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\.
- Exit iTunes
- In Windows Explorer, go to the folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes
- Delete the following files:
- CD Info.cidb
- com.apple.iTunes.Gracenote.plist
- Restart iTunes
- Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote
If this doesn't work:
- In iTunes, select Edit > Preferences and make a note (or take a screenshot) of your preferences settings in all relevant tabs
- Exit iTunes
- In Windows Explorer, go to the folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes
- Delete the following file:
iTunesPrefs.xml
- Restart iTunes
- 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):
- Exit iTunes
- Check the following folders:
- C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes
- C:\Users\username\AppData\LocalLow\Apple Computer\iTunes
- Delete any copies of the following files:
- CD Info.cidb
- com.apple.iTunes.Gracenote.plist
- iTunesPrefs.xml
- Restart iTunes
- 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:
- Exit iTunes
- In Windows, select Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features. Find the entry for iTunes, right-click and select Repair.
- When this process has finished, restart iTunes
- Insert a CD and see if details are now correctly retrieved from Gracenote