File Can't be found.....

For no apparent reason every song in I Tunes 'can not be found' and has an exclamation mark against it. I think this also happened some time ago and I had to go into My Music folder and laboriously play each tune in ITunes and then delete the unplayable one. Can anyone suggest a reason for this and more importantly how I can resolve the problem efficiently?

The same thing is happening to my account..its been giving me that message for days. What do I do to fix it??

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When i got a new PC and transferred ITunes, when i tried to sync my 3G nano, it keeps saying 100 files can't be found and I can't get my checked songs to sync. Is it a problem with software or my ipod or ??? I am leaving on a long trip in a week

When I got my new computer and transferred I tunes my songs in my play list play on my computer, but when I try to sync to my 3g Ipod, it only syncs a few albums and gives me a message that 100 song files can't be found. So only half of what I want is on my Ipod. I leave on a long trip now and really need the Ipod full of my music. I've tried reloading some CDs and replacing the old ones on there, but still they won't sync. What do I do?

You need to copy everything from the old computer or your backup copy of your old computer to the new one.
The iphone will sync itunes content and pics with one and only one computer at a time. If you sync to another, then it will erase the current content from the iphone and replace with content from the new computer.
The music sync is one - way -computer to iphone. The only exception is itunes purchases. Without syncing: File>Transfer Purchases
If you sync contacts and calendars to a blank computer, then they will be erased as well.
Copy everything from the old computer.

How can I relocate songs from my Itunes? Itunes tells me that the original files can not be found! can someone help?

How can I relocate songs from my Itunes? Itunes tells me that the original files can not be found! can someone help?

punzete wrote:
I can't do it that way. I erase these songs from the iTunes Library, but when I sycronize the iPhone, all these songs are copied again to the Library. Isn't there any way to stop that? Everything I buy on iTunes Store through my iPhone cannot be erased from the iPhone?
WHY can't you do it the way 100 million people do it?

Can't update ipod because required file can not be found! HELP!!!!!

about a week ago i was deleting files on my computer to free up space. when i tried to update my iPod later it said that...
The iPod can't be updated. The required file can not be found...
i do not know what to do and i bought a lot of songs but i can't put it in.
HELP!!!!!
iPod Nano Windows 2000

Welcome To Discussions 30STMrOcKs!
You have posted your inquiry, in the Discussions Forum, that is intended for discourse about the use of Apple Discussions.
If you would like responses in addition to Peter Miller's, you will get more focused attention to your issue, if you select a more appropriate location from this page Discussions Forum Home.
For example,
From the Forum Home Page, select the Category iTunes.
Then choose the Forum Using iTunes for Windows.
Or from the Forum Home Page, select the iPod Category Page.
From that Category page, choose an appropriate iPod Forum.
For example Using your Fifth Generation iPod.
or Connecting the Fifth Generation iPod to Windows.
There are similar forums for each iPod model. Fifth Generation is just the first listed.
Here is the iPod nano, Category page.
On Forum pages, there is an option to Post New Topic.
Good Luck!
ali b

HT1399 My songs can't be played because the original files can't be found. What can I do?

I can't play my songs on my computer because the original files can't be found. I can, however, play them on my ipod. I tried to re-download my purchases but itunes won't allow me to do so. What can I do to retrieve my music files on my computer?

If you still have the 'pointers' to the tracks on your computer's iTunes (even if the files themselves aren't on there) then it won't let you re-download them as it assumes that they are still there - if you delete the 'pointers' then you should be able to copy your Apple purchases back from the iPod via File > Transfer Purchases, and depending on which country that you are in you might also be able to re-download them for free. For music bought from other sources or copied from CDs you will either need to copy them back onto your computer from a backup, or you need to get a third-party program that can copy them off the iPod

When Syncing, got error msg "iphone4 can not be synced as the required file can not be found", When Syncing, got error msg "iphone4 can not be synced as the required file can not be found"

i've upgraded to IOS5 and also my iMac to latest iTunes.
i now found Itunes frequently issued a error during syncing "iphone4 can not be synced as the required file can not be found". i have connected the iphone4 to my iMac using USB (i.e., wired). but without doing any thing further, i go to iTunes and just hit the button to "SYNC" the iphone4 again, it will work.
so, why am i getting that error usually first time around when i connect the iphone?

