Unable to find correct .itl file

Question

Level 1

8 points

Unable to find correct .itl file

I have read various articles on this site and viewed numerous Youtube videos on how to move my lTunes library to an external drive, so thought that once I had installed the new HDD in my PC and copied over all the folders the last part of chosing the correct library would be easy. However, this does not seem to be the case.

I had some years ago installed Libra and had a set of libraries within Libra one of which was called Apple Lossless.

I had tried to consolidate/organise my library through iTunes prior to installing the new HDD but iTunes told me that there was insufficient space to do this: this was not a surprise as the reason I wanted to move the library to a new HDD was that the current C drive was nearly full!

Anyway, all folders have been moved to the new HDD. I hold down the Shift Key when opening iTunes and chose Choose Library. I then navigate to the new HDD and choose the Apple Lossless folder. When I do this I cannot see any files which say iTunes Library.itl but I know there are several there as I have done a separate search in Explorer which shows all .itl files. Whgn I chose the most recent file it brings up only 413 songs whereas it should be bringing up 6104. Where am I going wrong?

I have tried to select the appropriate file back on the C drive but again only see 413 songs.

Is the fact that I have used Libra as opposed to the standard iTunes folder the problem and how to I resolve the issue?

Thank you for your help.

Windows Vista

Posted on Mar 5, 2016 12:22 PM

Reply

Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,749 points

Mar 5, 2016 12:28 PM in response to rfpdf1

It is quite some time since I used Libra. My recollection was that it copied different sets of library files into the standard iTunes location as a way to switch between libraries. Have you found the path where Libra stored the .itl files? Can you tell by examining file size and last modified date which is likely to be the correct .itl for your library? Depending on settings you may not see the .itl file extension when browsing for a library to open.

tt2

Reply

Answer 2

rfpdf1 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 6, 2016 3:42 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you for your reply.

I have gone into the Control Panel and ensured that the box is ticked in Advanced Settings to show Hidden Files and Folders. However, when I navigate to either the C Drive or new HDD and look within the Apple Lossless folder no iTunes Library file is shown.

I have looked in the Previous iTunes Library folder and the most recent dated version is 18/10/2014, which seems strange as I have added a lot of content since then and have also backed up 2 iPads my children have since then.

The most recent file I can find by searching the entire Computer in Explorer before the time I first tried to find the file on the new HDD is only 12mb in size. I have selected this file when holding down Shift when opening iTunes and it brings up the old libary of 6K songs, all podcasts and Apps.

However, when I go into Preferences and Advanced and check what the file path is this is shown as C\Users\name\Music\Libra\Libraries\Apple Lossless rather than the directory I pointed it to when I opened iTunes i.e. Z\iTunes.

What have I done wrong?

I want to be able to delete the folders on the C Drive to free up what is more than 220GB but am reluctant to do this until I am sure that iTunes is not looking at the C Drive but rather the Z Drive (new HDD).

Reply

Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

272,749 points

Mar 6, 2016 3:57 AM in response to rfpdf1

See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash and Make a split library portable for some general background. When did you last update iTunes? I suspect you were running a split library with the library files in a separate location from the media files. This would explain why browsing to the Apple Lossless folder doesn't show a library file to connect to. Using preferences to change the designated media folder doesn't affect the content of the library.

How many .itl files are shown in the whole drive search? Did you copy over everything from the previous drive or only the things you thought were relevant? Do you still have access to it?

tt2

Reply

Answer 4

rfpdf1 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 7, 2016 1:48 AM in response to turingtest2

When I copied from the C Drive I copied everything that was in either an iTunes folder or the libra folder. In the separate iTunes folder there are sub folders for Amazon, and several artists. This is a separate set of folders to the Libra folders.

Also, in the Preferences/ Advanced screen I have ticked the two options below the file path i.e. "Keep iTunes organised..." and "Copy files to iTunes Media Folder...". I am sure that when I first intalled Libra many years ago the instructions for this program said that neither of these boxes should be ticked. However, all of the videos and articles I have read in connection with the transfer of the library to a new HDD have said that these boxes should be ticked.

Is having these boxes ticked causing any issues do you think? I assuem that these boxes are there to enable everything to go into the one iTunes folder and so that you can use the Organise Library function. As I mentioned earlier, I tried to do this before I installed the new Z drive but was told that there was insufficient space on the C drive to enable this to happen.

I am not at my PC now so can not advise how many .itl files are on the whole computer. However, from memory there are some located on C, some located on Z. Of these, some are in the Previous Library folders and dated after iTunes Library in the tile going back to 2009 I think and going up to 2014.

Am I safe to delete the folders from the C drive given I have physically chosen the correct .itl file from the Z drive notwithstanding the fact that when I look in Prefrences/Advanced the file path is still showing as CzUsers\.....?

What would happen if I move everything which is on the Z drive in the two separate iTunes and Libra folders into the Libra folder?

Reply

Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

272,749 points

Mar 7, 2016 4:21 AM in response to rfpdf1

The media folder preferences and the Keep... and Copy... options affect what happens as new media is added to the library. Adjusting them won't fix a broken library or make iTunes see media in a given folder. I wouldn't delete anything until you have your library in a working state, preferably having recovered your old playlists and stats, have backed it up, and you are certain which bits are actually redundant. If you can find the .itl file that lists the 6,104 tracks that you expect to see, but won't play them because the file paths don't match, then I have techniques or tools to fix that.

tt2

Reply

Answer 6

turingtest2

Level 10

272,749 points

Mar 7, 2016 4:42 AM in response to rfpdf1

See your other thread: I have chosed .itl file on z Drive when opening iTunes but on Preferences still showing as CDrive. Why?

tt2

Reply