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I've imported my song library onto my new lap top, but iTunes has not found all the file locations. When I locate a file, iTunes doesn't include the remaining 500+ 'lost' files even though they are all saved in the same location! I don't want to be forced to have to find them all individually! Is there a solution? Please help!
iPod classic 160GB (Late 2009), Windows 10
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:
tt2
You don't type in the new location, you click the Change... button and browse to it. However even when you do that iTunes doesn't necessarily work out where to find everything since the job of the setting is to tell iTunes where to put new content added to the library, not where to look for things that have been moved around manually.
To prevent that error with the script under Edit > Preferences > Advanced enable the check box Share iTunes Library XML with other applications. A recent change means the XML file is no longer created by default. My script uses its location as a last resort to try to predict where it should be looking for your lost files. I'll have to go through all of my scripts that have that function and patch them up. Grr!
tt2
Thanks for the speedy reply and I apologize for testing your patience.
I did try clicking change and browsing the new location but when I clicked on the new location it showed G:/iTunes/iTunes Media/iTunes Media. instead of G:/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music. The other odd thing is the music file has adopted a music logo symbol rather than the standard file logo symbol which make me wonder if it has been somehow influenced by windows.
Your aim should be to have your library database file stored at G:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl and the media folder location registered as G:\iTunes\iTunes Media. Music items in your library should be located at G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\<Artist>\<Album>\## <Name>.<Ext>.
Which version of Windows are you running? Depending on what you've copied from where you may have a hidden Desktop.ini file in the folder that causes it to display with an icon denoting the content in it.
tt2
I have the iTunes library and my music items stored as you described and are running windows 10
Sounds like you're nearly there then.
tt2
Thought I would let you know first of all that yesterday once I enabled the check box Share iTunes Library XML with other applications your find tracks script worked OK and managed to get iTunes working again. However I still wish to make a split library portable as you advised. I did inform you that I managed to arrange the iTunes folder as you advised but on closer inspection discovered it was not quite right and will try to explain why.
iTunes
Album Artwork
iTunes Media
iTunes Library Extras
iTunes Library Genius
iTunes Library
iTunes Music Library (xml)
There are more iTunes folders but too many to list, the ones listed above been the main ones in question.
When I open the iTunes Media folder there is:- Automatically add to iTunes
Music (this is the file that has the windows music logo)
When I open the Music file it obviously lists all my music files, but also:- Automatically add to iTunes (empty file)
iTunes
Opening the iTunes file reveals Album Artwork
iTunes Library Extras
iTunes Library Genius
iTunes Library
Note no iTunes Library (xml) iTunes
opening this iTunes file reveals Automatically add to iTunes (empty file)
My music folder was starting to resemble a Russian Doll ! As these items on closer inspection appeared to be the same as those already stored and listed under the iTunes folder I decided to delete them. However once I did this iTunes could not locate Media so had to add the Music folder to the library for it to work again. Once I did that I was back to where I started and the same files had appeared in the music file.
I then thought there must be something wrong with iTunes on the computer so decided to uninstall iTunes from the computer as before and start again but there was no change and the same thing happened so I'm assuming I can't have done anything wrong and it may be a problem with iTunes.
Also going back to the Music folder shown as a windows music logo could that have anything to do with me making iTunes my default music program ? iTunes would also not allow me to call my music file Music and showed it as iTunes Media for example instead of showing:-
G:/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music it shows G:/iTunes/iTunes Media/iTunes Media but it still works.
I've tried this time to give you as much detail as I can to highlight the problems I'm encountering and are hoping you still may be able to help.
Am very gracious for your patience. Regards, Alex
Please make sure that Windows Explorer is listing hidden files and folders. Look inside the folder that appears as G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\iTunes Media. Is there a file called Desktop.ini? If so delete it. Does the folder name change to Music now? If not can you rename it?
tt2
No, but there is three hidden files listed in G:/iTunes/iTunes Media/Symbols/desktopwindowsmgm.bdp
Could these be responsible. Will not delete unless you give me the OK.
I don't recognize that folder or file tipe. It would be good to know what might have placed them them there, but you could try deleting the Symbols folder and see what the side effects are, or if Windows objects, or if it is restored.
tt2
I used the search tool to look for the symbols folder as I could not find them myself even after making sure windows now lists hidden folders and files, which I thought was odd but when I tried to delete them from where they were shown a window appeared saying they could not be found. If I tried to open any of those files an error window appeared saying they must of been moved or deleted so I think they no longer exist.
Looks like we're back to where we started !
Can you post an image of your G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\iTunes Media (should be Music) folder?
tt2
OK, so the first image shows one problem. You have installed the iTunes application in G:\iTunes when it should be installed to C:\Program Files\iTunes.
See the second box in Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates. Uninstall iTunes and all of its components, then reinstall on the standard path.
In a well formed library the iTunes folder holds the following files and folders only:
Where Previous iTunes Libraries will generally exist after one or more updates to iTunes, and the presence of the XML file is controlled in advanced preferences. Sentinel is normally hidden.
The iTunes Media folder will contain at minimum the Automatically Add to iTunes folder and the file .iTunes Preferences.plist, also normally hidden.
The various subfolders for different media kinds are created as and when they are needed.
Your images show iTunes Preferences.plist in G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music rather than G:\iTunes\iTunes Media,together with a redundant sentinel file. Both of these can be deleted after resetting the media folder to G:\iTunes\iTunes Media as set out below.
Open Edit > Preferences > Advanced. If the media folder doesn't show as G:\iTunes\iTunes Media please click the Reset button. It should end up looking like this:
Regarding the folder G:\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music right-click on it, click Properties > Customize > Change Icon > Restore Defaults > OK. This should fix the issue with the folder displaying as a music note rather than a folder.
tt2
OK, thanks for that. Should have sent those screenshots ages ago. Just a couple of questions before I begin. Is it necessary to protect my music folder on drive G by manually deleting the other iTunes folders and then disconnecting G, before uninstalling iTunes, or will it be OK ?
Secondly, I have the iTunes installer in downloads, when I open it gives me the option of a repair or removal/uninstall of iTunes from the computer. Can I use this to remove iTunes and then manually remove Bonjour ?
I don't know if running the installer removes everything. I would remove iTunes using the Programs and Features control panel. You should remove each of these items, if they exist, in the order given.
Then reinstall iTunes.
tt2
Locating files