Hi folks. Am REALLY struggling here and hoping for some help. I too am constantly getting the 'iPhone can not be synced' message since upgrading to a new MacBook and trying to sync my iPhone 3GS. Have tried updating to latest iPhone software and hasn't helped. Have tried all the stuff mentioned above (dumping that file etc) and no luck. When I go to my sync page for photos, even if i un-tick the sync photos option altogether, this error keeps appearing. Very odd and very frustrating. Can't sync - seems to stall at last step of the process every time.
I'm guessing it is photo related as the pics on my iPhone are now all lowres and blurry, and it is asking for sync to iTunes to get high res images onto the phone.
Also have problem going the 'other way'! WHen I go to iPhoto on Mac and try to download new photos taken on iPhone.. I keep getting the message 'The following file could not be imported. The file is an unrecognized format."
help please
Nick

I have just downloaded all of my music into the new itune's however all of my music has an "!" buy it and I get an error saying "original file can not be found". How do I get my music back?

I have just downloaded all of my music into the new itues, however; all of my music has an "!" but it and I get an error that says " original file can not be found".
How do I get my music back?

Ok, I had a glitch, forced to restart, and lost my train of thought.
Reinstalling iTunes should fix the major issue that might have gone wrong, perhaps your explaination points will disappear and everything will be peachy again.
But if they don't, you can open the XML file in iTunes Folder using a Text edit program to see what the common pathname is to the iTunes Music folder or where your content is located.
If you moved the itunes folder, it needs to go back.
I can't download iTunes to my Vista virtual machine to test it out right now because iTunes is down, so I can't verify the pathname, perhaps your issue and the iTunes being down are related somehow?
You don't want to import all your music again, but it's a option, but you lose all your playlists, that's what I'm trying to recover.
If oyu don't have a whole lot of playlists, then simply select all the explaimation point music and delete, select File from the menu and import your itunes folder again.

I deleted half of my songs from windows media player by mistake and can't play the songs on my I tunes library because the files can't be found. is there a way to reinstall them back to my library without having to buy them again?

I deleted half of my songs from windows media player on my computer and can't play them in my I tunes library because the files can't be found. Is there a way I can get them back?

Restore them from the recycle bin if they are there, or your backup, or find an unerase or file recovery tool, or see Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device if you have one.
tt2

Error " song can't be used because original file can not be found"

Our computer was about to crash, so we backed up our iTunes library to disc like it suggested. However, once we imported the library back to the new computer, iTunes will no longer play the songs without the disc in! It says the "original file can not be found" unless the disc is in. How do we get the "originals" off the disc and back onto the computer so I don't have to carry the disc everywhere?? I can't seem to find any help on any of the help sights about this problem. I tried using iTunes Folder Watch like another post suggested and it didn't work. I still need the disc to play the songs.

Roberta hello,
The remedy is very easy...
Open the iTunes folder and select the iTunes Library file and type command -D
this will make another copy for safe keeping, if anything goes wrong you can always return this copy ... leave the duplicate file where it is.
Start iTunes in the normal way and open the preferences > advanced > general tab... set NOT to copy files when adding to library and DO keep iTunes Music folder organized.... OK your changes.
From the file menu select 'add to library' and choose the iTunes Music folder.
After iTunes has checked and made any adjustments needed have a look and see if any problems still exist ... come and let me know Roberta ... TP
iMac 800MHz PowerPC G4 17 Flat Screen. G4 iBook. Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I'm running iTunes 10.5 on my Macbook Pro and software 4.1 on my 2g iPod touch and having problems getting photo's to sync. Same error iPod can't be synced req'd file can't be found. Tried deleting the photo cache, restoring the iPod etc but to no avail.

