itunes music library is not showing all my music

Question

Level 1

6 points

itunes music library is not showing all my music

I have a random problem with iTunes and I hope someone can help.

I have just under 1500 tracks on my macbook, all stored in the iTunes library folder where they should be. However, when I open iTunes, it says it cannot find the original file for loads of my music (there is a little '!' symbol on the left hand side).

I get the option to search for the original file and I just go to the iTunes library folder and there it is, along with all my other music that iTunes can see!

This is a random problem as when I open iTunes, its not always the same tracks it cant find, its always different ones.

It affects about 20% of my music each time.

Can anyone help?

Cheers, Jus

Macbook White, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Aug 15, 2010 3:55 AM

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Answer 1

Jolly Giant

Level 7

25,464 points

Aug 15, 2010 4:29 AM in response to JusUK30

for the avoidance of doubt, you are not managing your library yourself, meaning moving files around using the finder ?

J GG

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Answer 2

JusUK30 Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 15, 2010 11:14 AM in response to Jolly Giant

No, all the music went in to the iTunes library folder and I havent touched it since.

I checked today and its even showing new albums recently purchased through iTunes Store as missing. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to which music it cant find, even though its all there in the folder.

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Answer 3

Jolly Giant

Level 7

25,464 points

Aug 16, 2010 9:34 AM in response to JusUK30

try this:

quit iTunes. move the following file to the desktop: <MacintoshHD>/users/<yourname>/library/preferences/com.apple.iTunes.plist

fire up iTunes (which will create a new .plist file). if it works now you can trash the plist file you moved to the desktop.

if still no joy, here are some useful tools:

_*iTunes Track CPR v1.3*_
This script attempts to locate the files of so-called "dead tracks"--iTunes tracks designated with (!)--that you assume are not actually missing but are still located in the iTunes Music folder in their "iTunes File Order" (Music -> Artist -> Album -> file.xxx)."

and

_*Music Folder Files Not Added v2.0*_
This application will list the file paths of the files in your designated "iTunes Media" folder which are not in iTunes' library. Additionally, you can select a different parent folder and its contents will be compared to the iTunes library. Options to Add a selection of found files to iTunes or move them to the Trash.

J GG

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Answer 4

JusUK30 Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 16, 2010 1:51 PM in response to Jolly Giant

Your first suggestion seems to have solved the problem. It has created a few duplicate tracks but only about 20 which I can sort out.

Thank you very much for your help, its much appreciated.

Jus 🙂

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