Q: Songs Disappearing from iTunes

Um, many files and folders are hidden by default in Windows 7 and that Windows 8 and are generally made difficult to find. You know, for your protection. But can we agree that the files that your iTunes has and that iTunes has helpfully ripped for you are in a folder in your music folder called iTunes? And sometimes that folder is difficult to find. I do not know about on a Mac. My last Apple computer was a IIGS. But I do have and have built many Windows machines.

gadlaw6 wrote:

 

Um, many files and folders are hidden by default in Windows 7 and that Windows 8 and are generally made difficult to find

But the user Music folder (and all other user folders) is not hidden nor difficult to find.

But can we agree that the files that your iTunes has and that iTunes has helpfully ripped for you are in a folder in your music folder called iTunes? And sometimes that folder is difficult to find

Yes, it is in that folder.

If you are computer literate enough to post in these forums, it is not "sometimes difficult" to find /Music/iTunes/.

It is in /Music/ (on both Windows and Mac)

I'm guessing certain posts were removed because they advocate or excuse committing a felony.

It's kind of tough to make a living as a songwriter if you sell one CD which is posted on YouTube and everyone in the world then thinks it's OK to make a copy for themselves for free.

kk

But the rule is so vague that if you can't prove that you bought the music even though you may have, they could then sue you.  I was shocked at these rulings.   NO WHERE does is say montary damages so the numbers look as though they were pulled out of the air.  Which still doesn't explain all the missing music people have to deal with.    What I am seeing is the record companies can sue if they choose to do so but we can't sue Itunes if our libraries happen to go missing?

The burden of proof is on them to demonstrate that you procured the MP3s illegally.

And you are certainly free to sue Apple if you want to. It appears that so many people have been affected by whatever has caused this that I'm surprised there is not a class action suit already filed.

Chances are your music files are still on your computer...they just don't show up in the Library listing.

SunMoonEarth wrote:

 

...

If your iTunes library goes missing...

• Restore it from your most recent backup. (You do make regular backups of important data, right?)
• Restore it using iTunes Match (if you ae subscribed).
• iTunes purchases can be redownloaded.

I am also unhappy that music I've downloaded to itunes from cds i've purchased--yes, i still purchase cds, seems to randomly disappear from my itunes library when i choose to play them. i'm very unhappy that i have to search for the cd to redownload them to my itunes library. it seems like it should be a simple thing not to have a music application that eats up music--but apparently itunes isn't able to handle it.

when you see the exclamation point, leave iTunes open, go to search and type in the name, right click play, and watch the song pop up with the deleted ones.... play it again to be sure and trash the exclamation pointed ones, tedious but effective....started doing this two years ago and am doing it again  :-(

Nytahan wrote:

 

when you see the exclamation point, leave iTunes open

double click the song in iTunes to play it. iTunes will ask if you want to locate the song.

Go to /Music/iTUnes/iTunes media. and locate the song in the correct Artists/Albums folder.

Chris CA, sometimes that works...the songs, usually multiple copies appear which is also a memory eater...I have noticed at times deleting the exlamation poit will being the song back......weird.

Go to Edit in your iTunes library. Then go to Preferences. Then go to Store - there should be a box you can tick that says Show iTunes in the Cloud purchases. If it's unclicked, then click it. Likely that is the issue, as it was in my case. The problem is you have to redownload all the songs you'd downloaded from the cloud. It's RIDICULOUS but after an hour on the phone with iTunes support this is what worked for me. Good luck.

I guess I am fortunate, I have an iPOD Classic and when I sych it , my purchases if they were loaded previously will put them back in my library if they've disappeared. Found this out yesterday,,,,DOH!!!

welshwife wrote:

 

Go to Edit in your iTunes library. Then go to Preferences. Then go to Store - there should be a box you can tick that says Show iTunes in the Cloud purchases. If it's unclicked, then click it. Likely that is the issue, as it was in my case. The problem is you have to redownload all the songs you'd downloaded from the cloud.

This will simply redownload the song.

If the song is still on your computer (but iTunes cannot locate it) you will now have two copies of the songs on your computer with one not being used.

My music disappears as I look at it.  All my music is from CDs, I don't purchase from itunes.  For years I have had no problems, now all of a sudden my music is disappearing.  Today I played a few songs on itunes, then later went to put them on my iphone, but all I got was the exclamation mark and that the music wasn't there! I had just listened to the darn song.  Then the exclamation marks were popping up all over the place.  I have searched my computer and they are gone.  Not only from itunes music file, but there is no sign of them anywhere.  I manually manage my music, I don't sync.  I daren't load itunes again, I fear all my music will be covered with !!!!  What a pile of rubbish.