Music file type verifier program?

Question

Music file type verifier program?

My iTunes library is unstable. Before you tell me what to do, may I say that I've been to the Genius bar at least a dozen times. They couldn't solve it (although they admit that other customers have the same problem). My iTunes install erases files at random. The files are not only no longer listed in iTunes, but also gone from the source Mac, from the external data drive, and are not in the trash either.

This problem has persisted through multiple Macs, through multiple versions of OS-X, through multiple clean installs of OS-X and iTunes, through multiple versions of iTunes, and through multiple different library drives. The Genius bar concludes that there must be some corrupt or misnamed files in my library that confuuse the iTunes database.

They have recommended to me that I find software that can verify the type of audio file. For example, if an mp3 file was mislabeled as an AIFF, then this could be a source of corruption.

I need a file that will examine my 1.5 TB iTunes library, verify that each file is properly tagged, and verify that each and every file is NOT corrupt.

What software do I need?

Thanks - CathodeCathay

MacBook, iOS 6.1.1

Posted on Feb 22, 2013 11:01 AM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,506 points

Feb 22, 2013 12:44 PM in response to CathodeCathay

Anyone else use your computer?

They have recommended to me that I find software that can verify the type of audio file. For example, if an mp3 file was mislabeled as an AIFF, then this could be a source of corruption.

This will not cause files to be deleted from iTunes or from your computer and is not causing your issue.

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Answer 2

Feb 23, 2013 7:44 AM in response to Chris CA

Nope - Nobody else uses this computer, ever. I agree that this SHOULD not be causing my issue, but I'm running out of suggestions, as is the Apple Genius bar.

By process of elimination, I think that the Genius is on the right track in suggesting that something in my data is causing the problem. If it isn't mis-tagged files, then maybe corrupted ones? How do I check for file integrity?

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,506 points

Feb 23, 2013 8:53 AM in response to CathodeCathay

I'm pretty sure it is a bug in iTunes.

It has happened to me and there are few threads here with similar problem.

You can run Disk First Aid in Disk Utilities to check out the drive.

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Answer 4

Feb 23, 2013 9:38 AM in response to Chris CA

REGARDING ITUNES BUGS: If so, it has been there for the past five versions. I've had data loss through at least five versions of iTunes now. The losses are random and result in iTunes completely deleting data at random. Sometimes iTunes deletes an album folder and its contents; other times iTunes deletes only some of the files in the folder. The last time that iTunes deleted data, it completely removed about 1/3 of my entire library (about half a terrabyte).

REGARDING HARD DRIVE HEALTH: Disk Utilities reports that the disc is good. I've tried running the library not only on an external HDD, but also on an external RAID with its own error trapping, fault detection, and redundancy. iTunes still lost data. I've now lost data on a total of at least five different drives and the RAID. I keep backups, obviously, but I'm getting really tired of having to let iTunes re-import the same data over and over. Also, the files that get deleted are not the same ones - different data each loss.

REGARDING FILE HEALTH: I've used an external Mac program (Switch) for the first time lately. I thought that all my files were ".aif" format. Switch indicated that I had a mix of .mp3 - .m4a - and .aif files. I converted them all to .aif. Whether or not this will provide an end to iTunes data loss, I don't know yet.

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