Big fat library mess: duplicates / can't locate files / etc.

Hi,
I have several issues. Failed to find my answers online in forums here. Help requested.
Recently migrated from another Mac. Moved library manually. 2 issues going on.
1. In the actual media folder where the songs are stored, each artist>album folder has duplicate song files (ending in 1.mp4). These duplicates need to be cleaned up in bulk and mass deleted.
2. I successfully exported my old playlists and reimported them into new system and they show up fine in iTunes. When I click on one of the tunes though I get the familiar "song could not be used because original file could not be found" and the ! icon appears. This is a commonly discussed issue. However common solutions don't seem to apply.
When I click "locate" from this dialog box and manually go to the tune, it plays fine after that. So then, how can I do this for the entire library to avoid doing this 1200 times?
These common solutions don't seem to be the best path.
1. Consolidating library. Library location is already pointing correctly inside of preferences.
2. Opening itunes while holding down option key. When I do this, and then select "Choose library" and navigate to my media folder, I get a notice that the "itunes library file" can't be found.
Any more solutions out there? Why do I hate itunes file mgt. so much? I'm actually a technical person. Have wasted hours on this.
As a nuclear option... Is there a way I can uninstall itunes completely and start from scratch?
Thanks,
Mike

1. In the actual media folder where the songs are stored, each artist>album folder has duplicate song files (ending in 1.mp4). These duplicates need to be cleaned up in bulk and mass deleted.
[Dougscripts|http://dougscripts.com/itunes/scripts/scriptcount.php?sortBy=Name&o p=y] - Many itunes scripts, including various ones for dealing with duplicates in various forms. The best way is not to just handle them in bulk form. I have some "duplicates" that are really very different versions of the same work by the same artist and I would not want them automatically deleted on this basis. Some of my duplicates are also the same track on different albums, and again I need both copies in order to keep both albums intact.
2. I successfully exported my old playlists and reimported them into new system and they show up fine in iTunes. When I click on one of the tunes though I get the familiar "song could not be used because original file could not be found" and the ! icon appears. This is a commonly discussed issue. However common solutions don't seem to apply.
When I click "locate" from this dialog box and manually go to the tune, it plays fine after that. So then, how can I do this for the entire library to avoid doing this 1200 times?
There isn't a single simple solution to this. Solutions follow two paths. One is to get your old library working (which you seem to have tried). The other is to simply create a new library and start all over again, losing some things such as playlists, play counts, ratings in the process.
As a nuclear option... Is there a way I can uninstall itunes completely and start from scratch?
Are all your music files in pretty much one folder or series of folders? If they are you could just start itunes with a new, blank library by holding down the option key, then drag all your files to the library window.

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foolishly copied my existing itunes folder
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Did you copy the \iTunes\ folder or the \iTunes\music\ folder?
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