"! The song [...] could not be used becuz the org'l file could not be found

ERROR MESSAGE: "! The song [...] could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"
Uh, YES. The song is already there and why are you not recoginizing it, iTunes? What automation can I possible enable to get rid of this message so that iTunes actually sees my MPEGS and does not require me to manually browse to the file which is already there?

You'll need to help iTunes locate the files for you then reacquaint your library with your files. Here are some articles that can help you:
No content shows up in iTunes after updating
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1967
This article may also be helpful:
Instructions for finding missing music and video downloads
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408

Similar Messages

  • Ver.9.5 The volume for file name cannot be found

    HI,
    My work Mac Book pro was recently upgraded to Mavericks from 10.6.8, with iPhoto 11 (ver. 9.5) also an included upgrade. One album of photos is no longer accesible - clicking on each thumbnail provokes the following window "The volume for <file name> cannot be found. The "Try again" option doesn't work, and the alternative, which is to use the finder to locate the file is useless, as the files are buried in a library spare bundle. When I copy the file name, and search on the volume with the library via finder, it pulls up tiny thumbnail size files.
    I have a primary iphoto library on a dedicated USB external drive, which I back up not everytime I update the library (200 gbs spare bundle over USB2!), but regularly. I fear these recently imported files, have not been backed up before up erasing cards, and upgrading system OS, have gone.
    Is there any way of getting into the library via finder, or elsewhere in iphoto to refind the original master files which are in there somewhere? These files opened perfectly in iphoto before the recent upgrade.

    Thanks for the fast response. I've followed your directions and can't find the file in there, in Masters, Originals, or Modified folders. I found files in Thumbnails folder though. Some of the files from the same event are fine, so its not consistent. I'm also noticing that another file in the event has a totally blurred preview (Its a 24mbs Jpg from a Nikon D800) - not sure if this is at all connected.
    The positive news is that my NeoFinder database of drives indicates I should have the 'missing' files on another computer in the office, but I'm still scratching my head on this.

  • When I try to sync, it will tell me that some of my songs can not be found, almost 100 of them. Any suggestion how to fix this?

    Why when I try to sync to my ipod, it tells me that some of my songs can not be found when they are in my library?

    iPod touches or any iDevices from Apple sync only to one computer. If you sync to a different computer, all your music will be replace with the music from the new computer's iTunes. If the music were purchased from iTunes, you can re-download them again otherwise the music on iPod touch will be deleted. Do you have iTunes backup? 

  • " the volume for (file name) cannot be found. Insert the disk or connect to the server volume and wait for it to appear on the desktop, then try again."

    I get an error message in iPhoto when I click on thumbnails of pictures in certain albums. It reads 'the volume for "(file name)" cannot be found. Insert the disk or connect to the server volume and wait for it to appear on the desktop, then try again.'  What does this mean and how do I fix it?

    It means that you imported the files in Referenced mode and have now remvoed them from the Mac. Put the disk or card back.
    For more on iPhoto and file management see this User Tip:
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6361

  • I am trying to transfer songs from my ipod to my iphone but it says the songs can not be found on the ipod but I can play them on the ipod.

    The iTunes library says I do not own them and they can not be found on my iPod. But I can still see and play the songs on the ipod. But when I try to sync them they do not appear.

    It is not possible to sync music directly between an iPod and an iPhone. The music must be in an iTunes library and that must be used to sync the music to each device.

  • Error:  [songname] was not copied to iPod because the song can not be found

    I know that from my searches, this topic has been touched on but I am unable to locate a solution. So my apologies in advanced if asked and answered.
    When updating, iTunes tells me that some songs cannot be copied because they cannot be found. However, the songs are clearly in the iTunes folder. I also have a backup copy of my entire library and adding them back from that library does not work either.
    Here is what I have discovered about these files: some are songs that were in an album by themself and then the rest of the album was added later. Some of the songs are in the format of .mp3 and some are in the format of .m4a. None of the affected songs are purchased from iTunes; none of my purchased music is problematic.
    This problem seems to be growing. At first it was just one song, then it grew to 48 and then to 59. The songs play just fine in iTunes, but cannot be copied to the iPod. I checked the properties of the songs, and none of them are read-only. There should not be a problem with permissions on this computer as I am the administrator and gave myself full priveleges on installation.
    Clearly there is something wrong with these songs that prevents their being copied. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?
    At the risk of getting flamed, please don't respond just to gripe about Apple, etc. I am looking for solutions, not commiseration.
    Thanks in advance!

