How do I find my old playlists?

If you have your old hard drive, or a backup thereof, you should have been able to import the old iTunes Library.itl file into any newer version of iTunes so I'm not sure why you should have got that error. There are backup copies of the file taken during each update so you could try the most recent version held in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder, assuming your playlists will be in that older copy.

See iTunes Folder Watch for a tool to catch up with any changes made since the backup file was created.

When you get it all working make a backup!

tt2

Hm, perhaps the most recent backup was part of the failed update that you had when if complained about not reading a "newer" file. Try the same approach with different libraries or, if you don't get any joy restore the original which at least has the media even if it doesn't have the playlists.

tt2

Playlists and most other information about your library is stored in a file called iTunes Library.itl.The Previous iTunes libraries folder contains older snapshots of this file taken at each iTunes update in the form iTunes Library yyyy-mm-dd. With iTunes closed, rename your current iTunes Library.itl in your iTunes folder as something like iTunes Library (No Playlists).itl then copy an older library into the iTunes folder and rename it as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes.

Since you've also moved libraries around there is a possibility that a restored file won't find your media where it expects to. Recent builds of iTunes have got better at repairing the links if the library is a standard layout, but if you get lots of "can't locate file" issues I have a script which can probably sort things out.

tt2

Lol, If it is working then it must be somewhere. The usual location is ..<User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl.If you still can't find it close iTunes, then click the icon to start iTunes and immediately press and hold down the shift key. iTunes will ask to create or choose a library. Click choose. The folder it initial displays should be the folder the current active library is in. Cancel the operation and copy/rename files as needed.

tt2

Hi, I was having the same problem but followed what you said and was able to open a previous itunes library but almost all of my files now have the cannot locate exclamation point next to them. You mentioned a script that could sort it out? Keep in mind I am not tech savvy. Please help!

This happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool has moved, renamed or deleted the file, or that the drive it lives on has had a change of drive letter. It is also possible that iTunes has changed from expecting the files to be in the pre-iTunes 9 layout to post-iTunes 9 layout,or vice-versa, and so is looking in slightly the wrong place.

Select a track with an exclamation mark, use Ctrl-I to get info, then cancel when asked to try to locate the track. Look on the summary tab for the location that iTunes thinks the file should be. Now take a look around your hard drive(s). Hopefully you can locate the track in question. If a section of your library has simply been moved, or a drive letter has changed, it should be possible to reverse the actions.

Alternatively, as long as you can find a location holding the missing files, then you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes .

tt2

Great 🙂

tt2