How do you restore iTunes v10 backup (on DVDs) onto iTunes v11?

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How do you restore iTunes v10 backup (on DVDs) onto iTunes v11?

On Windows XP, I backed up my iTunes v10.1 library to DVDs, then did a fresh install of WinXP and the current iTunes v11.1. I authorized the new iTunes and inserted disc 1 of my iTunes backup, but I get no dialog to restore (tried the last disc in the backup set as well), nor can I find any restore options in the menus. I also have a full system backup from old WinXP system, if needed. Any help would be appreciated. One of the reasons I instigated this is because I could not upgrade IOS v4.3 on my 4th gen iPod Touch because I couldn't upgrade iTunes on my WinXP system (would get server not found error).

iPod touch, iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Jan 3, 2014 11:05 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

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Jan 3, 2014 1:03 PM in response to Kai Fai

Hopefully you can extract the entire iTunes folder from the music folder of your profile within the full system backup that you have. iTunes no longer supports backup to CD and I suppose it is possible that the restore function has been removed too.

tt2

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Answer 2

Kai Fai Author

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Jan 3, 2014 2:11 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks ... yes I can easily do that. Do you know if there are any files in the new v11 iTunes folder that I need to preserve, or can I just overwrite all files (I'll first make a copy of the new v11 folder just to be safe). Also, out of curiousity, do you know if there would have been a better path for me to take, given I was not able to update iTunes v10 in-place?

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Answer 3

turingtest2

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Jan 3, 2014 2:51 PM in response to Kai Fai

You should delete the current iTunes folder in <User's Music> before restoring the backup into that folder. There is a hidden preference file that controls folder structure that might otherwise be wrong, and the new library would have created some stub folders for cached artwork which would be redundant.

if iTunes won't update then tearing out all Apple components, rebooting, and reinstalling usually works. If there are still problems there is an MSI cleanup tool that sometimes helps.

Going forward see this backup tip.

tt2

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Answer 4

Kai Fai Author

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Jan 4, 2014 10:59 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks, this did the trick! Had some permissions issues with the IOS upgrade which I figured out, but the library itself snapped right in when I started iTunes. Still, it boggles my mind that Apple would drop support for a backup/restore feature from one version to the next. I could see them dropping the backup but leaving the restore capabilities in for a version or two, but to do what they did is unconscionable in my mind.

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Answer 5

turingtest2

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272,743 points

Jan 4, 2014 11:15 AM in response to Kai Fai

While I have a certain degree of sympathy with your position, the backup to CD/DVD feature was removed with iTunes 10.4 back in July 2011 resulting in a fairly small collection of "where's the backup feature gone?" posts at the time. Somewhere in the two and half years since then they have quietly dropped support for restoring from disc and I'm fairly sure yours is the first and only post I've seen where someone has been caught out. You will have been one of very few people actually making use of this feature, most take no backups at all, a fact which I am reminded of daily on these forums. 😮

tt2

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