paulovng
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: I lost my playlists with itunes 12.2.0.145. Is it possible to arrange this?

I have years of work organizing my playlists and with the last update of itunes my playlists do not appear! How is this possible? How can I fix this? Can anyone please help me?

iMac, iOS 8.4

Posted on Jul 2, 2015 3:01 PM

by Freedspeak,Solvedanswer
Freedspeak Freedspeak
Level 1 (10 points)
A:

After spending a couple hours dealing with this same issue last night (and I didn't elect to do the update, Apple FORCED it on me because they want everyone using Apple Music), I found this solution: 12.2.0 disaster

 

-Quit iTunes

--Start iTunes while holding down the Option(Alt) key.

--A window comes up with an option for "Choose Library".  Click that.

--Navigate to your iTunes folder, which should be in the Music folder on your hard drive

--Find the folder that says "Previous iTunes Libraries"

--Click the .itl file dated today, or the very most recent one you can find before you updated, and click on it.

 

Problem for me is that my last itl file was in December, so everything I have done to iTunes in the last 6 months was lost.  I had to redownload all of my purchases, go find all my non-iTunes mp3's from the last 6 months, and my playlists and updates to song details (year, composer, etc) all have to be redone.  This is DAYS worth of work that I have to do all because Apple couldn't keep their pants on about this stupid Apple Music service.  So let's recap:

1) Apple forced an update on me

2) It caused me to lose 6 months of iTunes work

3) I called them, spent 15 minutes waiting to speak to someone about this, explained the situation, he put me on hold twice, then came back on with a "senior level tech" who promptly hung up on me (accidentally or not, who know) and no one attempted to call me back (even though I gave my number up front)

4) Apple makes good products (most of the time), but the company is horrible.

Posted on Jul 9, 2015 3:09 AM

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paulovng

Q: I lost my playlists with itunes 12.2.0.145. Is it possible to arrange this?

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 2, 2015 3:14 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 9 (54,635 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 2, 2015 3:14 PM in response to paulovng

    ASC user turingtest2 help document: Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6561

     

    Here are the two main methods. Method 1 does revert your library list (but not media files) to the state it was at the time of the last iTunes update but is probably better if you just updated the iTunes application and are having problems.  Method 2 is best if you have not recently updated iTunes but are willing to accept loss of some metadata.

     

    1) iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201561 - These instructions have you open iTunes with an old iTunes library file archived at the time you last updated iTunes.  This will revert your library content list and appearance to what it was at the date of the last iTunes update. Newer media not in this list will still be in your media folder and you can re-add these as new items by dragging your media folders to the Automatically Add To iTunes folder.

     

    A method 1 shortcut that seems to work with more recent iTunes versions - https://discussions.apple.com/message/28484935#28484935 - However, I have not tried this and would want to make sure it didn't start creating additional files and folders inside the "previous libraries" folder that doing things the official way would avoid.

     

    2) If you don't see your content after updating iTunes - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203225 - These instructions use a trimmed-down version of your library file to rebuild your primary library file. You lose some metadata (ratings, play count, date added) but the listing should be fairly up to date.

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 2, 2015 3:21 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2015 3:21 PM in response to Limnos

    I don't have itunes library.xml file in my music folder. Just a library.itl?!

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jul 2, 2015 3:31 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 10 (88,143 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 2, 2015 3:31 PM in response to paulovng

    Both the .itl and .xml files ought to be in ~/Music/iTunes, unless you relocated the library at some point in which case you should know where to look. Have you located the Previous iTunes Libraries folder inside that?

     

    tt2

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 2, 2015 3:34 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 9 (54,635 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 2, 2015 3:34 PM in response to paulovng

    What is the creation date of that .itl?  If it is very recent it is the blank version.  You need to use an older version (or one from a recent backup is better).

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 2, 2015 3:36 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2015 3:36 PM in response to turingtest2

    I don't have any .xml file in my iTunes library! I didn't relocate my library. I always try to believe in Apple and never change the place of things... Probably the update deleted my .xml file?!

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 2, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Limnos

    Yes Limnos. I should have a backup, but two weeks ago I had a problem with my external disks and I didn't expect to have a problem like this with an itunes update!....

     

    One more bad work from Apple! I'm really disappointed! Considering that probably I'll lost my library, I hope to find an alternative to iTunes, as Apple is obligating me to do with Aperture and how did some years ago with iweb...

     

    So unhappy with Apple!!!

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jul 2, 2015 3:46 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 10 (88,143 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 2, 2015 3:46 PM in response to paulovng

    When iTunes updates any of its files it appears to write out a new temporary copy, then delete the original, then rename the temporary copy so that it takes its place. The .xml file is provided for third party software to use. It doesn't really matter, iTunes will rebuild the file when it runs.

     

    Take a look at Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash. If iTunes opens at all then there must be an active .itl file. You can find out where this is by option-starting-iTunes. As part of the upgrade to iTunes 12 your old pre-upgrade library would have been archived in a Previous iTunes Libraries folder and used to construct a new library file compatible with the new release of the software. If this process is interrupted the library may be incomplete after the upgrade. Restoring the previous library file in the way suggested should make the upgrade process happen again, hopefully successfully this time.

     

    tt2

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 2, 2015 3:49 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 9 (54,635 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 2, 2015 3:49 PM in response to paulovng

    Each computer is different.  If you do not have good backups stay away from any kind of radical changes to your computer.  It is impossible for software programmers to test under the configurations of every single computer in the world.  Although you see many problem posts on this forum it is like being in a hospital on the first snowy day of the year.  More than the usual number of incidents but there's still millions of people out there who handled it without issue.

     

    All that said, do you have any other copies of a .itl file?  How about in Previous libraries?

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 2, 2015 3:56 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2015 3:56 PM in response to turingtest2

    I did option-starting-itunes and the playlist appeared! However all the musics inside the playlists are not playable? The music lists are in gray color and I can't play them! Any suggestion?

     

    Thanks!

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jul 2, 2015 4:33 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 10 (88,143 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 2, 2015 4:33 PM in response to paulovng

    That sounds like you're looking at the playlists on a synced device.

     

    tt2

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 2, 2015 4:41 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2015 4:41 PM in response to turingtest2

    What in fact is not happening..... 

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jul 2, 2015 5:20 PM in response to paulovng
    Level 10 (88,143 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 2, 2015 5:20 PM in response to paulovng

    Are you an iTunes Match subscriber?

    Do the songs play in the main music section of the library?

     

    tt2

  • by paulovng,

    paulovng paulovng Jul 3, 2015 12:56 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2015 12:56 AM in response to turingtest2

    I'm not an itunes match subscriber. In fact I just want a decent music player in my mac. All the other features are secondary and only can be important if my playlists work well....

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jul 3, 2015 3:24 AM in response to paulovng
    Level 10 (88,143 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 3, 2015 3:24 AM in response to paulovng

    I can only suggest that you review the different .itl library files that are available to you. Don't engage the iCloud Music Library. And when you find a library file that works properly back it up, along with your media.

     

    tt2

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