crusader
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Music Library not showing up

By mistake, Unbeknownst to me, I put iTunes Library.itl  ITunes Library Extras.itdb   and iTunes Library Genius icons all in the trash. I did not throw them out luckily. Turned on Itunes at a later time and had NOTHING in my Library window, plus a different looking interface. I had version 10.5.2 which I was happy with and had no desire to upload a newer version.

 

I fished the icons out of the trash and put thenm back in the ITUNES folder within my Music folder under Users.

 

Still no library appearing in Itunes interface...but all my music is still in folders on my hard drive.

 

Anybody got an easy fix?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Dec 19, 2013 7:28 AM

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crusader

Q: Music Library not showing up

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Dec 19, 2013 7:33 AM in response to crusader
    Level 9 (54,628 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 19, 2013 7:33 AM in response to crusader

    iTunes created new .itl etc. files when it found the ones were missing, but of course it didn't populate it with your media. iTunes doesn't actively look for media, it uses the .itl file to tell it what you have in your library as you add things.  Anyway, if you put the files back exactly where they belong iTunes should appear correctly.  You will probably have to replace empty versions that iTunes put there when it was restarted after the trashing action.  If you look at the file size you can tell tell trashed one has a lot more in it than the one iTunes created.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

  • by crusader,

    crusader crusader Dec 19, 2013 8:09 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 19, 2013 8:09 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks, but the new ITunes Library.itl that was created seems to be the only one anywhere on my computer know...I'm baffled. Any way I can retrieve the .itl from yesterday? Don't think Time Machine is active...

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Dec 19, 2013 8:17 AM in response to crusader
    Level 9 (54,628 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 19, 2013 8:17 AM in response to crusader

    You said, "I did not throw them out luckily," which I took to mean you did not empty the trash.  They should still be in the trash and you can drag them back.

     

    Is there a .xml copy of the library file from pre-trash times?  The library.itl and .xml are the two files that contain your library information.  If those are gone and you have no backup then you will have to rebuild the library by dragging the media folder to Automatically Add To iTunes and start rebuilding your playlists, etc.

  • by crusader,

    crusader crusader Dec 19, 2013 8:23 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 19, 2013 8:23 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks for the help but I didn't empty the trash, and when I dragged them back to Itunes folder a message said do you want to replace newwer with older, I chose older, but for some reason the Library .itl seems to be the new empty document...

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Dec 19, 2013 8:32 AM in response to crusader
    Level 9 (54,628 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 19, 2013 8:32 AM in response to crusader

    Check file sizes, creation and modifcation dates, etc.  Are you sure the old one got back into that folder?

     

    You shouldn't have to do this but try holding down the option key while starting iTunes, then guide iTunes to the location of that new (old) library file in the iTunes folder.

  • by crusader,

    crusader crusader Dec 20, 2013 8:03 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 20, 2013 8:03 PM in response to Limnos

    OK back again a day later. Went to the Apple Store Genius bar for help, but gal at counter said she wasn't a DATA person.Nevertheless, we did the option lauch Itunes trick and restored my library to an older version from 2012. Just couldn't seem to find my current .itl anywhere. She then told me when I went home to just add any new music folders to the the newly loaded library.library.

     

    I thought, ok I've just lost my playlists from the past year and a half but my music files are all there, because when I looked last night, all the new music I have burned and dowloaded for the past year seemed to be living in folders on my hard drive. I saw them all there last night!

     

    Got home from Genius bar, opened Itunes, opened my Itunes Music folder, selected all, and added them to the library. When all the loading finished, I went in to look and loh and behold, all my new music is no where to be found, and no where to be found on a search of my computer.

     

    This makes no sense to me. If I copy a music file off a CD into Itunes, isn't an mp3 file then created that lives on my hard drive? Where did all these music files I imported over the past year go. The CD from just a few days ago?

     

    So now I have an Itunes library from 2012. Is there anywhere to finf my library.itl from 3 days ago anywhere in the bowels of my computer? Any kind of 'attic' like Final Cut Pro, I don't know about? And just where did all the new music from the past year go?

     

     

    HELP, somebody!!!!!!

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Dec 21, 2013 6:25 AM in response to crusader
    Level 9 (54,628 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 21, 2013 6:25 AM in response to crusader

    Download the EasyFind utility  (I run a 12 year old computer so I can't tell you anything like how to find it on the App Store -- maybe it isn't there).  Do a search for files ending in .itl. If they are on your drive it will find them.

     

    Yes, when ripping a CD it will put a file in some format (depends upon your rip[ settings) on your drive.

     

    No idea if/why you are losing files on your drive.  Some not-infrequent claims by people this is happening but in reality they changed some setting and the files are still there.  I run an old-fachioned simpler version of iTunes (version 7.5) and I have never truly lost a file.  Anyway, this is why you need to back up your computer to at least one independent drive.

  • by crusader,

    crusader crusader Dec 21, 2013 7:38 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 21, 2013 7:38 AM in response to Limnos

    Tried Easyfind. The itl I need is long gone...

     

    Found the missing music files. Itunes has stuck them all in a folder called Unknown Artist. Songs titles and # of where they appear on their CD is all that is listed. That is how they are ordered in the folder. Al the #1 songs, then all the #2 songs. Yuck.However, there is no album title or artist title associated with each song. Also, all of these files in the UNKNOWN ARTIST folder are WAV format, yet all my other thousands of songs are mp3...strange.

     

    Been reading other posts on how to now to organize this folder. A complete pain in ***. Doesn't appear to be a simple solution for this.

     

    Usually back up my whole computer every 3 months. Hadn't done it in 6 months...and the external drive designated for Time Machine hasn't been attached in awhile...