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Level 1

0 points

How do I stop Determining Gapless Playback?

Yet again, another iTunes upgrade has caused the horrible gapless playback scan to occur on my iTunes library. As a result, iTunes is totally unresponsive until this action completes. In my case, it's really slow as I'm accessing my files wirelessly from a network drive. I have to keep canceling the rescan to use iTunes. For the most part it keeps track of where it left off, however some files keep getting rescanned.

Here's what I've observed so far (not that it solves anything)
- it appears that rescans are triggered whenever an upgrade rebuilds the library. After going through this once for iTunes 7 upgrade, I remember it occurring again for 8 (and probably a point release in between) and version 9.
- The gapless playback mp3 tag doesn't seem to stop the rescan from occurring. I tested this for files that kept getting rescanned. I first set them to No and they still got scanned. Next I set them to Yes and still no luck...
- The number of files being scanned are less than the total number of files currently in my library, which leads me to believe the rescan trigger has to do with either when the file was added (i.e. before iTunes 7 release) or based on what version of iTunes the file was created.

Based on the above, I think this is a bug as it should only go through this once and if needed when new files are added to iTunes. Better yet, there should be an option to shut this off completely!

Any info on what causes this to occur or how to make it stop would be greatly appreciated!!!

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iTunes 9

Posted on Sep 11, 2009 9:01 PM

66 replies

TheStoat

Level 1

15 points

Dec 30, 2013 1:31 PM in response to Brian Thull

Well after some searching of the discussion boards it seems I have to chime in here along with the previous posters. I have circa 200 tracks that "must" have gapless playback analysis performed EVERY time iTunes starts. The same tracks each time so far as I can tell. There was a suggestion earlier in the thread regarding fixing the mp3 contents of the offending files but this has not worked for me. I managed to identify some of the tracks as their names whizzed by but they're still analysed each time iTunes starts. Is there any other solution for what appears to be a corruption in the library (.itl file?) and fixing it? I'm using version 11.1.3 (8). I'd really appreciate any suggestions at this stage 🙂

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

Dec 30, 2013 8:10 PM in response to TheStoat

Until Apple corrects the problem that causes the file corruption this is the only way that I know of the stop the gap problem:

1. close iTunes

2. in iTunes folder, move to trash but DO NOT EMPTY: iTunes Music Library.xml, iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Library Extras.itdb

3. Open iTunes: Under File menu select "Add to Library", navigate to "iTunes Media" folder and click on OPEN in the bottom right of the panel.

This will seclect everything that you previously had in your library and create new files for the ones that you moved to the trash. Depending on how may songs you have in your collection, it may take awhile. I have over 25,000 and it took a little over 90min..

If you had Genius setup, that you will have to do again manually..

If you had one to begin with, check to see if iTunes Library Extras.itdb was recreated. If you did, and it wasn't, you can move the one in the trash back in place.

After you have checked to see if everything is OK with the new files, you can empty thrash..

Dec 30, 2013 9:44 PM in response to First Derf

Just like to share my experience. Just convert to AAC using itunes. Problem solved…

TheStoat

Level 1

15 points

Dec 31, 2013 11:01 AM in response to Marcus Ong

Thank you Marcus, that tip worked perfectly. I don't know why the mp3 files caused the grief but the AAC versions work fine.

Thanks,

Andrew

dmwingon

Level 1

7 points

Jan 17, 2014 4:59 PM in response to TheStoat

I've found that converting to AAC fixes it as well, but it's a huge pain, and I'm finding that many things about iTunes 11 are either unintuitive or simply more complicated than they need to be. I'm downgrading back to iTunes 9, when it was good and actually worked.

snpperhd

Level 1

9 points

Aug 18, 2014 2:40 PM in response to First Derf

First Derf,

While my iTunes library was relatively small (8000 songs/60GB), your fix was quick, painless and definitely successful. This issue had been driving me nuts for quite awhile; the same 608 songs being checked for gapless playback, repeatedly.

Thanks for sharing!

snpperhd

How do I stop Determining Gapless Playback?