HELP! My Library keeps resetting itself

This has started started happening to me just in the past week - suddenly when I open iTunes it is reset to empty. All the music is still in my computer, but having to reload everything is not only time consuming and annoying, but resets the genres from my preferences to original.

I finally got frustrated enough to uninstall and reinstall iTunes this afternoon, hit 'scan for media' and this time it uploaded everything I had reassigned genres to in duplicate - some with my new genre definitions, some with the original. Frustrating!

I do have AVG - the paid Internet Security package for three different machines, so uninstalling and going to another security is not an option, even assuming that is the problem. I posted a question on their FB page, since I am having trouble navigating their support forum, looking for info on how to bypass iTunes folder during scan, as has been suggested in this thread. So far I haven't figured out how to do that, and judging from other poster responses it doesn't work anyway.

I run iTunes only on the two desktops, not the laptop, but oddly only my primary one is having this issue. Both run Win7 64 bit, and automatically update their AVG. The iTunes gets updated any time I happen to see there is a new update available. I could try deleting the most recent version of the library - the one with the duplicates - and renaming the last one, but if this reset is going to keep happening what is the point? Is iTunes working on this issue?

There is no need to call them, there is a tool report a problem within AVG interface.

The tool gives their phone number. Ah well.

I called.

they will send me an email with instructions and I will send them a detailed report.

I'll send a link to this thread as well. I wonder if they would like me to share the email address so other people can send reports? If anybody is interested, say so.

eta: never mind, the information they want is the file that was deleted - from the virus vault. Clearly there was a lack of good communication between the phone person and myself.

support@avg.com is the address, the case reference number is 7316426

I will send such info as I can put together. asap

Same here, AVG has been really good. But, it's probably AVG's fault here because, at least for me, it's the only program that updates everyday, and is the only program that has updated itself around the time this problem started happening to me. What you could try doing is setting the itunes library.itl file as an exception (not the whole folder, as doing so would only exclude it from resident shield and scanning, where if you set the file as an exception you can set it as an exception for Identity protection as well, which I believe is the component that's causing the issue.) Done this and so far, no issues, but I can't guarantee this is a concrete solution yet.

I really hope that either AVG fixes this issue and considering that many people are having it, it's really important that they do so.

Quick update: Sadly, the exception thing doesn't work. After syncing my phone and closing iTunes, i tried turning on iTunes but it was blank. Interestingly enough, after renaming the íT.tmp' file that was there and turning on and closing itunes again, the problem happened again. I must add that iTunes going blank normally has higher chance of happening after a sync is done. Argh, really don't want to switch AV but this would seem like the best solution right now.

Just to add to the growing list, I'm having the exact same problem. Have AVG too. Yay...

Something I've done, which I think was mentioned somehwere above, is changing the temp files in the iTunes directory. If there's one there that's around 17-19Mb (mine was as had a large library), change that to 'iTunes Music Library.xml' then the next temp file below that (which should be around 3Mb) to 'iTunes Library.itl', (iTunes needs to be closed for this) then reopen iTunes and you'll have your library back.

The problem will keep happening again, so I've just made a copy of both those files in, another folder, and every time it happens, just paste them back in to the right directory and re-open. It's a massive pain in the backside, but seems to be a temporary solution until someone (I suggest AVG) fixes it.

Progress Report: 1.5 days after uninstalling AVG & replacing with MSE my library & playlists are in tact.

You don't need to bother with the .xml file. iTunes rebuilds that every time from data in the .itl file. 😉

tt2

Just had it happen to me this morning for the first time. Running Windows 7 64, latest iTunes, and latest AVG. Got most of my stuff back by adding the iTunes folder back into the library, but lost my playlists and any settings.

Thought iTunes was pulling a very poor April fools joke! No doubt it will happen again.

Try renaming the *.tmp files in your root iTunes folder until you discover the one that has all your stuff.

Does anybody else have an AVG update done on 3/31/2013 about 5:30PM edt? iTunes is the same this morning as when I closed down last night.

No, but please keep posting updates, if AVG is fixed I very much want to go back...thanks!

I was in touch with AVG yesterday via the support forum, and my latest AVG update was a little after 8AM this morning - and my iTunes is still intact! I will have to eliminate the duplicates, but it's alive! Maybe they figured it out!? 🙂

My latest update is from about 8:30 this morning, too. All is still well. It's such a thrill! 😍

I replied to the "false alarm" report request with all the relevant details I could find, quoting from a couple of these posts where people suggested what the problem could be.

I stressed that many of us preferred to keep AVG, and that calling AVG for help had worked well in the past.

Sounds like lots of people have been getting in touch, and it was definitely worth the effort.

eta: Oops, spoke too soon. Reset again. 😟