Can I replace curent iTunes Music Library.xml with previous Windows based Library to restore some lost metadata?

OK,

I was away from the desktop for a few days, here's what I done so far:

I noticed an extra "iTunes Library.xml" file in the temporary file after moving the files to the new location, I guess that shouldn't matter, since it'll be deleted once we link the new library.

I've copied the four files up one level into the iTunes folder:

Album Artwork (Folder)

iTunes Library.itl

iTunes Library Extras.itdb

iTunes Library Genius.itdb and have ignored the .xml files.

It all made sense after I had some time to think about what we are doing, I was concerned about copying the actual files that contained the music, which is not what we're doing, we're copying the directory of where to find them in the properly organized new iTunes Media folder. If it all looks good to you, then all I have left to do is option start iTunes and link it to the Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl folder and it should sort itself out.

Thanks,

OK, I screwed something up : ((

Performed all the above actions, everything worked fine. Original library and metadata loaded. Went to add the content from the Media folder and now have duplicates of the original library and one copy of the new music.

In iTunes is used File>Add to Library>and used the new iTunes Media file:

What did I do wrong and can I fix it?

When I look in the file information, it looks like it added the iTunes Temporary File into the database, even though I had just selected iTunes Media?

Should I have selected "Music" instead" ? Is there an easy fix for this?

For Example:

Could I move the "iTunes Temp" file to the desktop, try to open iTunes and when it tell me it can't find the temp files, group the lost files together in iTunes by the ✖ (or whatever symbol appears), assuming they can be grouped that way and just mass delete them by selecting all, edit, delete?

Well, the above solution won't work either, because the "Temp" files contain the metadata now, I'm so confused.

So close, yet so far......

OK, here's where were at:

The good news, I can still load the entire current library from the iTunes/iTunes Temp/iTunes Library.itl file. Of course it is as we left it, the entire library without the "old" metadata. So at worst, we can return to where I began.

I can load the "old" library with the correct metadata when I option start iTunes and use the Music>iTunes>iTunes Library.itl file. There are no duplicates, it's just the old library without the newer songs that were in the iMac library. HOWEVER, the file location doesn't appear to be correct:

I have a sneaking suspicion on what may be the culprit: When the "old" library is option loaded into iTunes, the preferences are set as below:

"Keep iTunes Media folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" are both unchecked, which was the setting I was using under the "old" PC library.

When I option load the iTunes Temp .itl file, the preferences are set like this below:

Obviously there's a discrepancy in the settings between the versions. My question now is, what steps do you suggest I take to now straighten this out?

Should I option load the "old" library under Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl

Then open up preferences and change the settings and check the "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized" box? Should I leave the "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" unchecked or should I check them both? Once those boxes are checked, do I exit iTunes and restart it? I'm hoping that by checking the "Keep ITunes Media folder organzied" box, the music will all be in the correct file (Music/iTunes/iTunesMedia). I'm taking baby steps at this point to make sure I get it right. I'm not sure how to proceed, but I guess the good news is, I have that iTunes Temp folder to fall back on.

I can't thank you enough for your time, this is WAY more challenging than I had ever thought.

OK, this is what I have now:

I'm using the Music/iTunes/iTunes Libray .itl file for the iTunes Library.

This is the "old" PC library, without the new music on the iMac.

I've unchecked both "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library". The iTunes Media folder location is

/users/scottbrown/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media

So as you stated: "Your properly organized media folder is the one at /Users/scottbrown/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media"

So that is correct.

You also stated "The correct location for your active library file with respect to the media is /Users/scottbrown/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl."

That is the library I loaded as the .itl file, NOT the version from the iTunes Temp file. So that should be correct.

This is what (of many things) are confusing me: when I get information on the songs listed in the iTunes library, with the correct metadata, this is the location of the songs that I see. As you can see it's showing that it's coming from the iTunes Temp location, that can't be correct can it? Because we are going to delete the iTunes Temp folder after it accessed the song from the properly organized "Media" location? I just can't figure out why the file location is listed as the temporary location when clearly the above setting says "Music/iTunes/iTunes Media" ?

Now, one of the "new" songs from the iMac library NOT included in the library is located here:

When I click on on of the songs from that file, it appears in the library and plays, and it of course shows the "Media" file location. Now, if I click on a song that is already located in the library and click on it, it "adds" the duplicate file, because the source file for the library file is showing iTunes Temp, not iTunes Media. So I'm not sure how to proceed? Do I have to hand pick each missing song from the library and add them individually? That would get them all into the library, but I would still have two full libraries (iTunes Media and would have to keep the iTunes Temp file in there as well because the majority of the library is using that location as the route?

I'm getting close to the point of defaulting back to the starting point, all the songs located properly in iTunes Media and just giving up hope of merging the old data. I've taken up far too much of your time. If you have any ideas, of course, I'll try them : ))

Thanks

This machine is too smart for that 🙂

When I moved the files to my desktop, it immediately opened up and simply changed the file from:

Music/iTunes/iTunes Media to Music/iTunes/Desktop and found 'em all 👿

Actually it even found a few songs by finding them in the trash believe it or not, the file ended up with /trash/.....

???

You know, at this point (as I stated at the beginning of this mess....) I'm just glad I have ALL of my music in iTunes (Media). I am fine at this point and conceding complete and utter defeat about the metadata.

In order to restore my library to back to what will be the new normal, what steps should I take?

Do I delete the current library files under Music/iTunes/

Album Artwork (Folder)

iTunes Library.itl

iTunes Library Extras.itdb

iTunes Library Genius.itdb files, which are the "old" library files and replace them with the same named files from the iTunes Temp folder. Then just delete the whole iTunes Temp file, since it has the "old" file in it. (I still have a copy of the "old" library on an external drive if I ever need it)

I'm definitely ready to let it go.

Thanks 🙂

Or is it as simple as just changing the iTunes Media folder location to Music/iTunes/iTunes Media and then rechecking both the boxes below to keep iTunes organized and copy Media folder when adding. Once I have done that and double checked that everything is in it's place, trashing the whole "iTunes Temp" file?

That would be too easy !!