How to restore itunes on reimaged computer

I have a older PC running Windows XP. I need to re-image the computer and my kids are using iTunes for their iPod Touches. I backed up my kids "My Music" folder(s) to an external hard drive. After I re-image the machine, how do I restore my kids iTunes music?

Copy the media back to the computer.
Did you happen to copy the iTunes folder as well? That is where the iTunesLibrary.itl file is stored which actually contains the library information.

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How to restore iTunes Library on computer from iCloud or other method after iTunes library suddenly becomes empty?

I just opened my iTunes on my laptop (which is considerably slow) and all of my music, apps, everything has been wiped for some reason ie. my library is completely empty. I'm not sure what caused this and I really don't care I just want my playlists, music, apps back so I can add more music and sync my iPhone with it again as normal.
I'm sure that all my music has been backed up to iCloud but I'm not sure how to access that from my computer and how to import it back into my library. I'm afraid to sync my phone and iPod now because I've read that this will wipe them completely again and they are the only places I can see my music/playlists so I don't want them to disappear from these devices also before I can restore everything on my laptop.
I logged into my apple ID again on my computer hoping that maybe my music would come up when iTunes was connected to my particular account but the library is still empty. Not really sure what to do and would appreciate any advice. Maybe I'm missing something really obvious here and if so could someone point it out, I won't be insulted! Thank you!

If your music is still in \Music\iTunes Music, I believe your library can be recovered by closing iTunes, then going to \iTunes and renaming iTunes Library.itl to something like iTunes Library.itl.old, then renaming the most recent previous library from your \Music\iTunes\Previous iTunes Libraries folder to Library.itl and moving it to \Music\iTunes. But I would recommend you post your question over in the iTunes for Windows forum go be sure as they would have more expertise on recovering your iTunes library.

HT4946 hey my 3rd gen ipod is disabled and i cant figure out how to restore it on this computer

can u help

Disabled
Place the iOS device in Recovery Mode and then connect to your computer and restore via iTunes. The iPod will be erased.
iOS: Wrong passcode results in red disabled screen
If recovery mode does not work try DFU mode.
How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
For how to restore:
iTunes: Restoring iOS software
To restore from backup see:
iOS: How to back up
If you restore from iCloud backup the apps will be automatically downloaded. If you restore from iTunes backup the apps and music have to be in the iTunes library since synced media like apps and music are not included in the backup of the iOS device that iTunes makes.
You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

How to restore iTunes library after operating system changed?

How to restore iTune library after operating system changed on the laptop? The syn is not working because it doesn't recognize the computer.

Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device: Apple Support Communities
Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive: Apple Support Communities
Sync Your iOS Device with a New Computer Without Losing Data - How-To Geek

How to restore iTunes file

How to restore iTunes when the file is incomplete and does not present all information.

Downloading (using iOS or computer) past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519 - enabled with iTunes 10.3 and newer; not all media formats are available in all countries (see: iTunes in the Cloud, iTunes Match, and iTunes Radio availability by country - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5085); apps, books (not audiobooks), music, t.v. shows, and movies (some - not all studios have permitted this). Downloading previously purchased movies and TV shows requires iTunes 10.6 or later. Discontinued items not available. For items not included in the iCloud list (e.g., ringtones, audiobooks), or locations or computer systems where iCloud is not (yet?) available, you only get one download per fee paid. Apple recommends, "You always back up your iTunes library in the event that a purchased item is no longer available on the iTunes Store," (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519).
You may need to delete the entry completely from the library first before re-downloading or it will think the file is still on your computer.

How to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

Please, can someone give me the instructions on how to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

See Pondini's TM FAQs, for details.

Can I restore iTunes on my computer using my iPhone iTunes?

Can I restore iTunes on my computer using my iPhone iTunes? I messed up the cover art on many albums; they are still correct on my iPhone.

