How did my entire music library disappear and how do I retrieve it?

Have not used iTunes in several months. Only had music, but it was a large library. A few tunes were from a personal CD and most were purchased. I recently opened the library to find it empty. Where did my songs go. They been there for years! Why would they suddenly disappear and how do I get them back???

Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash
Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping. In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.
See iTunes Folder Watch for a tool to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.
When you get it all working make a backup!
tt2

Similar Messages

I am trying to sync a playlist to my Nano, but when I click on the Music tab at the top, it will not allow me to select the option Selected Playlist, Artists, etc. I cannot un-check the Entire Music library option and check the Selected Artist - on

I am trying to sync a playlist to my Nano, but when I click on the Music tab at the top,
it will not allow me to select the option Selected Playlist, Artists, etc. I cannot un-check the Entire Music library
option and check the Selected Artist … one.
I have changed the Sync option to Manually sync, but that does not help.
How can I change this to the second option?
Thanks.

There is a checkbox above those two options for how to sync. It says Sync Music; it enables automatic syncing. That box needs to be checked before you can select from the two options for how automatic syncing is performed.
NOTE: If the iPod is current set up to Manually manage music [and videos], checking that Sync Music box replaces its current content with content from your iTunes library, based on how automatic syncing is set up on that screen.
So, if your goal is to add ONE playlist to an iPod that is managed manually, you do not want to do this because iTunes will erase the iPod's current content and replace it with just that ONE selected playlist (and whatever else you select on that Music settings screen).
Instead, if the iPod currently uses the manual setting, you need to add playlists manually to the iPod (not use the automatic syncing setting). Please post back with more details about your situation.

HT4527 I have my entire music library (purchased and burnt CD's) on my iPod Touch from one computer and I wanted to sync it all to my new computer. I was hoping it would all transfer via sync when I plugged it in but it doesn't seem to work. Please help?!

I have my entire music library (purchased and burnt CD's) on my iPod Touch from one computer and I wanted to sync it all to my new computer. I was hoping it would all transfer via sync when I plugged it in but it doesn't seem to work. Please help?!

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.

My entire music library (purchased and my own) can't be put onto my itouch. All these files have a little explanation point next to it. When I click on it to play it it says file could not be found. How do I get my music back?

I've downloaded a normal software upgrade and now my computer doesn't recognize that my music files are mine....I guess. Itunes library has tons of songs that I've either downloaded from disc or purchased from itunes. Now, they all have this little explanation point next to the file name. Can't put them on my itouch and can't play them on the computer.
Tried to ask apple to help...they want $29. I don't understand...I was simply upgrading my itouch with their software updates and now this. Had the same problem with my apps. Had to redownload all of them individually. Didn't have to pay for them again. They, too, had the little explanation mark next to them.
Help me.
I'm music-less.
Kathy

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 got a new laptop and downloaded iTunes, when I put new music on it for the first time, my entire music library disappeared, leaving me with only newly downloaded music in my library. My iPod still has all my old music.

Recently, I bought a new laptop (a Lenovo), so I downloaded iTunes to it. When I bought new music from iTunes for the first time on the new computer, I went to my music library and there was no music, except for the new songs I had just bought. I have no idea what happened, I've had hundreds of songs I've bought from iTunes or downloaded from bought CDs over the years, which are all still on my iPod (nano, from 2008), and suddenly they just didn't seem to exist. I have yet to access the iTunes account on my previous laptop to see if my music is still there, but I would assume yes. When I went to sync my iPod to my iTunes to at least get the new songs to the iPod (so that my complete library can be on at least one device), I realized that in order to sync my iPod to my iTunes, I would be deleting all my old music and replacing it with the new. So now, I only have a few new songs on my laptop's iTunes, and only my old songs on my iPod. In both cases I paid for all the music, so I don't want to just delete any of it. Is there any way to fix this?

Also-I tried to use my backup hard drive, but I wasn't able to drag/transfer/send/move any of my muic files onto my iTouch when the iTouch was connected to my computer. I can't figure out why it won't let me do that.
The only thing I can see when I open my iTouch on my computer is my file with photos. I can't see videos, music, or anything else. What's going on?

Contents of Playlists - Show in Entire music library?

Hi
Quite a simple thing, but explaining it may prove complicated, but here goes...
I have quite a few thousand tunes in my entire library now, I also have many playlists. What I would like to be able to do is click on a playlist then click on my entire music library and have one of the columns show the tunes that are in the playlist I just previously clicked on.
This would enable me to be able to scan through my entire library and see immediately what tunes were in the playlist I previously selected. This would make it very easy to find any tunes I had missed, or wanted to add to that particular playlist.
I hope that makes sense. I cannot see any way of doing this at the moment, but for those of us with large music libraries it would be an absolute godsend. Perhaps Apple would consider adding this functionality.
In the meantime does anyone know of a workaround other than the obvious way of blindly going through the entire music library again and adding tracks only to be told by a message box that the tracks were already in the playlist and did I want to skip the duplicated tracks.
Cheers
Jem

PocketJem wrote:
In the meantime does anyone know of a workaround other than the obvious way of blindly going through the entire music library again and adding tracks only to be told by a message box that the tracks were already in the playlist and did I want to skip the duplicated tracks.
Compared to anything else we could suggest, that is pretty darn efficient! In older versions of iTunes, you did not even get that warning.
If you want to see everything that is not in PlaylistA, you can make a new playlist with the rule "Playlist" "is not" "PlaylistA" and it will show everything that is not in PlaylistA, which will make it easier to scan as you wish, and then drag what you want into PlaylistA.
Hope that helps. If you want to make an official suggestion to Apple, you can use their feedback page.

