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

For those looking for alternatives... there is still Zune. I thought Zune had been discontinued but apparently the user base demanded it back so it is available for download - v. 4.8. This is more stable on windows 7 64 bit than gPodder so I installed this instead of gpodder. It lacks a playlist option for video podcasts but otherwise is acceptable. The migration was pretty painless and it integrates well with other MS products.. It works with X-box. I can't say how well since I don't have X-box but apparently that will keep the product alive. I did not make use of their cloud system. Once burned, twice shy. 🙂

I revived my old laptop with its old installation of iTunes so I can still load my ipod. I made sure no software updates are allowed for iTunes so it is rolled back several versions. LOL. I now use the old laptop - Dell Precision M60 with XP pro - as my downstairs computer so it is better than taking up closet space. It still also does a great job of playing DVDs and vodcasts.

I also tried out Noopod - a good basic podcatcher. It does download and update fast so has some plus features for those with slow connections. Lacks a lot of features we've become accustomed to but is safer than itunes..

About media kind change. Perhaps it can work as a workaround for this particular bug in iTunes. However my friend experienced Audible audiobook erase in previous version of iTunes update. And media kind change can confuse iTunes later since this program has associations to the media kind.

Regarding settings. I have about 10 different Apple products in my house: iphones, ipods, ipads and tv's. Shoud I go around and change settings in all of them? It is insane. I agree that the synchronization is an evil that Apple cannot handle. They mixed up Master-Slave device relationships and got lost in those relationships. Who is a master who is a slave? Who knows? Now in addition to iOS7 update I deny apple tv fw updates since I have a general concern about apple software stability and connection to iCloud.

And iPhone RF reception (3G, WiFi, GSM) got worse in iPhone 5 in comparison with iPhone 4. .. It is a different story... Yeah, what can we do? We are probably a small community who can only start looking for a better solutions...

I didn't know about the Podcast deletion problem until now. I updated iTunes on my PC the other day and this morning when I went to look at some Podcasts episodes in my library it deleted a couple of my Podcasts before my eyes. They were there and then a couple seconds later they were gone. I had several years worth of files deleted for no apparanet reason just like many of you. So today I found this thread.

I can testify to the fact that the latest version of itunes 11.1.2 still has the bug.

I can't begin to express the Anger I feel today. I used to Love Apple now, well.....

This is just one issue out of several serious issues I have experienced since about the time IOS 7 came out.

I called Apple and of course they don't seem to know much about it. They are supposed to look into it and call me back.

Sorry, just twigged (again) that this thread is hosted in iTunes for Mac and the file recovery tool above is for Windows. With luck you set up TimeMachine, otherwise I hope you can find a Mac equivalent.

tt2

All platforms are affected by this bug. I use windows and all the symptoms described in this thread are applied to windows platform as well. It does not make sense to create multiple threads for the same bug.

Has anyone upgraded to Mavericks? If so, has it added any further problems beyond the ones discussed here? I heard it makes syncing from the computer to the mobile device worse by forcing you to use iCloud. Someone else said you can still sync directly from computer to mobile device as long as you use a physical cable.

Posting this here because 1) another case of data deletion due to use of an Apple upgrade, 2) this answers August Berkshire's question, even if he/she doesn't use this particular software, and 3) THIS is the response Apple should have done:

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/31/western-digital-warns-external-hard-drive-cu stomers-over-mavericks-data-loss/

Dear WD Registered Customer,

As a valued WD customer we want to make you aware of new reports of Western Digital and other external HDD products experiencing data loss when updating to Apple's OS X Mavericks (10.9). WD is urgently investigating these reports and the possible connection to the WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications. Until the issue is understood and the cause identified, WD strongly urges our customers to uninstall these software applications before updating to OS X Mavericks (10.9), or delay upgrading. If you have already upgraded to Mavericks, WD recommends that you remove these applications and restart your computer.

The WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager, and WD SmartWare software applications are not new and have been available from WD for many years, however solely as a precaution WD has removed these applications from our website as we investigate this issue.

Sincerely,

Western Digital

Beware the poisoned Apple!

iTunes 11.1.3 is up.

"This version of iTunes resolves an issue where the equalizer may not work as expected and improves performance when switching views in large iTunes libraries. This update also includes additional minor bug fixes."

Still no mention of the deleting podcasts/music issue, so not encouraged. If any bold person tests this version, let us all know the results.

BEWARE! Same podcasts problems in 11.1.3. My library had been stable for a few days, but iTunes deleted 3/4 of my old podcasts again today.

This is insane! The worst thing you can do as a programmer is destroy user data!

Apple... You're really hosing it up lately.

Well, I guess that explains the sudden increase in my available disk space. I'm yet another victim of the "iTunes ate my podcast collection" bug. Beyond outraged -- I've lost years worth of podcasts. Hopefully they're still on my backup.

How Apple could have missed this is bizarre. I would consider this a fireable screw-up - hopefully someone's going to pay for the collected inconveniencing hundreds of (previously) loyal Apple customers.

How Apple could have missed this is bizarre.

What really makes me angry is that they missed this bug ON 4 SEPARATE UPDATES!

Anyway, I just came in to say; I'm also adding the iOS iTunes U app to the list of Apple products I'm not updating for these same concerns. Again, trust issues. So, if you use the new updated app, check your libraries. Let us know if something else goes wrong.

Two tweets from Richard Dawkins this AM may have hit on what is happening at Apple in general including its iTunes app. ....

Is Apple downgrading software on their REAL computers for the sake of compatibility with iPads etc? http://bit.ly/1bzpAlF

"Customise Presenter Display" was most useful part of Keynote http://bit.ly/1bzpAlF Can't BELIEVE Apple have cut it from latest upgrade?

Elisa,

I apologize that I have not read all 9 pages of this thread, but I did try your suggestion. I first had to restore all of my podcasts from my Time Machine, but I could not import an entire folder from iTunes (on my Mac). It would only let me add individual podcasts...and I have hundreds of them.

There was a suggestion that if you moved your iTunes library to another location before updating iTunes, updated itunes, then switched off the syncing behavior, then moved your iTunes library back that it wouldn't delete all your files. Has anyone tried this? Did it work? I thought I saw some mention in this thread that someone had done this, but then the next iTunes update changed the default and deleted all their files again.

I also saw someone say that moving the podcasts out of your podcast folder into your music folder didn't solve this problem?

Has anyone figured out a workaround? I can't update my iDevices to iOS7 because of this issue.

Still no response or fix from Apple, I'm assuming that they don't consider this a bug. I may have purchased my last iDevice.