Why doesn't itunes recognize my library

Question

Level 1

11 points

Why doesn't itunes recognize my library

I'm on the latest Yosemite, the latest iOS on iPhone 5s. None of my purchased music is showing only matched songs from the cloud. All of my podcasts, apps, ebooks etc. are blank with a link to get started to add new ones.

In Finder, Music/iTunes/iTunes Music + /iTunes Library.itl + /Mobile Apps etc. are all still there, all 35Gigs of it. The mobile apps are all there as well as the music.

When I plug in my phone, instead of showing up with what I named it, it shows up with generic iPhone 5s. When I sync it, it takes a few seconds and mostly only download diagnostics and finishes up immediately. All my apps are intact and running when called for on the phone.

I tried starting iTunes with the option key and selected the iTunes Music folder but it still opens with just songs in the cloud. Of course, I tried logging out/in.

Hope I gave you enough info. What happened and what should I be checking to resolve this?

MacBook Pro (17-inch Mid 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Jul 25, 2015 10:32 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 10:54 AM in response to Tom Willis

Back up all data.

As a test, please move the iTunes library folder from the Music folder (or wherever you keep it in your home folder) to the Desktop. If you've moved the library folder to another volume, unmount the volume.

Quit and relaunch the application. It may prompt you to create a new library, or to select an existing one. Create a new one and import a few tracks. Test.

After testing, quit again and put the original library back where it was, replacing the test library. Post your results.

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Answer 2

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 11:04 AM in response to Linc Davis

I don't follow, what am I testing?

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 11:10 AM in response to Tom Willis

You're testing to see whether the library is corrupt.

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Answer 4

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 11:24 AM in response to Linc Davis

I moved the file" iTunes Library.itl" to the desktop. Relaunched iTunes but instead of prompting for a new or existing, it asked if I want to ⬇︎

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 11:53 AM in response to Tom Willis

That's not what I suggested. If you prefer to solve the problem your own way, that's fine. Otherwise, click the Support link at the top of this page.

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Answer 6

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 11:57 AM in response to Linc Davis

I thought I did what you said. I actually did move the entire file the first time and then thought misread what you said so I reported to you what I did the second time, which turned out exactly both times what I reported.

You sound a bit like you are chastising me? Maybe it's the way you write. Otherwise if you don't want to help me, ok.

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 1:57 PM in response to Tom Willis

What happened when you moved the whole folder and launch iTunes?

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Answer 8

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 2:51 PM in response to Linc Davis

It opens without any question and is in the same state as originally stated, namely: iCloud music matches, no purchased music, no apps, books, etc.

It didn't do what you said it should.

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Answer 9

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 5:25 PM in response to Tom Willis

How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists

Rebuilding an iTunes Library: How to Do It & What to Expect

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Answer 10

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 7:32 PM in response to Linc Davis

All these documents refer to there being a .xml file. There isn't and never was one. I went back in Time Machine to well before the last update (7/13/15) when it was working just fine and no iTunes Library.xml.

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Answer 11

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 25, 2015 7:50 PM in response to Tom Willis

In the Apple Support article linked above, follow the instructions in Step 4.

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Answer 12

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 9:58 PM in response to Linc Davis

There's still no iTune Match button or Store menu item, no audio books (don't know where they are stored), podcasts, TV shows.

I'm so over this, why would a simple update cause me all these headaches so I end up with a compromised iTunes?

How can I restore it all before this last update so that my play counts and history on the songs are still intact because none of that's there now.

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Answer 13

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 25, 2015 10:01 PM in response to Tom Willis

And my phone doesn't sync nor does it have the name I gave it.

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Answer 14

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Jul 26, 2015 11:18 AM in response to Tom Willis

Read this whole message before doing anything.

Back up all data.

Quit iTunes if it’s running.

Step 1

Hold down the option key and select

Go ▹ Library

from the Finder menu bar. Move the following items from the Library folder to the Trash, if they exist:

Application Support/SyncServices

Caches/com.apple.iTunes

Caches/QCCompositionRepository-com.apple.iTunes.cache

Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService

Saved Application State/com.apple.iTunes.savedState

Leave the Library folder open. Try iTunes again. If it works now, stop here. Close the Library folder.

Step 2

If you still have problems, quit iTunes again. Go back to the Finder and move the following item from the open Library folder to the Desktop:

iTunes

Note: you are not moving the iTunes application or the iTunes library. You’re moving a folder named “iTunes.” Test. If iTunes now works, delete the iTunes folder on the Desktop. Otherwise, quit iTunes again. Put back the folder you moved, overwriting the newer one that may have been created in its place, and continue.

Step 3

In the Preferences subfolder, there may be several files having names that begin with either of the following strings:

com.apple.iTunes

com.apple.mobile.iTunes

Move them all to the Desktop.

Also in the Preferences folder, there's a subfolder named "ByHost". Open it and do the same thing.

Test again. This time iTunes should perform normally, but your settings will be lost. You may be able to put back some of the files you moved to the Desktop in this step. Relaunch and test after each one. Eventually you should find one or more that causes iTunes to malfunction. Delete those files and recreate whatever settings they contained.

If the issue is still not resolved, quit iTunes again and put all the items you moved to the Desktop back where they were. You don’t need to replace the items you moved to the Trash. Stop here and post again.

If you later decide that you don’t like the results of steps 2 and 3, you can undo them completely by quitting iTunes and restoring the items you deleted in those steps from your backup.

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Answer 15

Tom Willis Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 26, 2015 12:08 PM in response to Linc Davis

Steps 1 + 2 did not work. Now on step 3, have a question: I'm in the process of identifying files to move and was only able to fine one, com.apple.iTunes.plist in the Preferences. In the By Host sub-folder, I didn't find either(?) Here's what's there and that list goes on for a dozen or more of the same:

Should I try iTunes with that one plist file removed at this point?

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