    Replying to my own post since I don't see how to edit.
    I have some more information that may help if someone can determine the significance.
    I EXPORTED one of the playlists that contains 2 of the above described problem songs. I converted the text file to a table and then noted that in the last column (column 27) that there is a PATH to the song. All other songs do not have this in the path. The path does not refer to the current location of the file, either.
    The first song that this happened to does not appear on any playlists so I did not discover this.
    The rest of the songs got "lost" after I added some old playlists back to my Library that I had exported. In one particular playlist two of the songs had the wrong path in the Location column, and neither was found. However, the rest of the songs had a blank field in that column and were found just fine. So.... I think I may be onto something, for all those who have this problem. However, the only way to actually do this without a supercomputer would be to make a playlist of all the not-copy-able songs, export the playlist and carefully look for that path data.
    I would love to hear if anyone has tried this for this problem. I don't want to keep replying to my own posts, but I honestly think I cracked this "bug". The problem appears to be that the data in the database gets errors in it during the moving/addition of a song from another place on the system, regardless of the settings in iTunes. In my case, I consolidated my library, allowed iTunes to organize my music and I am a fanatic about spelling and so forth for song titles and related information.
    --CRN

  • Error message: Song can not be found.

    I went to play a song I originally purchased on iTunes years ago and have played many times, then got this error message:
    "The song "White Room" could not be used because the original file could not be found."
    What do I do now? Can I re-download the file from the music store? If so, how? Thanks.

    Hello Auroria,
    After reviewing your post, it sounds like you want to download a past purchase. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help the issue.
    Download past purchases - Apple Support
    Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
    Have a nice day,
    Mario

  • There was an error opening the document. File can't be found?

    Hi,
    I seem to get this error when opening PDF files from the internet with Acrobat Reader 8 but when I have the full version of Adobe Acrobat installed I can open them fine.  Can anyone explain why or how this happens?  Not everyone has the full version, does anyone have any suggestions about how to fix this so they can open in the reader.  I have checked the preferences and open PDF file is checked as well.
    Thanks

    You may have to download the attachment to your local system and then open the file. Not all email clients can transfer the temporary file and properly pass the information to Reader or Acrobat. This is a little inconvenient but it is reliable.

  • On some of my files there is a ! in front of it, if I try to play the song, I get an error message; "The song "_____" could not be used, because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" Then when I click "Locate", I get nothing.

    I'm really dumbfounded on this one and it's driving me bonkers!!!! On some of my music files there is a ! in front of it, if I try to play the song, I get an error message; "The song "_____" could not be used, because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"
    This began to happen when Chuck made playlists2burn on2CD-and then he would delete the playlist; sending all the song files into oblivion. Certain songs have a ! right next to the file name, and as I stated before, i get that error message:
    "The song "_____" could not be used, because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"
    So I click on "Locate". No help. I get a menu with folders that say "catroot" and other folders which names I cannot remember, but I scroll PAST the file folders, & it's just a bunch of ".DLL" files.....I don't understand what any of the names of the folders mean...it's frustr8ing-coz this is my 2nd iTouch, my 1st one got stolen & I can't afford2buy my music back at this time & i NEVER before had a single problem with losing song file locations.
                  Is there anyone out there who has been through this frustrating game of chasing your tail?....<that's how I feel>
    If so I would be ever so gr8ful if maybe someone with the knowledge would be so kind as 2 tell me how/where 2 retrieve these songs & how to put everything back where it belongs, I would be 4ever gr8ful !!!
    I can't afford 2 replace the songs just like I'm unable 2 buy back my old music from my stolen iTouch....man that was an awesome collection-someday I'll be able 2 afford 2 do that & I would like 2 have all the new music that I paid 4 but cannot find when I got my new iTouch....that would just be  wonderful.
                 I hope someone sees this post that can help me retrieve these files....losing $100.00 of iTunes is a REAL BUMMER!!!!!!
                                                      ThanQ SO very much!
                                                                             [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] .
                                                                                               You can also find me on Facebook, my given name is Tiffinie Trimmer, &
                                                                                                that's my Facebook "handle".    ThanQ 4 taking the time 2 read all of this!
                                                                                                hope 2 get a reply someday....I'll B checking all my emails & my Facebook, as well
                                                                                                as marking this page in my FAVORITES so I can find it fast! Take Care!!!

