Q: Making iTunes library find missing tracks in multiple, not one by one

The iTunes consolidate function (File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files) runs through the library and compares the current location for each track with the path to the active media folder. If the file is inside the media folder nothing happens. If the file cannot be found nothing happens. If the file is found and is outside the media folder then a new copy is made inside the media folder and iTunes is connected to that new copy. iTunes will forget the old one existed which makes it possible to reimport such files and create duplicates. As well as a full consolidation of the library it is also possible to consolidate a selection of files via the right-click context menu. In either case iTunes can only consolidate files that it can find. If you connect one of your other drives and start iTunes, and it can now see all of the tracks that are on that drive then consolidating will work. If for some reason it cannot, e.g. the drive letter or folder the tracks were imported from has changed, then the script should help fix those problems.

The biggest drive I have is 3Tb, so I presume you meant 250/500 Gigabyte. Hopefully there is enough room on the G: drive to add in all of stray content that hasn't yet been repaired.

I also have a script for deduplicating the library which may be useful if you've managed to create duplicates at some point in your adventures with iTunes.

tt2

I think I am understanding the situation....... the reason I asked the question is because

Some trax which as you know are on my [G:/iTunes/iTunes Media external HDD]  iTunes cannot find ........  iTunes can find some of them and plays them when I plug in another [backup] HDD [ie both HDD's in the PC] .......... Should I use the Consolidate option? I do not want to duplicate 50,000 trax though.

Yes I got my Tera's mixed up with my Giga's. I have had a broken NAS drive that was Raided but my IT guy zapped it! and that is when I got into problems with iTunes being on different external drives & Pc's, hopefully when we get this sorted I can put a nice clean iTunes library onto a new NAS drive.

Yes, for the tracks that work when an extra drive is connected run use the consolidate option to make local copies which will remove the dependency on the other drive. When you've picked up all of the stray tracks everything should work with just the G: drive connected, and because everything is in a portable shape if you've a complete backup of the iTunes folder in G: on say M: then you could connect to the library on M: and it would work perfectly, or you could connect that drive to different computer and it would also work perfectly there.

Consolidating won't by itself generate duplicates. These occur if you repeatedly import the same folders of media rather than selectively adding only new content that isn't already connected to the library.

tt2

its actually pretty easy. i have my full iTunes libraries on two machines but from one hard drive.

if you want to move them around between machines, simply copy the .itl and the .xml library files of your most complete library.

then bring them over to your new machine [backup the old library files just incase things don't go as planned]

in the new location...

- delete the extras and genius .itl files

- overwrite the library files with the latest .itl and .xml files

- open the .xml with a text editor and at the top of the doc make sure the path to the library is correct for the machine you are setting up

- locate on of the paths to the music folders in the lower portion of the .xml. copy the first part of the path up to /Music/

- do a replace. paste that recently copied portion of the path into the search field and type the similar portion of the new path into the replace field

- start itunes

- all the songs will show up with exclamation points, as if lost

- play one and you will be prompted to find files....do it for one, let it play

- while playing on the currently playing window at the top of ituens, click on the list in the right hand side of that window and iTunes will start to find all missing files.

I've done this several times. works perfectly. takes a while though depending on the size of your library,

Phew.......I have been tinkering with the consolidation on iTunes and have created a new Playlist "Found" and a Super playlist "Lost" and run the script I now have [fingers crossed] only 333 missing trax down from 23,000! which I have printed out so I can re-enter.

I would thank you very much for your brilliant and patient help

Just a couple more things ..... so I don't **** up next time}

If I understand correctly, when I back up my main iTunes onto another external drive I should, just copy and paste my G:\iTunes\

If I want to use my external drive "G" on another PC is there anything I need to do in iTunes on the other PC?

Hi, sounds like you're getting very close.

If I recall somewhere along the line I suggested turning the Keep and Copy options off while things were being repaired. Unless you have good reasons not to I'd suggest you turn those options back on now so that everything can be arranged in the standard layout.

Rather than simply copying the folder G:\iTunes to a second drive I'd suggest you use the method in Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy. This allows you to update the second copy efficiently after making changes to the original.

Your library should be fully portable and self-contained within G:\iTunes now. You can connect the drive, or a drive containing a clone of the folder, to any computer running the same build of iTunes. Shift-start-iTunes and open X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl where X: is the letter the computer assigns to the drive.

tt2

This worked and solved the issue, but I noticed duplicate files were just converted and had different extensions and I think people don't realize that or have that view option checked. Thank you!

