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