Q: Locating files

The "missing file" error happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool has moved, renamed or deleted the file, one of its parent folders, or the drive it lives on has had a change of drive letter. It is also possible that iTunes has changed from expecting the files to be in the pre-iTunes 9 layout to post-iTunes 9 layout, or vice-versa, and so is looking in slightly the wrong place.

Select a track with an exclamation mark, use Ctrl-I to Get Info, then click No when asked to try to locate the track. (Due to a bug in iTunes 12 you currently have to say No twice!) Look on the summary tab for the location that iTunes thinks the file should be. Now take a look around your hard drive(s). Hopefully you can locate the track in question. If a section of your library has simply been moved, a folder renamed, or a drive letter has changed, it should be possible to reverse the actions. If the difference between the two paths is an additional Music folder in one path then this is a layout issue. I can explain further if that is the case. If everything is where it is supposed to be try Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows.

In some cases iTunes may be able to repair itself if you go through the same steps with Get Info but this time click Locate and browse to the lost track. It may then offer to attempt to automatically fix other broken links. Although it says something like "use the same location" I think it expects to find the tracks in the same artist & album layout they were in previously, with one systematic change to the path.

If another application like Windows Media Player has moved/renamed the files then the chances are that subtle differences in naming strategies will make it hard to restore the media to the precise path that iTunes is expecting. In such cases, as long as the missing files can be found somewhere, you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes. See this post for an explanation of how it works.

If you want me to try to provide specific advice please post back the following details:

1. The location of the media folder under Edit > Preferences > Advanced
2. The location of a sample missing track shown under Get Info > File > Location that begins file://localhost/
3. The true path to the file whose details you gave in 2.

tt2

Still no joy unfortunately. Will try to provide you the details so you can provide specific advice

1. All media files located on Drive G:/     (That being the external hard drive)

2. The location of a sample missing track shown under Get Info > File > Location that begins file://localhost/

C:/Users/Alex/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/ABBA/Gold/01 Dancing Queen.aif

3. Not sure what you mean by this ?

1. Is G:\ what iTunes has listed under Edit > Preferences > Advanced? Use Alt or Ctrl+B to reveal the menu bar if hidden.
2. Got it.
3. Is that track specific track at say:
   G:\Abba\Gold\01 Dancing Queen.aif
   G:\Music\Abba\Gold\01 Dancing Queen.aif
   G:\iTunes Media\Music\Abba\Gold\01 Dancing Queen.aif
   or somewhere else?

tt2

1. When you go into Edit > Preferences > Advanced     G:\   is shown in the box by itself with nothing else.

3. The location of the actual track is shown as SAMSUNG(G:) > ABBA > Gold > 01 Dancing Queen.aif

    and it plays when you click on it in that location

That looks pretty normal. ITunes ought to be able to do the fine one repair the rest trick, but is how to use the script.

First under Edit > Preferences > Advanced turn off Keep & Copy if enabled. You can restore these settings later. Select the rest of the tracks of that Abba album and run the FindTracks script, say No to the first prompt and then point it at G:\ and click OK. This should should let you confirm that the script can correcfly repair the links. Assuming it works as intended use Ctrl+A to select all and run the script in automatic mode.

tt2

Sorry I'm a little confused. How and where do I find the Find Tracks script, and say No to the first prompt,  then point it at G:\  ?

.... as long as the missing files can be found somewhere, you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes. See this post for an explanation of how it works.

tt2

Eventually found the FindTracks script. Was not aware that I had to download it ! Anyhow did as you instructed and it worked perfectly on the ABBA album.

I then selected all albums and tried to run it again but I did not work. So then selected a single album but still did not work. Then tried it on a single track and the same thing happened. Each time a window appeared with the following information:

Windows Script Host

Script: C:\Users\Alex\Downloads\FindTracks.vbs

Line: 723

Char: 13

Error: Invalid procedure call or argument: 'Mid'

Code: 800A0005

Source: Microsoft VBScipt runtime error

Proving to be an epic problem to solve. Hoping you can still help !

Hi,

Download a fresh copy of the script. I've fixed a problem that occurs only when the media folder is the root of a drive. Once you've got the library working I'd suggest you look at Make a split library portable and reorganize it into the standard shape.

tt2

Downloaded the revised FindTracks script which works but it is unable to process more than 6 albums at a time. Any more than that and the following window pops up:

Windows Script Host

Script: C:\Users\Alex\Downloads\FindTracks.vbs

Line: 662

Char: 9

Error: Permission denied

Code: 800A0046

Source: Microsoft VBScipt runtime error

Unfortunately it seems to have stopped working altogether ! Still the same pop up message. Hope you can fix it. 

Hmm, try Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows and apply to the root of the media drive. If that doesn't fix it then I'll have to set up some diagnostics to see what is going on.

tt2

When you say the root of the media drive is that the iTunes folder on drive C:/

No, G:\ where your media lives.

tt2