  Hi it’s me back again ....... I have backed up my iTunes on
an external HDD using Sync Toy as you suggested. Which leads me to a three of
questions.

1. When I run PC with the backup HDD plugged in I am told “ the folder containing
the iTunes Library cannot be found, please choose or create a new iTunes Library”
What should I do?

2. echoed the main G:/iTunes to the backup HDD [E:/iTunes]
and I am puzzled as to the number of Files that have been transferred. When I run iTunes from the main HDD, iTunes
says there are 67,587 trax, but  SyncToy transferred 104,462 files in 64,006 folders [there are not many .jpg album
covers] The reason I ask this is because I am just about to load the iTunes onto my new NAS drive, which operates Via Control4/Sonos.  I was wondering why such a big difference?  I only want to transfer the 64,006 trax and maybe the album covers

3.Should I just copy the iTunes Library file to the NAS drive or ???

1. Seems odd, unless you tried to test that the library at E:\iTunes behaved properly and then forgot to switch back to G:\iTunes.

2. In addition to music tracks there may be other media in your library. For music if Windows Media Player has ever been involved there are usually at least four hidden artwork images per album, and then iTunes has its own artwork cache in ..\iTunes\Album Artwork.

3. See Make a split library portable. Again I recommend using SyncToy to load up the library on the NAS because it can be restarted if something goes wrong. Windows own copy routines generally mean a host of prompts if you have to start over. Once the library is working properly on the NAS you may want to copy the library files and album artwork folder back to a local drive for performance.

tt2

Thanks for reply......I'm now in UK

1. I did not understand your answer in 1.

I have 2 synctoy backups on E:/iTunes in 2 HDD's ..... When I try to run iTunes from the backup I get the message>>>

“ the folder containing the iTunes Library cannot be found, please choose or create a new iTunes Library”...... What should I do?

iTunes on PC in preference>> advanced is set to G:/itunes
The backup drive is in the "E" USB slot on my computer...... should I Plug it into the "G" USB slot? I have presumed not

2. I do not use Windows Media Player for anything.......If I delete a trax from the iTunes Library does it permantlty delete it or mark it for deletion?

3. Should I transfer all folders in iTunes or just the library & Album Artworks?

1. Maybe it is my misunderstanding. Your drive "G:" contains the primary copy of the library. It must be plugged in when you run iTunes unless you want to switch to an alternate copy on a different physical drive. Windows should remember the drive letter assigned to each drive, regardless of which port the drives are plugged in to. The exception is when you a new device is given the next currently unused letter and then you plug in another device that clashes so it has to be given a new letter. You can manually reassign drive letters from the disk management control panel.

To test the backup on a different drive either leave G: unplugged, as you have done, or press and hold down shift as you launch iTunes which gives you the same choose or create library dialog. Click choose, then browse to and open E:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. Switch back to the original library in a similar fashion.

When switching between portable copies of the library (or different portable libraries) iTunes should automatically switch to the correct media folder for that library. Changing the media folder path doesn't change which library file is accessed, not does it make iTunes "see" the content of the selected folder.

2. When you delete tracks from iTunes and they are inside the iTunes Media folder iTunes will ask if you want the deleted files moved to the recycle bin. The choice is yours. For anything stored outside of the iTunes Media folder when deleting iTunes will just delete its references and leave the files alone.

3. For best performance with a NAS, and only if performance isn't good enough when everything is in the portable shape, copy the 5 library files and the Album Artwork folder only into a local iTunes folder on the system drive, e.g. C:\iTunes. Let us assume the location of the library on the NAS is \\NAS\iTunes. Shift-start iTunes and open C:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl then check the media folder is given as \\NAS\iTunes\iTunes Media. If it isn't correct, close iTunes, and reopen, The library should work perfectly.

When hen the time comes to move the library to a new computer or drive copy the library files and Album Artwork folder from C:\iTunes back into \\NAS\iTunes and access the library at \\NAS\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl to make the library portable again.

tt2

I have been away but just got round to doing as you said.......Perfect thank you ......... my iTunes is now working off my NAS drive thru my PC

I do not know if you can answer my next problem?

I run the music on my NAS drive using Control4/Sonos thru outlets in different rooms usually using my iPad .......... Sonos does not see all the trax [I have indexed Sonos & Control4] do you have any ideas why it is only seeing about 2/3rds of the trax? There are 68,000 according to iTunes

I don't have any experience with Sonos, but I would guess it makes use of the .xml file in your iTunes folder. It may need tweaking to look for the one that is being updated.

tt2

I just did this and it worked!

this worked for me