All the content from my iTunes library has disappeared

Oh my! Thank's! This really solve my problem 🙂 Thank's man

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2

Hi tt2 - th is is Annie102. I cannot seem to find my original post from 5/5. At any rate, I printed out your response to my post about losing all music in my ITunes library and followed your suggestions as to how to try and recover/restore my music. What I really need to know is: you stated that all music that is already in the ITunes library should be remove;. then insert the copy of my previous library renamed, but that did not work. So, do I really need to remove/empty all music that is already in my ITunes library before I reinstall the copy of my previous library. Thanks, for your help.

You can track all your conversations from this link: annie102's discussions. We've talked earlier in this very thread...

The aim is not to remove any media, but to get iTunes connected to an older copy of your library database file that knew what was in your library's media folder, using the method given earlier.

Alternatively if you have a complete backup of the library elsewhere you can restore the iTunes Library.itl file from that. There should be no need to delete and then restore the media files themselves if they are already where they should be.

tt2

Oh - my luck that for some reason, my ITunes Library folder (the whole folder) does not have a complete older version of my music library in it anywhere. As of the date of my first post, I had already started importing my music from My Music folder manually. Ugh - not something I look forward doing, but as I did try following your instructions to no avail, I see that I have no choice but to manually re-import all my music from My Music Folder. Do you have any idea why this particular upgrade of ITunes lost my library, not only mine, but from what I am reading, a lot of people lost their libraries when they upgraded. Ugh..... ITunes really screwed up this time and BIG TIME!!!!😠

I'm back after a grueling 9 day week. I have read this whole post, and am prepared to begin the healing LOL ! I wanted to ask a few questions first, and explain futher my situation, so it is clear. I do have AVG, which expires in a few days. I have found one library in my computer that seems to have all my music, I found it in Previous Libraries. All my playlists are gone, though, as far as I can tell, when I double click on it and iTunes opens. But I see above, that even though I click on that file, iTunes may not be opening it, but rather some other more current one it prefers?????

Two events preceded this issue, of losing my songs. First, I got a new iPod Nano and upgraded to iTunes 11. Second, my boyfriend began using my computer to buy songs on iTunes so I could make him some cds for work. I tried to create a separate library for him, which I do see on my hard drive, but his songs are all mixed up in my library, and the separate playlist I created to contain his music when I saw this happening is gone.

Most of the music in my library has a cloud next to them. Some dont have anything, and somtimes some of them say, "waiting." I went in to preferences and unchecked "show itunes in the cloud purchases" and ALL my music went away. So I went back and checked it again. Now I see my songs, with clouds. Still no playlists.

I don't understand what this cloud is? I didn't pay for it, and didn't send my music there. Is it some new iTunes thing? Is it posible to just see my old, normal library? Can I retrieve my playlists?

Also, with my Nano, every time I plug it in to my computer, with iTunes on, all the playlists on it get wiped out and I have to start over, which is especialy a drag since none of my playlists exist in my iTunes library anymore.

I have my external drive ready to recive a backup iTunes library, but I don't know which one to choose, there seem to be so many, each dated. I am not sure if that .itl thing is something I should look for. I don't know if it's as simple as dragging a music file to my seagate? I also don't know what to do after backing up, and also, how to tell if my Nano is possesed and will continue to contribute to my problems.

I downloaded Sinctoy, so I assume that will help in some part of this process.

I have never had trouble with AVG but in this case, I would consider moving to another security system if it would help with this issue.

I haven't used iTunes regularly in the past, so all these changes are really throwing my off, now that I have plugged in as the casual user I am, and find so much trouble! Looks like there's lots of knowledgable folks here. Hope you can help me.

ps can someone give me info on why I can't print cd case inserts in iTunes 11? Used to do it easily, now all the songs are bunched together. I know, different thread. 😝 just thought I'd put it owt ther while my caffiene level is high!

To switch libraries, or create a new one, you need to press and hold down shift as you start iTunes. If iTunes opens normally close and try again. Double clicking on an .itl file doesn't necessarily open that library so you need to either copy/rename the file to replace the currently active library or use the shift-start-iTunes method.

Once you're restored the correct library file all your playlists will return.

Managing multiple devices via playlists is much easier than switching libraries.

The CD insert problem is a separate issue which will need to await a fix in the next build of iTunes.

tt2

I can't tell what happened in your particular case, however for many people just now AVG is the cause, and the fix of restoring an older library file is quite effective. Having a complete backup of your entire library (and indeed all other personal data) is the recommenced defense against problems.

tt2

My library vanished immediately after installing iTunes version 11. After I rebooted, it was gone. I use AVG and have for years. To my knowledge it has never done anything like this with other programs.

Indeed, and a vanished library immediately following an iTunes update is not entirely uncommon. The same recovery method given in this thread will normally work and usually only needs to be done once. Repeated vanishing of the library has also been associated with media tools supplied on Sony VAIO computers for many years, and it seems of late with AVG for some users. If the library goes missing and the iTunes folder is full of .tmp files third party interference is a reasonable conclusion.

tt2

An update. I have somehow managed to find my music, but only a fraction of it, and it seems to be connected to something called a cloud.