I accidentally deleted my entire music library and it's in the trash, how do I move it back?

I just deleted my entire music library and its in the trash, how do I move it back?

How did you delete it? Please provide more details to see what options you have available. Did you use iTunes by deleting the directory and confirming putting it in the trash or did you drag the actual iTunes folder in the trash? If you dragged the folder the solution is easy, either right click on the folder and select Put Back or manually return the folder to the previous location.
Do you have a recent backup of the entire iTunes Music folder including the iTunes Library.itl file or just the iTunes Library.itl file?

I have an ancient laptop (from 2005) that has my entire music library. This laptop barely works and some keys don't type anymore. How can I get all this music transferred to another computer, or available to me on the cloud?

I have an ancient laptop (from 2005) that has my entire music library. This laptop barely works and some keys don't type anymore. How can I get all this music transferred to another computer, or available to me on the cloud?

No... do not move programs.
About the iTunes library files
Your iTunes library files track the media you add to iTunes, how you've organized it, and other information such as playlists. By default, these two files are in your iTunes folder:
Mac OS X: /Users/username/Music/iTunes/
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\username\Music\iTunes\
Windows 7: C:\Users\username\My Music\iTunes\
Windows 8: C:\Users\username\My Music\iTunes\

I have used the same laptop for all three of my iPhones but awhile back this laptop had a virus so my husband wiped it out and now when I sync my iPhone I no longer get my entire music library ( including purchased songs) on my iPhone. How do I fix this?

I have always used the same laptop for all of my iPhones but awhile back this laptop had a virus so my husband wiped out the laptop and now when I sync my iPhone I no longer receive my entire music library (including purchased songs) on my iPhone. How do I fix this?

kimberlyfromtopeka wrote:
Ok,thanks but, I should be able to something so that I am able to sync the entire library again not just the purchased songs.
If the non purchased music is not on your computer, how can it Sync to your iPhone...

HT204074 How can I transfer music from my iPad to my iPod. I no longer have a Pc. It died and cannot be restored. It had iTunes with my entire music library on it.

How can I transfer music from my iPhone to my iPad.?
I no longer have a PC. Mine died and cannot be restored. It had iTunes with my entire music library on it.

If you are running an OS of 5.0 or higher, you should be able to use the iCloud to sync both devices together & share music.

I just accidentally wiped out my entire music library. How can I get apple to help me download the purchased songs again? The songs went to my recycle bin and I immediately restored them but the files seem to have dissappered!

I just accidentally wiped out my entire music library. I sent everything to recycling bin and then immediately hit restore all items as I knew what I had just done. Now I can find where those files went. Is there anyway Apple can just send me my purchased songs again?

See Here > Download Past Purchases
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519

How do I transfer an entire music library from old PC that crashed to new PC

I purchased a new computer and before I could transfer my music library to the new computer (Windows 8.1), my old PC (windows XP) crashed and I can't get access to it any longer. I can see how to download one song at a time, but is there an option to download the entire music library? (iTunes version 12.01.26)

Check HERE.

HT204406 I just enabled Match to my iphone 4S...It seems to have wiped out my entire music library. I bought two new songs and those are the only two songs showing up in my library. Please help!

Match lost my entire music library. It isn't in my music on my phone. That's over $1500 in music, lost Please help.

" When I did this, my library showed all the music I have "purchased" from itunes but did not have the music that I downloaded a long time ago through itunes from my old CDs."
Correct.
" How can I get that music to show up in my library now on my new computer? "
Copy it from your old computer or your backup copy of your old computer.
The sync is one way - computer to ipod.

After creating a new playlist in iTunes, how can I add my entire music library --at once-- to the new playlist. I want to download all my music from Icloud at once on my Macpro

After creating a new playlist in iTunes, how can I add my entire music library --at once-- to the new playlist. I want to download all my music from Icloud at once on my Macpro

You have two separate questions here...
To get all your music into one playlist, select Music in the sidebar and click the Songs view at the top. Then, highlight all the songs and drag them into your playlist.
I don't know if it's possible to download all Purchased content (or do you mean iTunes Match content?) at once; try a few Google searches.

I have updated to IOS 7.1 my music has disappeared and my boyfriend has put his iPod music onto my iPod those also were gone I'd like to know how to get it back if there is anything you can tell me to get my music to pop back up that would be great.

I have updated to IOS 7.1 my music has disappeared and my boyfriend has put his iPod music onto my iPod those also were gone I'd like to know how to get it back if there is anything you can tell me to get my music to pop back up that would be great.

You can only sync with one computer/iTunes library. If you sync with another iTunes library/computer the media from the iPod will be deleted and replaced with the media on the second computer.
If you want to change syncing computers then:
Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive: Apple Support Communities
You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

How did my entire music library disappear and how do I retrieve it?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for