Itunes library GONE.

Check the advanced settings for AVG's Resident Shield and exclude the iTunes library folder. Search for a large, recent .tmp file from the time you first noticed a problem, make a copy, and then rename the copy as iTunes Library.itl after moving/renaming the file already there. This should restore the version of your library that you want. If not try other candidate files. When you have one that works properly make another backup of it and then backup your whole library as I've suggested in earlier posts in this thread.

tt2

This worked - I suspect AVG's newest update was the culprit. I've now placed a backup of this file into a separate folder for the NEXT time AVG eats my playlist. Thanks!

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2

i've deleted all those files, so i'm starting from scratch again, but i have put it all in a seperate folder so i hope it works!

Good luck! It's a shame this has happened, but I've got exclusions in AVG now and a backup just in case.

All the best!

This has been a problem for me since early Sunday A.M.

So far I have copied Itunes to different folder.

Renamed previous library to ........itl

Added an exception to Avg.

Deleted cleaned up itunes folder to include the main 5 Itunes

Itunes library extrasitdb

Itunes library Genius.itdb

Itunes music library.xml

Itunes library.itl

sentinel

On Monday I deleted Itunes 11 and reinstalle itunes 10

Each of these fixes appeared to work but not for longer than 12 hours

Last night I checked all good.

This Morning I checked first thing all good.

Later this morning I checked gone.........

My next step is to see if hibernate is the culprit!

I dont think so but I will try. I am running Windows 7 ... 😟

i redid my whole library.. and closed itunes and opened it back up and it's all gone again! i spent 2.5 hours redoing my whole library for nothing. thank god i still had my back up from yesterday. but still i did everything in this thread plus add the exclusion to AVG and it's still gone! there's something wrong with AVG

If you currently run AVG Free then you might want to consider uninstalling it and install Microsoft Security Essentials instead. Try the .tmp file copy, rename & replace this time.

tt2

i did create a new folder for an alternate itunes library from this link.. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US and it seems to be working. i was wondering if i could move all my music into that folder and rename it as the main folder where everything goes, if it would delete my whole library. i did install that Microsoft Security Essentials, but i don't know what temp file to copy, rename and replace.

when i export my library, it saves it as a .xml and not an .itl i have no other options on saving my library.. i'm running 11.0.2 and have windows 7

This is happening to me too. Started about 5 days ago. Dell XPS machine, Windows 7, AVG anti-virus.

I don't believe it's AVG, I've isolated the time period for the library disappearance to between 3:30 & 4:00 am. I went to Windows Event Viewer and the only thing it shows as having ran at that time each day was Microsoft Security Service. I have my AVG set up to run 3X per week and it runs at a completely different time than when the library is disappearing.

I'm going to disable the Microsoft Security Service tonight, reload my library from a *.tmp (time stamped 3:28 AM btw) and see if it happens tomorrow AM. Very frustrating.

I'm getting iTunes Library.itl is not a valid file so iTunes renamed it to iTunes Library(Damaged).itl from my .tmp files.

Thank you!

I did exactly as turingtest2 suggested, but I'd like to clarify. I did recall recently updating my AVG, but it also manually updated minutes before my iTunes Library disappeared (Go figure)

If you have AVG, and you suspect it to be the cause, here are some clear instructions.

Open the AVG interface, click on Computer, Settings under "Antivirus", scroll down the list until you find Exceptions, click "Add exception", Select exception type (you'll get a drop down bar), select folder, Browse > Local Disk > User > My Music > iTunes

Check "Resident Shield". I also checked scan just to be sure AVG doesn't decide my iTunes Library is a virus.

Click ok.

I then took my latest dated .tmp file like turingtest2 suggested, copied it, pasted, renamed and moved the original, and renamed the new copy. I also saved a back up of the new copy just in case. I loaded my new library, and restarted my computer, and viola it's still there.

Cue panic for all when your library disappears. 😝

New user here. I installed the updated iTunes 24-48hrs ago. When the new iTunes opened, it only showed my purchased iCloud music. 250MB v 650GB (on an external hard drive). The new itunes preferences has my iTunes media library in C/User/My Music/iTunes. I tried to redirect it to G/Media/Music Master. I could get iTunes to accept that but it didn't make an difference - iTunes still only saw the cloud based media.

I took my recent temp file, remained it iTunes Library.itl and restarted iTunes. All was back. Let's see how long it stays.

It is VERY disconcerting that the update would behave this way. I hope you (Apple) will be able to determine the issues and assure it won't happen at next update.

When I try to rename the TMP file to an ITL file, it just stays as a TMP file but with a different name. Could you please explain why it isn't becoming the new iTunes Library file?