I'm running iTunes 10.5 on my Macbook Pro and software 4.1 on my 2g iPod touch and having problems getting photo's to sync. Same error, "iPod can't be synced req'd file can't be found". Tried deleting the photo cache, restoring the iPod etc but to no avail.

Try here:
iTunes: Unable to sync photos
Usually deleting the iPod Photo Cache Folder works. Note that if you sync via the folder method, make sure you dlete all the ifolders since :
The iPod Photo Cache stores the photos that are optimized for display on your iPod, iPad, or iPhone. The location of this folder depends on the syncing options you select. In iTunes, if you change the selection in the “Sync Photos From” pop-up menu, a new iPod Photo Cache folder will be created (and the previous folder will remain).

HT1657 I rented Trouble with the Curve and haven't it yet and I when I went to watch the movie it tells me the file can not be found - please help

I rented Trouble with the Curve and haven't it yet and I when I went to watch the movie it tells me the file can not be found - please help

Yes, thank you. My apologies, I was typing one handed and did not add that.
Anyway, I have tried deleting the cache, deleting my pics and then re-syncing, etc. and nothing is working This is very frustrating, as I had no problems up until about 2 weeks ago, and now all of a sudden, I have this issue......UGH!

HT201413 I am receiving a message saying the iPod "TRACER's iPod" can not be synched. The required file can not be found. I ran the iTunes program repair and restarted both the computer and the iPod. Any suggestions on what else to try?

I am receiving a message saying the iPod "TRACER's iPod" can not be synched. The required file can not be found. I ran the iTunes program repair and restarted both the computer and the iPod. but still receive the same message. Any suggestions on what else to try?

That can sometimes be caused by a damaged ipod photo cache.
If you remove the current ipod photo cache, does that get you past the error?
For instructions on where to find it, see the following document:
iTunes: Understanding the iPod Photo Cache folder

FILE CAN NOT BE FOUND! please help

I cannot play any of the songs in the itunes library or sync because the files can not be found. the files are on xternal drive. the itunes music folder location is set for the xternal drive. whenever i have to remove the drive from the laptop and then plug it back in, the files get lost itunes can't find them. any settings suggestions? any help for this problem

i have done that over and over. i tunes still can't find the files. is there some setting that will resolve this? or is there something else that i have to change in my computer settings.
my new computer is vista the documents on the xternal drive is windows xp.

Albums can not play because original files can not be found

Suddenly about half of my albums in iTunes will not play. Error message says tunes will not play because original files can not be found. The other albums still play fine.

This happens if the file is no longer where iTunes expects to find it. Possible causes are that you or some third party tool have 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 might be able to reconnect iTunes to them using my FindTracks script.
tt2

The phone cannot be synced. the required file can not be found

I suddenly can not sync my iPhone 5
"The phone "..." cannot be synced. the required file can not be found."
What do I do about this?

iTunes: Unable to sync photos

Itunes can't play the file because the original file can not be found

There is many things wrong with that message and I don't know why.
I had around 30 songs off an album on my computer
I put the album on Itunes
I edited them and then they played fine
I put them on my ipod and then deleted them off coz i wanted to put something else on
but i found out I had more space to put the other 30 songs I had from before back on so I went to the album
when I wanted to play a song it said "Itunes Can't play the file because the original file can not be found"
1) The original file was on my computer, in the exact place where I left it last time when Itunes played it
2) I did not change the file path name
3) I did not change the folder path name
4) The songs aren't corrupted
5) They play fine on other programs
I deleted them all off and took them on again and they played fine but whey did they keep stuffing up before?

The "missing file" 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 say no when asked 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. I can provide a step by step guide if you give me the two paths.
In some cases iTunes may be able to repair itself if you go through the same steps and locate the lost track. It may then offer to attempt to automatically fix other broken links. 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

File Can't be found.....

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