Steve Dorsey

Q: iTunes Library.itl is not being recognized

I have a large iTunes library. About 36,000 songs, and many more to be added as I rip my CDs into the collection.

 

I had a complex library saved that I had been cultivating for years. It had many playlists, lots of album art, and tons of customization, play counts, and other stuff.

 

Recently, I created a new iTunes library (option-launch iTunes) on a separate hard drive so that I could back up my iPhone before I upgraded to the 6S+. Now, when I try to go back to the original library, iTunes cannot find the "iTunes Library.itl" file. The one it finds is in the proper place, with all my music, but it does not see any of the music (like it's a different "iTunes Library.itl" file that is not associated with the music that is all around it). It just looks empty.

 

I backed up my entire library onto a separate machine about 8 months ago. I can run iTunes on THAT machine and it sees its library just fine. That library has a few thousand less songs than my main library has - it's older. I occasionally use it to play music in the living room.

 

THAT machine's iTunes Library.itl file is not an .itl file. It is an .xml file. (Huh?!?!)

 

If I point the iTunes on my main machine at THAT iTunes Library.xml file over the network, it does not work. It will not be recognized.

 

1) I have no idea what happened to my original iTunes Library.itl file on my main computer

 

2) I have no idea why my second computer changed the file to "iTunes Library.xml"

 

I just want my library back! Please help! 

 

 

NOTE: All my music is still in the original iTunes folder, but it appears to be in 2 different directories; The main "iTunes" folder, and also in iTunes/iTunes Media/Music. I have no idea why iTunes is separating my music into 2 folders?!

 

Thanks

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), 64GB RAM, 2 4K screens (4096x2160)

Posted on Jan 7, 2016 7:00 PM

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Q: iTunes Library.itl is not being recognized

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jan 7, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Steve Dorsey
    Level 9 (54,304 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 7, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Steve Dorsey

    iTunes never uses the .xml. You can open it but it will be used to create a .itl.

     

    The media folder you see is a relic of the transition to iTunes 9.  iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/message/26404702#26404702

     

    Apart from the obvious places in which I presume you have looked we can't really make specific location suggestions. Maybe you can do a general search of your computer for files ending in ".itl" and see if you have been using a library from a strange location.

     

    It is relatively easy to restore the library file from a backup.  If your only one is 8 months old there's a lesson learned. You can try reconstructing back to when you last upgraded iTunes.

    ASC user turingtest2 help document: Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6561

     

    If you don't see your content after updating iTunes  - https://support.apple.com/kb/HT203225

  • by Steve Dorsey,

    Steve Dorsey Steve Dorsey Jan 7, 2016 7:47 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 4 (1,174 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 7, 2016 7:47 PM in response to Limnos

    I looked all over for other .itl files. I found one, but it was linked to an empty library. No music in the folder with it, and it was empty when I attempted to open it using iTunes.

     

    It seems to me that my local .itl file was somehow overwritten. This really kills me.

     

    IS there a way to reconstruct or recreate a new iTunes Library using the folders that already exist?

     

    i.e.: My iTunes folder ALREADY has the music sorted and classified in folders. How can I create a new library that will, at the very least, make a new .itl that doesn't need to "re-import" the music?

     

    If that's impossible, then is there a way to, after making a new iTunes Library, add my existing music to it in a way that won't take days and days (since I have so much music)?

     

    Thanks