Why did iTunes 11.1 (126) delete all (SEVERAL HUNDRED) Podcasts?

Still don't have my few 100 eps. of Doug Loves Movies back. I'm just going to flat out say I want to punch someone square in the jaw repeatedly for this lazy update.

I just had the same thing happen. I had to rescue over 10 GBs from my Time Capsule. I added them back manually, then tried to re-sync. iTunes proceded to delete the podcasts again. I'm now keeping them separate until they release an update to fix this.

Since the Music app in iOS 7 no longer supports podcasts, I now have to sync with the podcast app, which I have avoided for some time, since it won't display episode descriptions while playing, and has lousy support for paid podcasts (which most of mine are). I was hoping to spend tonight exploring iOS 7. Instead I'm spending it being aggravated.

ElisaSD, a lot of people have indeed lost their podcats when upgrading to 11.1. I lost all previous played episodes of my podcasts, but not the unplayed ones. They're no longer on my computer or even in the trash.

A lot of people aren't following the directions about adding to the iTunes library.

I too despaired when my podcasts all disappeared. Wiped out. Couldn't find them.

I haven't seen anyone in any of these threads describe the process that the link I posted said to use.

It realy does work--try it rather than telling me that what you did, didn't work.

Yes all my podcasts have been deleted, some of them aren't available to redownload on the itunes store too.. SOme are backed up, but the ones that aren't is there anythign that can be done? This sort of bug really does stink.

No, ElisaSD, it does not work. This only adds back podcasts that were in your podcast folder inside your iTunes music folder. For many of us, they are no longer on the Mac AT ALL. As in they are completely obliterated from existence. iTunes didn't simply remove them from the iTunes library, it removed them from the hard drive.

Apple has been going downhill for some time now. Every new version of iTunes is ******** than the last. Time to abandon ship.

Have you tried to play any of them? Mine showed back up, but when you go to play them it says that original file cannot be found. When you check the folder, it isn't there. I can't begin to tell you how upset I am about all this.

I'm also having the problem of deleting the ones I already listened to that showed back up.

What the heck is going on with this?!?!?!?! I'm beyond frustated. Losing the thumbnail option was bad enough. This is a nightmare!!!!!!

ElissaSD, I'm afraid it's true that several people are losing the files completely. Doing a search for the files separately shows that they are gone from the drive. I've been hit with this as well, and right now my only recourse is to re-download the files (when they are available) and storing them on a separate system until a fix is produced for this.

While many of these shows are available via "the cloud" that is not an acceptable solution if I wish to have local copies of the shows.

Additionally, I did perform the steps in the article and did not find the desired solution. The files were no longer there.

"It realy does work--try it rather than telling me that what you did, didn't work." -ElisaSD

I hadn't tried it because I had manually checked the folders in the instructions and they were indeed empty. But just for gits and shiggles (because you were so adamant), I tried it and of course it didn't work - as I already knew, the files weren't there to be imported.

Just because you had a certain problem with a certain solution doesn't mean it works for everyone. I appreciate that you shared that potential fix in the first place, but your follow-up responses come across as condescending.

Not only did iTunes 11.1 delete my previously played podcasts, but I restored them from a backup last night and AGAIN iTunes deleted them today. Again, totally deleted. Not secretly in a folder to be added to library or sitting in the trash - they are totally gone.

And for the record, Podcasts are set to "Keep: All".

I've been able to back up and restore some of the podcasts I'd lost, and turingtest2's suggestions do work if you have the previous libraries available. At the least, unchecking the sync option does appear to work in terms of once you rebuild your podcast library.

UNchecking sync and using a previous library seemed to work for me. At least, no more deletions. Now however iTunes has decided that alphabetical order for your podcasts is no longer an option... strange.

Yeah, I tend to use the list view which is OK but the order of the left hand column in "My Podcasts" currently eludes me. It's also got doubled listings for series I'd previously managed to merge together. Grrr...

tt2

I must have synched my iPod Classic just before I upgraded to iTunes 11 (and not since) because it still has a lot of my missing podcasts (which I synch to it). Since the iTunes upgrade I have lost a lost of podcast files. Unfortunately, I keep my iTunes library on an external drive (due to size), which I do not back up with Time Machine. So, as far as I know, the only place these missing files exist is on my iPod Classic, which I dare not synch again for fear of losing them comepletely. Any way for me to get these files off my iPod and back into my iTunes library?

I can honestly say that I am another person who has lost a LOT of podcasts due to 11.1. Before I even searched on here, I knew to go look in the folder where they were stored. They just are NOT there at all!!! There is no way to get them back because I never backed them up. That whole iTunes music folder is just WAY too big for me to back up. I don't have that kinda cash for that kinda drive. I guess that is another problem due to blow up in my face if Google Music ever gets shut down. That is the only place I have all my music synced to. This really *****!

Re: the order of the left hand column in "My Podcasts": I'm not sure where that order comes from, but it is possible to manually drag them into your chosen order (alphabetical in my case). That order does seem to "stick" (although newly added podcasts may need to be moved), and fortunately, the same order seems to sync across to the iOS Podcasts app. So far, at least, I've only had to do this once, even if that one time was a headache.