Power outtage - Windows 10 itunes library gone

Lost power yesterday. iTunes working with Windows 10 on PC Desktop. iTunes library was missing.

1) Only reloaded 774 songs out of 130k+

2) All playlists gone - itl files come back as "not valid."

3) Artwork gone - most artwork over the years imported to songs by myself.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Apr 20, 2024 3:25 PM

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1 reply

javaliga

Level 10

119,427 points

Apr 21, 2024 6:19 PM in response to delcam

It is possible that a corrupt preference file may cause iTunes to fail at launch with one of these errors:

The file iTunes Library.itl cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes.
The folder “iTunes” is on a locked disk or you do not have write permissions for this folder.
The iTunes Library.itl cannot be found or created. The default location for this file is in the 'iTunes' folder in the 'Music' folder.

It may be worth trying the shift-start-iTunes method (option on a Mac) to actively select the .itl file that should contain your library. If you still get the error message try Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows and/or check for interference from anti-virus software.

For more info, see:

Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrad… - Apple Community

Power outtage - Windows 10 itunes library gone