itunes

The "not recognized for on-line use" error is associated with the Gracenote service that iTunes uses to look up and retrieve metadata for CDs. Some users have reported that this error occurs when trying to import from CD, subsequent to upgrading to version 12 (though the number of reports has reduced significantly since 12.1 was released). A number of slightly different solutions have been reported (though all of a similar nature).

Try walking through the following steps - before starting you may have to enable hidden files and folders to be viewed. In Windows Explorer (assuming Windows 7 or 8):

• Select Organize > Folder and search options
• Select the View tab
• Select the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option, then click OK.

Without this you won't see the AppData folder in C:\Users\username\.

1. Exit iTunes
2. In Windows Explorer, go to the folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes
3. Delete the following files:
   • CD Info.cidb
   • com.apple.iTunes.Gracenote.plist
4. Restart iTunes
5. Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote

If this doesn't work:

1. In iTunes, select Edit > Preferences and make a note (or take a screenshot) of your preferences settings in all relevant tabs
2. Exit iTunes
3. In Windows Explorer, go to the folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes
4. Delete the following file:

   iTunesPrefs.xml

5. Restart iTunes
6. Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote

If this second procedure does work, you'll need to restore other iTunes preferences settings to those that you noted in step 1. If this one didn't work (and most people have reported that the problem is fixed by one of the two procedures above):

1. Exit iTunes
2. Check the following folders:
   • C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes
   • C:\Users\username\AppData\LocalLow\Apple Computer\iTunes
3. Delete any copies of the following files:
   • CD Info.cidb
   • com.apple.iTunes.Gracenote.plist
   • iTunesPrefs.xml
4. Restart iTunes
5. Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote

Again, if this procedure does work, you'll need to restore other iTunes preferences settings to those that you noted in step 1 of the second procedure. If you're still not able to retrieve CD info:

1. Exit iTunes
2. In Windows, select Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features. Find the entry for iTunes, right-click and select Repair.
3. When this process has finished, restart iTunes
4. Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote

Press the WinLogoKey+R

Type in %appdata% and press return - this should take you to C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Roaming

Double-click on Apple Computer

Double-click on iTunes

Delete the files CD Info.cidb and com.apple.iTunes.Gracenote.plist if found.

If that doesn't work try deleting iTunesPrefs.xml. If you delete the last one make sure to check/reset your preferences in iTunes.

If that still hasn't fixed things try looking for parallel files in the C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local or C:\Users\<User>\AppData\LocalLow folders in case a corrupt file is persisting there.

If that still hasn't help you could try renaming the various iTunes folders within AppData as iTunes Old, again check your preferences after starting iTunes.

See also Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates. In some cases a full tear down and rebuild may be needed.

<edit>Or use hhgttg27's notes above. 🙂 </edit>

tt2