iTunes doesn't recognize my backup after replacing HD

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Level 1

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iTunes doesn't recognize my backup after replacing HD

So I recently had to replace my HD, but I always had a regular back up. Had my HD replaced and am attempting to upload the music that was in my library to iTunes again, but iTunes isn't recognizing the library. I can clearly see all of the music on the back up drive, but for some reason its not recognizing my library.

So before I attempted to upload the library, I copied the library on the HD to Music in Finder so all of the music is there as well. So now under Music, there is what I just dragged there and its labeled "iTunes Music" dated the day of my backup, and there is a folder named just iTunes, and that is dated today right now.

Ok, so I hold OPTION while opening iTunes, select Choose library, and navigate to the folder on my hard drive and I keep getting an error message saying, "An iTunes library file could not be found in the folder “iTunes Music”. Please choose a different folder."

So then I do it again and navigate to the Music folder, select the folder that is dated the day of the backup, and I get the same error message.

So two things:

Im looking at my library, and a few songs from my back up drive, maybe 30-50 songs, from backup drive are in the library (not including the music that I have purchased through iTunes), so something transferred over. The library contains around 30-50 songs from my hard drive and the rest is music I have purchased through iTunes.

Under Music, the folder labeled iTunes Music is dated the day of my back up, but the folder labeled "iTunes", the one dated today/right now does not have my music in this folder. The date being right now is telling me that some changes are happening in this folder, but thats not the case. I feel like that is relevant, but Im unsure. Btw I didn't make any of these labels.

So why isn't iTunes recognizing the backup? it recognizes the "iTunes" folder (but there is nothing in there thats not currently in iTunes), but its not recognizing the "iTunes Music" folder, the one that is housing my 3000+ library that I backed up before replacing the hard drive.

Any ideas? If I explained this right...

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.1), null

Posted on Nov 18, 2017 5:43 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,169 points

Nov 18, 2017 9:44 AM in response to EUREKA0000

At the base level what iTunes recognizes as the library is the "iTunes Library.itl" file, although the library itself is a whole bunch of files and folders all located in the iTunes folder, including all your media files. You may or may not need to guide it to that specific file when opening with option. I believe usually it works to just guide it to the iTunes folder alone, but it has to have a complete set of library files in it. Normally just copy the entire iTunes folder from place to place. In some unusual cases people have media located on one drive but library files on another.

About iTunes library files - https://support.apple.com/HT201610 - Does not mention that a complete working library also includes other files and folders also in the iTunes folder.

More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/HT201979 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6477809?answerId=26404702022#26404702022

Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392

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