Thanks so much for your quick response. I may not have stated my problem quite clearly enough. I am not getting more than one album cover image per song or album. Instead, each song is separated out in my iTunes as a separate album.
This only happens when there is more than one artist on the album, or on the "duets" albums. See screen capture of my iTunes attached. I am hopeful that there is a way to get these separate song images all back under one album.
Thanks much for any suggestions.

How to restore ITunes Library from Backup hard drive?

My computer crashed. I restored it -- but ITunes was wiped clean. I have all my music files and ITunes Library backed up on an external hard drive. How do I get the library from the external drive back to the computer with playlists, artwork and all intact? I guess it is more complex than just dragging the file labled library into ITunes becuase the computer won't let me do that. When I go to the original songs they are all individually in folders accorging to the artist and album -- that will take days to copy each album 1 by 1 -- I have 3,700 songs.

What you first need to do is Place the music it the Location they was in before you restored. If you had songs on the C drive in My Music folder, place them there. If iTunes was reading the music from the external, not much you have to do sincve there already there.
Now with the Library file you have to make iTUnes take the file and recreate it, this is explained here http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93313

How to restore itunes

after i tried to update itunes on my computer it was unsuccessful, so i tried to open itunes however was un able to do say with an alert stating a particular file had gone missing and to restore itunes could solve this problem. how do i restore itunes?!

See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash.
tt2

Hard drive crashed - how to restore iTunes

A bad sector hung up my hard drive. I have a new drive now, but need to restore iTunes and songs. I have almost all my songs backed up on an external drive. SO if I download iTunes and the add in the songs will I be good and can I synch between iTunes and teh iPod? I can't turn my iPod into a hard drive since I lost the drive in the computer with no warning.
Also, there were a coule songs that I had just bought from Apple, they were not backed up is there any way to get those back into iTunes? Thanks.

*there were a cou(p)le songs that I had just bought from Apple, they were not backed up is there any way to get those back into iTunes?*
The policy on lost purchases is that you have to pay to download them again:
"Once a Product is purchased and you receive the Product, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage the Product, and Apple shall be without liability to you in the event of any loss, destruction, or damage." iTunes Store: Purchased content can be downloaded only once
You could try contacting the iTunes Music Store Customer Service and you might be able to persuade them to sanction a second free download. There have been occasional reports in the iTunes forum of this happening, however just be aware that they are not under any obligation to do so. If you click on any of the links on this page you'll find a space at the bottom to email your query: iTMS Customer Service

Anyone know how to Restore iTunes Library from External HD

My PC won't even turn on anymore. But luckily, I have most of the iTunes Library backed up in an External HD.
Now, I've searched and can't find instructions from Apple on how to Restore the Library while keeping all the Playlists, Ratings, and all that other good stuff. Anyone know to do that, or at least WHERE that info is?
Thanks.
Message was edited by: MasterSpade

I have most of the iTunes Library backed up in an External HD
What exactly do you have backed up on the external?

Reinstalled Windows - how to restore iTunes from backup?

OK, here's the short succinct and none-waffley version of my question:
Under OSX there's a whopping big (xml?) file stored in the iTunes Library folder, but where is that on Windows? I've read about a Library.itl file, is that the same thing? If so, where on earth is it please?!?
And now for those who don't mind reading a bit, I'd like to explain my problem (a blank looking iTunes library after reinstalling Windows / iTunes) in a bit more detail. A lot of hard work and many listening hours went into crafting those smart playlists and I'd rather like to get them back if that's at all possible?
Here's what I've got to go on:
- the "iTunes music folder" is on a disk partition that remained untouched during the reinstallion process, so all my music's still there (else I wouldn't be quite so relaxed about it!!!)
- my "My Documents" folder is also on another untouched partion, but I don't think iTunes saves anything there does it?
- before reinstalling Windows I backued up my "Documents and Settings" folder from C drive. I assumed everything I'd need for restoring iTunes would be stored in the "Application Data" subfolder (or whatever Windows calls this in english - it's Anwendungsdaten in german)
So after reinstalling iTunes and before starting it for the first time, I copied my backup of "Docs & Settings/Rich in Berlin/Anwendungsdaten/Apple Computer/iTunes" to the corresponding place on C drive (and also the same named folder from "Local Settings"). Then I started iTunes, remembered that this is a PC not a Mac and saw an empty library window. Which brought me here.
As I wrote at the beginning, I suspect Library.itl has something to do with it. Can anybody confirm this and/or tell me where to find it, please?
Cheers
a computer designed by the devil Windows XP Pro iTunes 4.8 and why do so many only use this to show-off irrelevant items they own???
BeigeG3 400/256/40 OS921, PismoG3 400/640/40 Windows XP iTunes 4.8 and why do so many only use this to show-off irrelevant items they own???

iTunes operates as a database of information for your music files. The actual music files are stored on your PC, not within iTunes. iTunes keeps absolute references of the music file location and other information in its database file. This allows iTunes to use music files from any location on the PC: different directories/folders on the main HD, another internal drive, an external drive, or a network drive (or any combination of the above). Each song reference has a specific and hardcoded path so iTunes can find and play (or sync) it. Move the file, change the path, re-map the drive it is on, and iTunes will lose the file (giving you the '!' of a ‘Broken Link’). Lose, move or corrupt the ‘iTunes Music.itl’ file and your complete Library will ‘vanish’.
If you delete, corrupt, or otherwise lose your ‘iTunes Library.itl’ file, you will end up with a ‘blank’ Library within iTunes. Nine time out of ten, your underlying music files are still on the PC. They can be ‘re-Added’ via the File==>Add Folder/File menu command, but you will lose some of the music meta-data. Recovering your Library via backup copies of the iTunes database file, or from importing the XML file is always preferable.
The iTunes music information (meta-data) is stored in two places: the actual individual song files themselves, and the iTunes Library database file (‘iTunes Library.itl’). There is a corresponding XML file that is created by iTunes, but not directly used. See: What are the iTunes Library files?.
Song attributes stored directly in each music file are as follows: Artist, Album, Song Title, Year, Comments, Compilation tag, Lyrics, Genre , Grouping, Composer, BPM, Album Artwork, Bit Rate & Kind (Both not tags - inherent to the file itself).
Song attributes stored in the iTunes Library database file only are: Playlists, Ratings, Play Count, Last Played, Date Added, Date Modified, Equalizer, Volume Adjustment.
While it appears that all of the music attributes (except for Album Art) are also written to the XML file, when ‘Importing’ the XML file back into iTunes, it will not capture the Ratings, Play Count, Last Played, and Date Added attributes. The XML file can be somewhat useful, but it is usually better to have legacy copies of the ITL file for restoring your complete Library.

How to restore itunes music and playlists but run from external HD?

Hi all,
I recently upgraded my macbook from Tiger to Snow Lepoard.
I backed up my entire HD onto my exteral harddrive and fromated my HD and rebooted with Snow Lepoard.
Is it possible to restore itunes to exactly how it used to be i.e. playlists etc, but, is it possible to do this but run all my music from my external harddrive rather than adding it back onto the computers HD?
Any help how to do this would be great.
Cheers

Start iTunes with the option key held down. Guide it to the library file on the external hard drive. This is all assuming it is on there in some sort of regular format and not in an image file or some such.

HT201269 How to sync itunes with desktop computer?

Just got the ipad and trying to sync ipad with computer to back up files.

Have you installed iTunes on the computer ?
When you plug the device into the computer using USB, does iTunes show it in its sidebar or in a bar at the top of its window ?

HT4623 how to restore itunes backup to a new iphone

how to restore to a new iphone your old iphone's backup to itunes

See if this support document helps you. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2109

How to restore itunes on reimaged computer

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