Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

"iTunes Library file cannot be saved". What is this all about?

At regular intervals, when using iTunes, I will click on something, for example the search box and a box will appear saying "the iTunes Library file cannot be saved. You do not have enough privileges for this operation". Can anyone tell me what this is all about? It doesn't seem to have any adverse effect, but it is very annoying.

Dell, Windows Vista, XPS M1710 notebook

Posted on Aug 18, 2009 4:23 PM

Reply
40 replies

Aug 18, 2009 5:48 PM in response to halfwit iPod user

bump 🙂
I believe I also have much the same problem. The message appears regularly and persistently - even stealing focus from another app's window. It makes it very hard to do anything (not to mention the fact the iTunes now doesn't save anything).

I have my music and .ITL stored on an external HDD, I am running Windows Vista on a notebook. Please help!

Aug 19, 2009 10:01 AM in response to halfwit iPod user

I have been having the same issue. It happens when I am adding and removing files to my Ipod playlist or working on updating song information such as renaming albums or changing sort names. Sometimes it appears with a specific reason such as "not enough memory" but most of the time it just pops up without a reason. If I close iTunes then I usually have to redo my changes from when the message first appears. One time iTunes froze up after the message appeared.

This started once I upgraded to ver 8.216 from ver 7.43

Aug 19, 2009 11:03 AM in response to halfwit iPod user

The itunes library file on Vista is in this folder
\Users\ +your username+ \Music\iTunes



Make sure you have ownership and full control over that folder and all its subfolders.
How to Take Ownership and Grant Permissions in Windows Vista



If you STILL get that message about not enough privileges, then temporarily turn off UAC.
How to Disable UAC

Aug 20, 2009 8:46 AM in response to Katrina S.

Well that answers about not having permission but what about lack of memory or simply coming up without a reason. It happened again last night after I switched a large number of songs from one genre to another. I had to constantly click to get rid of the message then the program froze and was closed by Windows. Very frustrating.

Aug 20, 2009 9:56 PM in response to halfwit iPod user

Well, I"m on a Mac and have the same issue and have not updated to the latest iTunes. I'm still on 8.2.0. The "cannot save iTunes library file" message just started out of the blue more or less when I was trying to figure out why downloads to my iPhone took so long to finish all of a sudden. I moved the preferences file to the desktop so it would create a new one and it was after that that I started getting the message. Now it occurs every time I remove a podcast or make any changes to the library list. Between that annoyance and having to reboot my computer every time I want to update my iPhone because that's the only way to get it to make the sync without it crawling like a snail, I find I"m getting really fed up with the whole thing. There are so many of us with the same problem that you'd think Apple would address it and fix it.

Aug 20, 2009 10:10 PM in response to raven

raven, that's interesting tht moving the preferences file started this. I don't know Macs, but I suspect your need to repair permission on the preferences file.
Someone in the Mac forums could help with that.



On XP, the preference files are in two places
C:\Documents and Settings\ username \Application Data\Apple Computer
C:\Documents and Settings\ username \Local Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer
Maybe WIndows users would have luck taking ownership and control over those folders.

Oct 30, 2009 8:27 PM in response to postbox1

The same as you postbox1:
Updated to Windows 7.
The "permissions problem" appeared.
Checked the permissions: My user is the owner and I have full control. It doesn't solves.
Unchecked the read-only box and applied it to all subfolders. It doesn't solves, in fact, when I check the propeties window, the read-only box is checked again!

Why does it happen?

I have the latest iTunes by the way (9.something)

Oct 31, 2009 1:46 PM in response to Bato_Loko

Does this problem is just for Windows 7?

Or is this kind of general?

I have spent a lot of time on the internet searching for a solution, tried several things but nothing seems to work.

I bought a new CD 4 days ago and I can't import it to my library...

Maybe Apple should release a W7 compatible iTunes... there is only options to download for xp and vista...

What do you think?
Or maybe someone already figure out what to do about it.

Nov 2, 2009 12:00 PM in response to kncowans

I found this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/30/iphonep55problems/

It says that users with Windows 7 and Intel chipset P55 are having trouble.

Guess what? I have both.

It says about the iPhone freezing when sync, but it doesn't say anything about the permissions problem...

Let's see if they release a new version of iTunes to fix this (if this is the problem), still, I'm gonna try what you said Kevin, thanks.

"iTunes Library file cannot be saved". What is this all about?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.