhone!

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Level 1

8 points

Help: iTunes wants to delete all my music and videos off of my iPhone!

I usually keep the option to manually manage music and videos on my iPhone. I only use 1 pc to transfer music and movies to and from my iPhone. Recently for some reason when I launched iTunes, an error message kept poping up repeatedly saying "The iTunes Library file cannot be saved." I fixed the error message by adjusting the user access privileges to my music folder.

Now my music library is completely empty in iTunes, but that shouldn't be a problem because I manually manage my music and videos. However, when I checked the iPhone page in iTunes, the checkbox for manually manage music and videos is unchecked.

So I went to go check the check box so that I can continue to add some more music and videos to my iPhone, however a message box pops up saying:
"The iPhone "my iPhone" is synced with another iTunes library. Do you want to erase this iPhone and sync with this iTunes library?"

I have about 12 gigs worth of music and videos which I have carefully hand picked over a period of about 3 months and now iTunes wants to delete all of it because it thinks I want to "sync with another library". I only hope someone can understand how frustrating this is for me. All I want to do is continue to be able to add music and videos to my iPhone without having to erase months worth of work putting the current music I have on there. Can anyone help me?

PC, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Jun 11, 2008 5:02 PM

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Answer 1

Damon M.

Level 4

3,705 points

Jun 11, 2008 6:00 PM in response to jhrn

One thing that might help out.

Itunes thinks it has a new library so the library that the iphone syncs with no longer exists.
Since the iphone can only sync with one library at a time, you will need to allow itunes to replace the content on the iphone if you want to put new content on the iphone.

Have you checked your itunes folder to se if all your music and video is still on your computer.
here is an article that might help you rebuild your itunes library.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1451

Once the library is rebuilt, then you can sync the iphone and let itunes replace the content on the iphone without loosing any songs or videos.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 2

jhrn Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 11, 2008 6:32 PM in response to Damon M.

Thanks for your reply. I don't keep all of my music in the iTunes' designated music folder. I don't like the way iTunes reorganizes my songs and I keep all my music in my own self organized music folders as I don't use iTunes as my primary media application. Not to mention allot of my files come from all different corners of my computer's hard drive. It would literally take months to go through over 20 gigs of media files to pick out the songs I have in my iPhone library to rebuild an iTunes library. Like i said, I don't even use iTunes other than to transfer files to my iPhone. I thought the purpose of manually managing the files was so you don't have to sync it with the iTunes library but now it won't give my that option without requiring me to delete everything on my phone I worked so hard on.

What I don't understand is logically or technically why iTunes HAS to delete all the content off of my iphone. Who's decision in the Apple's software engineering department was to require the one's iPhone to be erased if someone loses their iTunes library? Its frustrating because it makes no sense and I feel as if the software is punishing me for reasons I don't understand by threatening to delete all my content off my phone. Is there absolutely no way to transfer my music to my iPhone without deleting everything currently on and completely rebuilding my music library from scratch?

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Answer 3

gdgmacguy

Level 7

21,885 points

Jun 12, 2008 5:06 PM in response to jhrn

I think you know the answer to that question, and the answer is no. It was certainly well-known and publicized that iTunes is required to SYNCH music to the iPhone. Drag/drop was never offered nor promised. It was clear that synching music is the only way to get it to the iPhone.

Message was edited by: gdgmacguy

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Answer 4

jhrn Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 12, 2008 8:21 PM in response to gdgmacguy

I never asked for a convenient "Drag and Drop" feature. But are you seriously saying that there is no possible way to continue to transfer music or any other files onto my $500 phone without letting iTunes delete everything currently have on it for no reason?

I think I at least deserve a reasonable explanation of why iTunes wants to either delete everything I own on my phone or restrict access to my own personal content I keep on my phone. That is like someone stealing your house keys and locking you out of your own home then forcing you to throw out everything you own inside your home before you can get access to your home again. That is what I feel like iTunes has done to me with my phone I don't understand why. I don't know why iTunes destroyed my music library file in the first place either.

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Answer 5

DaVBMan

Level 6

9,280 points

Jun 12, 2008 8:38 PM in response to jhrn

There is a reason, becuase something on the computer got messed up.
The iPhone can only sync with one known library. Just like iPods. The reason why is for copyright issues. It is also why the studios work with Apple. It is designed to stop sharing of files from one library to another.

It is your choice not to keep backups of playlists you worked so hard to make as well.

Sorry I don't want to sound rude. Not why I replied. Just saying the device is designed not to allow two different library syncs. They have to. There is no way around that.

I would say ask in iTunes library about the problem you had and why it happened. They may even know how to bring back your old library (unless what you have done has made it too late)

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Answer 6

Aug 25, 2008 9:42 PM in response to jhrn

Uggh I'm going through the same dilemma! Except instead of having iTunes malfunction, my computer was stolen. So there's NO way I can get the songs into iTunes again except for my iPhone.

I feel your pain! Did you ever find a way around this?

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Answer 7

Aug 25, 2008 10:25 PM in response to julia2662

There is no way around it! Well, no ways that Apple supports. There are other work arounds...Apple does not support them so I will not list them.

If your PC gets stolen, tough. Apple has made it so you can reclaim your iTunes store purchases without having to re-buy the songs. Other than that, you are on your own. I keep a external backup of all my music. And when I goto bed, or leave the house I hide the drive. The burglars will never think to look in my boxers that I am wearing....jk.

But back to the other things. They can only sync to one library. If that library gets corrupted, well then you just have to spend time rebuilding the library. I've had to do that twice, already, seeing as I reformat my PC once a year. Yes it is a pain, but just deal with it.

I'm not one of the Apple fanboys who praise Apple like they are god. But, when something like this gets decided, it's not just some guy pondering it for 15 seconds and deciding against it. It was a decision made by the executives, the legal team, and the developers. All we can say is, sorry.

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