    I was not complete clear.
    Since you never changed the settings in the advanced section of iTunes preferecnes, you have to chech that your music is really in the location setted in the folders reported in the advanced section.  If not you have 2 ways: reset the position of this folders or in the actual disk organisation or in the pointing on the preferences.
    If you press the reset button you just give to itunes its default setting as for the position of the music files: probably this will be a good choice if you have never changed any default preference.
    But before I would check the folders and see if the songs are really there
    In my iTune I have this, and I believe it is the default.
    Users/YOURHOMEFOLDERNAME/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music

  • I can no longer play my music from iTunes on my computer.  i get the error prompt: The song (name) could not be used because the original file could not be found.  What do I do?

    not sure what to add other than to repeat myself.  ive lost ability to play music from my iTunes library on my computer.  Everything is there but i get an error message that says '"The song (name) could not be found.  Would you like to locate it?   Then it gives me the option to locate or cancel.  i can't do that for 3800 songs!!  i have all my music in separate folders by album and all individual selections in an external hard drive.  i can play from there but thats clicking on one number at a time.  i lost my capability in the process of Microsoft correcting a problem with my outlook program.  Why, i haven't a clue.   help!!

    This happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool has moved, renamed or deleted the file, or that the drive it lives on has had a change of drive letter. It is also possible that iTunes has changed from expecting the files to be in the pre-iTunes 9 layout to post-iTunes 9 layout,or vice-versa, and so is looking in slightly the wrong place.
    Select a track with an exclamation mark, use Ctrl-I to get info, then cancel when asked to try to locate the track. Look on the summary tab for the location that iTunes thinks the file should be. Now take a look around your hard drive(s). Hopefully you can locate the track in question. If a section of your library has simply been moved, or a drive letter has changed, it should be possible to reverse the actions.
    Alternatively, as long as you can find a location holding the missing files, then you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes .
    tt2

  • What does this message mean: This song could not be used because the original file could not be found--When I try to play songs there is an "!" next to it.

    A friend recenlty replaced my hard drive.
    When I try to use itunes--I receive this message: "The song could not be used because the original could not be found, would you like to locate it? Next to my songs I see this: "!" Help--Please!!

    Well what happened is the pathname to the song has changed slightly.
    For instance if the song was located say c\:Windows\User\Mary\Music\iTunesFolder
    and now it's c:\Windows\User\MaryXray\Music\iTunesFolder
    I'm assuming here your music was replaced in the Music folder like on the old hard drive, that iTunesFolder was simply copied over in whole.
    So to fix things, you go into the iTunes Folder in your Music Folder and look for a iTunes Music Library .XML file and open it in a Text Program that has "find and replace" ability.
    You find the partial pathname of the old drive and you replace ALL instances of it with the new pathname.
    so \Windows\User\Mary  would be changed to
    \Windows\User\MaryXray
    Save the file and reopen iTunes.

  • Library Lost - Please HeIp I tried updating my old ipod & now all 10,000 songs in my library have an ! next to them and I get the error message "song " " could not be used because the original file could not be found" on every song I try to play

    Please help - this morning I tried updating one of my old ipods for my wife (this ipod hasn't been updated in 2-3 years).  I plugged it into my pc, it was recognized and the software updated.  I created a new playlist and tied to sync the ipod.  This ipod had never been used on this pc/itunes since the pc is only 2 years old.  When I tried to sync the ipod it stated that it would have to erase all the old songs on the ipod prior to syncing.  I clicked ok and it proceeded to wipe out the old ipod and sync the new playlist (~1000 songs).  When the sync was complete there were only 6 songs from the new playlist (all purchased this morning from itunes) on the ipod and to my horror all ~10,000 song on my pc in itunes now have a ! next to them.  Only my recent purchases from itunes do not.  When I click on a song with the ! I get the error message "the song " " could not be used because the original file could not be found."  How do I correct this issue - I am scared to hook my ipads or other ipods to my pc for fear of losing everything?!?!?  I spent 100s of hours burning the 10,000 songs from my cd collection and do not want to have to do it again. 
    Any help is greatly appreciated.

    This "original file cannot be found" thing happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool has moved, renamed or deleted the file, or that the drive it lives on has had a change of drive letter. It is also possible that iTunes has changed from expecting the files to be in the pre-iTunes 9 layout to post-iTunes 9 layout,or vice-versa, and so is looking in slightly the wrong place.
    Select a track with an exclamation mark, use Ctrl-I to get info, then cancel when asked to try to locate the track. Look on the summary tab for the location that iTunes thinks the file should be. Now take a look around your hard drive(s). Hopefully you can locate the track in question. If a section of your library has simply been moved, or a drive letter has changed, it should be possible to reverse the actions.
    Alternatively, as long as you can find a location holding the missing files, then you should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes .
    tt2