I'm not too sure if "managing multiple devices" will work. My playlists have gone with the wind. I re-created his twice and both times they all (including past ones) disappeared. I had also attempted to create a separate library for him. Now iTunes refers to it every time I download anything. Neither his nor mine have the various playlists I created. My iTunes library, even on my computer, does not have my ripped songs, either, I realize now. That's why so much of my library is gone. I don't know if any of my current libraries are worth backin up on my seagate, since they don't include the hundreds of ripped songs I had.

I believe that is because with the new iTunes cloud, it only save songs purchased from iTunes. I would have to purchase somthing called Match to have ripped music included in my iTunes library. $25/mo. I sure wish I could get all my ripped music back, as well as my playlists.

That bites.

Also, could you help me figure something out. I thought I better backup my music, and I see a variety of libraries from 4-2010 to 2-2013. They, as I said, only include purchased music. But anyway, how do I transfer them to my seagate?

Also, in iTunes, all my songs have a cloud on them. I only use my computer and my little nano to listen to music. Do I have to download all those songs again? They come up when I open my iTunes from my computer, but they all have a little cloud with an arrow, and when I click oni it they start downloading. I haven't figured out where they go or why.

I think I'll keep my AVG and move on to another music source after all this. I didn't know iTunes was going to start charging me to store my music (I refer to my ripped music.) And I don't know why all my playlists disappeared. My library was a mix of bought and ripped music.

Oh, just a word of advice to any who read this. Back up your music. All ALL my ripped music, ie music I downloaded to my iTunes account (and consequently my computer) from CDs is GONE. Just from upgrading to iTunes 11.

I am bummed.

can anyone help? or am I sol

I have explained that with iTunes 11 an "empty" library shows your cloud purchases. Restore a working library and it will link to the files that still exist, there is no need to redownload. Have you looked inside your media folder? All the files should still be there. If not restore them from your backup.

Please read what I wrote earlier. If you double-click on iTunes Library 2010-04-xx.itl expecting to see what it contains then you have the wrong (if understandable) expectation. To view the contents of an older library file you must either substitute it on the filepath of the current active library file, or use the shift-start-iTunes method to select it. If iTunes doesn't open with a prompt to Choose or Create a library you haven't used the method successfully. In addition, if the software that is causing the library to be deleted is still active then opening any older libray file may still present you with an "empty" library.

If doesn't matter how long you've been a happy AVG user. If AVG is causing this problem for you right now then it is AVG that is the problem. (A noticable increase in empty library syndrome started after an update to AVG's scan engine about 10 weeks ago.) I can conceive of a way to make iTunes more robust, effectively automating the process of backing up the active library on each startup and restoring if the file is missing, but that is neither here nor there. I don't get to tweak the code. Nor does it detract from the fact that if you uninstalled the trigger program the problem would stop happening.

iTunes doesn't store your ripped music unless you opt in to the paid-for iTunes Match service. Even then it is no substitute for a local backup.

Assuming I'm correct, AVG is effectively deleting your library's database on occasion. That is the "why". It's not intentional, it just happens to be the case. The solution is to switch AV packages, put up with it, or use a different media manager. Entirely up to you.

tt2

Are you saying iTunes can show my ripped music as well as my cloud music? If this is true, I will attempt to do that file name changing stuff you suggest on the first page. My impression was that I had to buy the Match in order to have ripped music included in my library.

I appologize for my ignorance, and thankyou for your patience. You have helped a lot of people with these issues!

UPDATE

I was successful in opening an older iTunes library! There are alllll my ripped albums!!!!! I am so happy. It's from 2012 I think, and my more current playlists are still gone, but I am so happy I finally figured out out to use that "hold down the shift" button thing. I was sure I lost all my old music.

Now, please, give me a link that can walk me through backing this up to my external hard drive so I never have to go through this search again. I don't know why this library didn't show up when I clicked on "previous iTunes libraries" before... only when I held down the shift key.

Since you've used the hold-down-shift method to open an older library you'll find that it works, but iTunes has now created some more support files in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder. A backup will be more effective (and more importantly portable) if the working library file is in the main iTunes folder and called iTunes Library.itl with the media in iTunes\iTunes Media. This is the reason for detailing the file renaming & copying operations at the outset. Now that you've found a file to use, copy it to where it should be, give it the correct name, then shift-start-iTunes to connect to it. Note if you don't see the .itl extension then don't include it when renaming files.

I included this backup tip in the original post. 😉

tt2

There's two listings for the library I want, 2013-02-10 One has a little square notepad next to it, the other has a musical note. Which is the one I want to copy and rename? And where's the iTunes folder you refer to? Should I create one named that?

Also I don't see anything with .itl after it...

Here's your instructions so I don't have to go from one window to the other.

Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes