Exclamation marks appearing

Hello everyone,
Those dreaded exclamation marks have started to appear. All of my music is where it has been for about 2 years now, on an external hard drive, and nothing else has changed apart from the usual system/iTunes upgrades and I'm up to date on both counts.
Over the last couple of days I've had to manually go and locate a lot of songs which have just become 'lost' in the iTunes system. In fact one album was playing perfectly yesterday has suddenly now got 4 exclamation marks and the Mac has been on the whole time with iTunes running.
Does anyone have an idea about this as I don't much fancy having to re-import up to 20,000 songs.

A couple years ago I started getting question marks for no apparent reason. I hadn't moved any songs - they were still there and I could link them...only to have them disappear again a few days later.
When that happened (songs I relinked became lost again) I exported my library and each of my playlists and copied them to another drive and made sure I'd backed up that last few CDs I'd ripped. (I suspected the drive was dying or that the directory was damaaged.)
I used Apple's Disk Utility to check the integrity of my drive and found several errors it couldn't repair. Since I always have spare stuff around (I work in IT) I copied all my songs to an external drive, formatted the drive, and moved everything back again. I wound up losing data on about 100 songs but that solved my problem.

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Every time I click on a photo in Iphoto a big exclamation mark appears

So I recently went on vacation and took tons of photos/videos from my Iphone. When I got back home I uploaded them all to Iphoto and when it asked if I want to keep my photos or delete them I accidentally clicked delete. The problem though is that now when I try to sync that specific album it won't go, and when I click on one of the photos from Iphoto a big exclamation mark appears. It also won't let me email or move anything from that album. PLEASE HELP ME!!! I really want some of those photos on my phone!!

That symbol turns up when iPhoto can't find the original photo.
Are you running a Managed or a Referenced Library?
A Managed Library, is the default setting, and iPhoto copies files into the iPhoto Library when Importing. The files are then stored in the Library package
A Referenced Library is when iPhoto is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing because you made a change at iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced. (You unchecked the option to copy files into the Library on import) The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.

Exclamation mark appears instead of photo. Recently upgraded from i mac to Macbook air and all was transferred over. I have run all the repair and rebuild functions in iphoto. Any other solution?

Exclamation mark appears instead of photo. Recently upgraded from i mac to Macbook air and all was transferred over. I have run all the repair and rebuild functions in iphoto. Any other solution?

Since iPLM failed to help try the following:
Starting over from scratch with new library
Start over with a new library and import the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from your original library as follows:
1. Open the library package like this.
2. Launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
3. Drag the subfolders of the Originals (iPhoto 09 and earlier) or the Masters (iPhoto 11) folder from the open iPhoto Library package into the open iPhoto window a few at a time.
This will create a new library with the same Events (but not necessarily the same Event names) as the original library but will not keep the metadata, albums, books slideshows and other projects.
Note: your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.
OT

Some songs are not longer available and an ! exclamation mark appears before the song. What should I do?

Some songs are not longer available and an ! exclamation mark appears before the song in iTunes. What should I do?

When you open iTunes it opens a database file that contains the locations of the media files you use to play the music. If something has happened to invalidate where iTunes thinks that file is stored you get a ! There are many possible reasons. Sometimes a computer can start to lose files. In other situations it is something you did such as renaming a folder or drive iTunes uses, or moving the files manually. If you can give us hints we can start working our way down the long list.

I have two e-mail addresses and on the left hand side in mail if i expand the sent box one account has an exclamation mark appeared and some mail has deleted it's self??

I have two e-mail addresses and on the left hand side in mail if i expand the sent box one account has an exclamation mark appeared and some mail has deleted it's self??

You can continue to use them as Apple ID's, change the rescue address (as you know)
You can use your iCloud address, but it won't be an alias, it's a full email address.

I can't send texts to some contacts in my iphone 4s. This is a recent problem, as previously all texts would send. The red exclamation mark appears and 'not 'delivered' shows on screen.

First time I've used this discussion forum, so may be posting problem twice! I can't send texts to some contacts in my iphone 4s. This is a recent problem, as previously I could send texts whenever I wanted. The exclamation mark and "not delivered' shows on screen when I ry and text certain people. I know for a fact that my number is not blocked by the receipients?

I've just realised, further to my earlier question - that the people I am trying to text do not have Iphones? Could this make a difference? (Although I have text them in the past)

Thumbnail pictures cannot be opened, black exclamation mark appears

Numerous photos cannot be opened any more, when I click on the little previews I see only a black surface with an exclamation mark. How can I fix this problem ?

The ! turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents.
What version of iPhoto? Assuming 09 or later...
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
Regards
TD

My iPod touch 4G won't send any iMessages, the connection is fine but when I send any messages a red exclamation mark appears with the words 'not delivered' appearing. Anyone have ideas about how to solve this problem??

Can anyone help, please??

Hey, I'm probably too late and you may have already solved it but here's a solution. In iTunes go to Edit then preferences and then click on reset dialog warnings. What happens is when you first sync your ipod, you receive a message saying something like transfer?and you've probably selected "Do not show this message again". I don't really know why but iTunes assumes that the apps on your iPod are already on your computer and therefore need no transferring.
After you've reset it, the same message should pop up about transferring. As long as you don't click don't show, you should be good to go.

Whenever I try to send a text a red exclamation mark appears next to it.

As the title says texting is not working. I got my phone yesterday and thought it might be a slight delay in starting or something. All other services work fine such as 3G, imessage and phoning, just not texting. Please help.

SMS is a carrier feature, go talk to your carrier and make sure SMS is provisioned.

Why is the Triangle icon with the exclamation mark appear over the icon on the top right of my screen?

The title is pretty much my question >_>

Hi KingKoward,
Please refer to the following thread where the issue stands resolved:
Creative Cloud "Download Error" message
Regards,
Sheena

Exclamation marks appear randomly beside a song/songs in my playlist.

When I try to locate the songs, I can't & I follow all the instructions. I usually end up having to download again. What causes this problem & how do I correct? I'm relativley new to the world of computer tech, so please make it simple. Thanks.

Did you try opening windows explorer and looking at the folder where you keep your music (I'm assuming its the itunes library folder)? Have you tried searching your hard drive click "start", then "search" & enter the name of the song or artist.
If that doesn't work, and your music is nowhere to be found, this post contains something you can try:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5187168#5187168
Just follow the instructions, step by step, and even if you are new to computers, you will be able to do this. Plus, you'll be learning how to do something new - always a good thing ; )

ITunes has recently began corrupting my music library and my Podcasts. An exclamation mark has appeared at the beginning of a random number of songs and against some Podcasts with the result that they will not play on iTunes. Message is that iTunes cannot

iTunes has recently began corrupting my Music and some of the Podcasts. An exclamation mark appears at a random selection of songs - about a thoussanad of them - and they will not play as iTunes says that it cannot locate the file. This also has happened on a number of Podcasts. Any one else encountered this?

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, if you are running Windows (you've posted in iTunes for Windows, but your sig mentions Mac OS X...), and 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

Why do my photos appear as an exclamation mark when i open them?

Why do my photos appear as an exclamation mark when I open them?
I used my time machine back up from my old expired power mac and uploaded the contents onto my new iMac.
All of the files uploaded successfully as far as I can see (except the old programs don't work and the consequently all those files are cactus :-( )however when I opened iPhoto only a few photos (500) where in some of the folders.
I went back and found the photos in the back up machine (25000) and dumped them on the iPhoto icon. They down loaded successfully into the correct folders and the thumbprints are visible. When I click on an individual photo the enlarged picture appears for an instant and then an explanation mark in a triangle appears in its place.
The original 500 pics actual worked... now after days of mucking around and with lots of advice I have doubled the number of 'photos' to 50000!!! Ahh,,,, and still the exclamation mark appears
Is there anyway out of this predicament??

This went wrong here:
I went back and found the photos in the back up machine (25000) and dumped them on the iPhoto icon.
Never import one Library to another. Every version and thumbnail is imported like a distinct photo, you lose all your Albums, Keywords etc., the link between Original and Previews is destroyed, the non-destructive editing feature is ruined and so on. In summary: it's mess.
The ! turns up when iPhoto loses the link to the original photo.
I would suggest that you restore that library from Time Machine again, and then try repair it.
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.

I get an error message when I try to use share function on IPhoto. I get the triangle icon with an exclamation mark inside of it.

I get an error message when I try to use the share function on iPhoto. When I try to share photos via email a triangle icon with an exclamation mark appears. Why can't I use share function?

The ! turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents.
What version of iPhoto? Assuming 09 or later
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
Regards
TD

Photos in iPhoto showing exclamation mark

I had some pictures in my iPhoto trash and I tried to restore them to iPhoto, but now when I click on them to edit or view an exclamation mark appears. I downloaded iPhoto Library Manager and it hasn't helped. Any suggestions?

To make a temporary backup copy of your library Control+click on it and select Duplicate from the contextual menu.
So, make a temporary, backup copy and apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Since only one option can be run at a time start with Option #1, followed by #3 and then #4 as needed.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
OT

Exclamation marks appearing

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