  • I recently reset my computer and copy my music from an external hard drive to my itunes library.  When I click on a song to play i get an error message that says " the song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  need help

    I recently reset my computer and copy my music from an external hard drive to my itunes library.  When I click on a song to play i get an error message that says " the song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  But when I have my external hard drive plug in the song will play with no problem.  What do I need to do to play my music without having the external harddrive plug in ????????  Please help

    Because the location for each song in your library is on your hard drive.  If the hard drive isn't there, how can iTunes play it?
    You'll have to move/copy the music from your hard drive to your computer's hard drive.
    Basically, EASIEST way to do all this, if you don't care about your play counts, etc...
    -Delete EVERYTHING from iTunes, so that your library is now empty.
    -Go to "Advanced" inside of the "Preferences" window, found in the "Edit" drop-down.  You can also access Preferences by pressing Ctrl+, (Press Ctrl and the comma key)
    -Change your iTunes Media Folder Location to something simple, but on your computer. I use C:/iTunes.  Make sure "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized" and "Copy files to...." are both checked.  You can close Preferences now.
    -Now, drag and drop your music from your hard drive into your iTunes library.  iTunes will automatically add the music to your library, as you would expect, and also creates a copy of each file to place into that iTunes Media Folder you just created.
    Shouldn't have any more problems...

  • Error message when trying to play music on computer states The song ... could not be used because the original file could not be found.  However, my library shows how many items and the GBs used.  How do I locate the files?

    When I try to play my iTunes music on my computer, an error message comes up and state "The song (title of song) could not be used because the original file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it?
    When I click on Locate It, I cannot find where the music file may be located.  Does anyone have any suggestions?
    This all occurred when I attempted to do a backup to an external hard drive.  Unbeknownest to me, the files did not copy over and do not appear on the external hard drive. 
    When I open my iTunes library, at the bottom of my music list it shows how many songs and the GBs, so it appears that the files are still there; however, cannot be located.
    Thank you.

    Hi angela dfromtx,
    When tracks in iTunes display a it means the file cannot be located; it may have been moved or deleted. You'll have to locate the file manually if it is still available. For more information refer to the following article:
    iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408
    Alternatively, if your media was downloaded from the iTunes Store, you may be able to download it again free of charge:
    Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
    Thanks,
    Matt M.

  • "The song could not be used because the original file could not be found"

    Hello,
    I purchased the new iPhone 3G 16gb White on friday afternoon at the local AT&T store(they were all sold out,of course),so i went ahead and ordered it for gauranteed delivery within 7 to 10 days.It says to be sure and sync you're old iPhone once more before coming back to AT&T to have the iPhone 3G set up to be installed and turned on.
    So i figured i would upgrade my iTunes to 7.7 and upgrade the software to 2.0 before i get my new phone,that way i will be ready when it comes in.
    I was just doing what the apple website said to do and went ahead and tried to upgrade to iTunes 7.7,which worked out good,EXCEPT that now all the music has an exclamation point next to it and nothing will play because the original file could not be found.I know i'm not the first here to have this problem,but i cant find a post that explains what procedure i need to do to fix it so i can play my music on iTunes again.
    I have my iTunes music folder located on an external hard drive (Drive i ). It used to be Drive H,but i plugged in an SD Memory card into the front panel of my computer tower and now my external hard drive is recognized as being on Drive i. How could that have changed?
    I have it on a 500 gb external drive,because my C & D drives are both almost filled up and i wouldn't have enough room to put all my cd's into iTunes if they were on those drives.
    I have an iPod Classic 160gb that i want to fill once i get all my cd's into itunes.
    Anyways,when it asked me what drive to put iTunes under when i was installing it,i chose the "i" drive.That is where my iTunes music folder is located with almost 10 gigs of music in it.
    But now when i go to play anything it wont play as it can't locate the music.
    Sorry for rambling on so much.Just trying to explain,in detail,what my setup is so someone with knowledge can instruct me as to what to do to fix it.
    Thank's for the help ahead of time,
    Dan

    I am getting this same message.  I recently bought a new Macbook Pro and the geeks transferred my files from my mini-mac.  Perhaps they did not transfer something critical?  I follow the "locate" option when it asks to find my files and I get a file folder that has a red circle with a white bar in the middle. 
    I have the same issues with my downloaded movies but my apps all seem to be fine.
    Even more confusing - it seems to allow random songs to play and download on my Macbook and other devices.  But most of my music - whether downloaded from iTunes or my CD collection comes up with that message about the original file. 
    Should I get new geeks to locate these files on my old mini-mac?

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