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Jeff Hargrove Author

Level 2

235 points

itunes 10.5.2 update stalls when updating library

Hello,

I downloaded the latest iTunes update from software update and it downloaded fine. When I opened iTunes, it started updating library and the progress bar got half-way done and then stopped. I waited for about 20min, but it was still at the same position.

Here are the trouble shooting steps I took:

I forced quit iTunes. I removed the iTunes Library.itl file. I relaunched iTunes and iTunes 10.5.2 opened, but with no play lists etc. I deleted the newly created .itl file and put the old one back. I restored this file from a Time Machine back up from about 24hours previously. I opened iTunes again, and the same thing happened.

I downloaded the stand alone update and redid the same steps as before, but the update of the library just stalls. I even tried to use the .itl file located in the previous library folder, but the update of the library stalled just like before.

Time Machine will not let me restore a previous version of iTunes, nor will the finder let me delete iTunes as "Mac Os requires iTunes" or something of the sort.

I have the same problem on my MBP as well as my Mac Mini server. Althougth the content is not the same on both computers, the mac mini library started out as a copy of the one on my MBP. Both itunes libraries were working last night before the update.

Has anyone had this problem? iTunes was working fine before the update and I have not subscribed to iTunes Match.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), 8G ram

Posted on Dec 13, 2011 2:32 AM

41 replies

Dec 15, 2011 3:21 PM in response to Jeff Hargrove

My iTunes 10.5.2 just started to hang today on startup. I checked my backup ext drive of my iTunes and it had 1 file less than my main iTunes drive. The extra file was iTunes Library Genius.itdb-journal. I added 3X's to the the beginning of it and restarted iTunes. It loaded the library and started fine but hung on quitting and had to force quit. Started it again this time I turned off Genius and it quit OK. Started iTunes again seems OK now!

Dec 15, 2011 4:48 PM in response to Jeff Hargrove

Seriously starting to panic, still no iTunes, still updating library ( for 2 hours now) I have my Xmas party here tomorrow AND I NEED MY MUSIC!!! C'mon Apple, we need solutions... FIX THIS PLEASE!

mcon1

Level 1

0 points

Dec 15, 2011 4:54 PM in response to Jeff Hargrove

Having the same problem....

This blows!

I'm so angry at Apple right now and it seems like they are just screwing up left and right with iTunes. I was excited to see this update since it addressed my problem with disortion however I would rather have the distortion back now that iTunes is dead in the water on my MB...I hope someone comes up with a solution soon since I waited 3 weeks for this one to make things worse!!!!!! Thank you Apple you're begining to feel a lot like an airline in the customer service department.

Dec 16, 2011 6:25 AM in response to Jeff Hargrove

I was having the same problem everyone else is having the updating libary frozen.

I moved the following files to my Desk Top from my iTunes folder:

(Previous Libary) iTunes/Library/2011-07-26.itl

(Previous Libary) iTunes/Library/2011-10-20.itl

(Previous Libary) iTunes/Library/2011-11-21.itl

iTunes/Music/Library.xml

Restarted iTunes the Updating Libary came up and it updated the libary in about 12 mintures. I have aprox. 26K songs and audio books.

I have moved the above fimes to trash now.

I have quite iTunes and restarted it several times now and all seems to be working.

I have also sync'ed my iphone 4 twice and all seems to be working well.

Hope this helps.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 8G ram

Jeff Hargrove Author

Level 2

235 points

Dec 17, 2011 9:08 AM in response to Jerry KK Thailand

It seems that several people have found solutions that work for them and I have tried them, but the solutions haven't worked for me.

I tried the following which worked for me at last which is combination of serveral other solutions for mac users:

I deleted the previous library folders, the .itl file and the .xml file

I restarted my MBP

I restored from my Time Machine backup the last .itl file before the 10.5.2 update

I started iTunes holding down the option key. Itunes came up asking to choose the iTunes library. I chose the restored iTunes .itl file. As before the update bar stopped progressing just like before, but I let it run maybe a half an hour and iTunes finally opened and everything was fine.

I hope this helps someone.

Jude.w

Level 1

0 points

Dec 17, 2011 11:37 PM in response to Jeff Hargrove

Hello,

After trying to reset the PRAM and moved .itl files in the previous library folder, I finally found a solution that work for me. You can just give it a try.

Hold down the Option key and turn on your iTunes 10.5.2, then choose the iTunes library folder.
It may stuck again when updating library, but don't worry, just force turn it off.
Now you can see the library.itl, library.xml, and music.xml files in the iTunes folder, remove them and place on the desktop.
Turn on iTunes, there's no music in the list so no need to update the library.
Quit iTunes, drag the 3 files back into the iTunes folder and restart iTunes.
Now iTunes start up normally without attempting a library update.

Hopefully others can repeat this process with the same results.

davee123

Level 1

0 points

Dec 18, 2011 3:41 AM in response to Jude.w

Found a fix after trying all the advise in this discussion to no avail, I pressed shift-option-command and clicked on iTunes in the dock. iTunes started in safe mode, it said 'iTunes is starting in safe mode and any visual add ons will be disabled" clicked OK and it started up and went throught the library update with no problems. Tried a search in 'Help' for the iTunes safe mode shortcut but there's nothing mentioned .... oh well. By the way I've been using Macs every since my first one, a Performa II about '96 and that was the longest I've ever spent on a fix, probably a couple of hours ......... I'll give that one to Apple for the thousands of hours of trouble free motoring.

mcon1

Level 1

0 points

Dec 18, 2011 8:23 AM in response to davee123

This worked!! Thanks !!

Renakay

Level 1

10 points

Dec 18, 2011 1:00 PM in response to davee123

Many thanks davee123. That worked for me as well! I can finally re-sync my phone!

Dec 18, 2011 2:11 PM in response to Moto-110

Thanks Moto-110. Your solution worked for me on 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate. iTunes started right up and updated the library after I killed the APSDaemon.exe process.

Dec 18, 2011 2:17 PM in response to davee123

THANKS buddy...it works!!

omoidasu

Level 1

0 points

Dec 18, 2011 2:43 PM in response to davee123

Thanks Davee, this worked for me too!

Dec 19, 2011 4:51 AM in response to davee123

Thank you for figuring this out, and posting it.

chalgr

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2011 9:29 AM in response to davee123

Many, many thanks Davee123!!! This FINALLY did it for me. iTunes is back and working normally! Thanks again!!!

guusv

Level 1

0 points

Dec 20, 2011 7:02 PM in response to Jeff Hargrove

I tried everything mentioned and still got nowhere.

I finally renamed the /Users/<account>/Music/iTunes folder to backup_iTunes and tried it again. It still wouldn't work. Spinning BeachBall of Death after loading!

So I figured it must not be because of the library.

Ended up nuking my iTunes prefs. How?

open Finder, choose Go - Go to folder and type /Users/<account>/Library

(replace <account> with your username)

I moved all files starting with com.apple.iTunes to my desktop and restarted iTunes. And it kept running without errors (of course, when it opened, it asked for term & license stuff etc)

After it ran without hanging again, I shut iTunes down and put my /Users/<account>/Music/backup_iTunes back in place. (when iTunes started, it created a new iTunes folder but I trashed that.

This finally worked for me. The Updating Library finally completed and it no longer hangs!

Of course, your situation may be different but this is what I had to do to make it work again. Like someone else said, this is the first time I had to spend more than an hour fixing some problem I ran into on a mac. So I am NOT complaining! (have and iMac, MBP, iPad, iPhone, several ipods AND use an iMac at work! ... should have bought apple shares... )

itunes 10.5.2 update stalls when updating library