How to restore library of music

Further to my previous post I was able to restore my purchases by reinstalling itunes and allowing it to use the default folder...that part is ok now. my problem now is the other music I have put on the ipod came from a different folder on my computer. when i open itunes the only music in my library of itunes is what is in the default folder. Follow me so far? I know i can copy all the music from the old folder to the itunes folder but will that restore the library as shown in itunes? also waht is the complete folder structure for itunes? any suggestions are sincerely appreciated.

- You can try posting in the iTunes forum since you now have an iTunes problem, not asn iPod problem.
- This may help.
iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads

Similar Messages

  • TS1717 how to restore my itunes music library when an apple download stuffs up

    how to restore my itunes music library when an apple download malfunctions

    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

  • How to restore library after hard drive reformat?

    Hello, I am going to reformat my Mac Pro's boot drive, and I want to make sure my iTunes library remains intact (I'm using iTunes 12).
    I keep my iTunes music files on a 2nd internal hard drive, in a folder that I titled "iTunes Folder". I also plan to reformat this internal hard drive.
    I have backups of both drives on an external hard drive. I'm assuming that in order to restore my iTunes library, playlists, etc., to their current state, I simply need to a) restore the user/Music/iTunes folder to its current state and b) restore the "iTunes Folder" to my 2nd internal drive. Is that correct? Or is there a different way that it should be done?
    Thanks.

    Our hard drive crashed completely and we installed a completely new hard drive. My sister and I both shared the same library for our Videos. She plugged her's into the computer and all the music was erased almost immediately. How can I plug my ipod in with out having the music and other files erased??? Is there any way I can transfer music from my ipod onto her's??

  • How to restore library and iPod from external flash drive

    I had trouble getting my iPod to load new music after I got a new PC. I reinstalled iTunes and the new music loaded but the old music in my library and iPod were deleted. How do I transfer my music from my flash drive back to my library and iPod classic?

    did you ever find the answer to this question? I have the same problem

  • How to restore library in itunes....

    Hi, my entire itunes library was accidentally deleted, but I do have the entire thing on ipod. My question is, how do I get my library back on itunes? My itunes account is set to automatically sync, so if I plug the ipod into itunes, everything on the ipod will be deleted (correct?) and I will permanently lose everything. From what I've read, it looks like I have to plug the ipod in to even switch to "manage manually"...so is there a way to restore my itunes library without losing everything on my ipod? Thanks!

    For iTunes version 7 or later, then you can transfer purchased iTunes store music from the iPod to an authorized computer by using the "file/transfer purchases from iPod" menu. Note that the maximum of 5 authorized computers applies here.
    Find out how to do that here.
    How to copy iTunes purchases from an iPod to a computer.
    For all other non purchased content (your own CDs etc) try this method which works on some Windows PCs.
    Enable your iPod for disk use.
    See: iPod Disk Use.
    Open iTunes and select edit/preferences/advanced/general. Put a check mark in the box marked "copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library" and also "keep iTunes music folder organized", then click 'ok'.
    Connect the iPod whilst holding down the shift/ctrl keys to prevent any auto sync, and if you see the dialogue window asking if you want to sync to this itunes library, click 'no'.
    Then go to file/add folder, open 'my computer', select your iPod and click 'ok'.
    The music files should transfer to your iTunes.
    If this doesn't work (and it may not because officially it's not supposed to), check out the instructions/suggestions here.
    Music from iPod to computer (using option 2). This a manual method using "hidden folders" and although it works, it is a little more involved than other methods.
    Much easier ways are to use one of the many 3rd party programs that copy music from the iPod to the computer.
    One of the most recommended is Yamipod. This is a free program that transfers music from iPod back to the computer. However, it does not transfer playcounts/ratings etc.
    Another free program is Pod Player.
    SharePod is also freeware.

  • How to Restore Library and Playlists to Newly Wiped Hard Drive

    Due to Windows problem, I had to reformat my hard drive.
    Before I did, I copied the entire My Documents folder, including My Music and the iTunes music files and the My Playlist text files to a second hard drive - the D drive - in the same tree structure as they existed on the C drive.
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    I installed the iPod disc onto the newly cleaned C: Drive and downloaded iTunes ver 6.
    Now I would like to have my iTunes library and playlists back just as they were but I am confused over the ADD FILE and ADD FOLDER commands.
    Add Folder appears to copy the full music files back to the C Drive, which I do not want.
    Add File appears to add the meta data, the library list, and
    the playlists to iTunes, but when you go to play a track, the program says it cannot do so because it can't find the music file. To tell each track the new location of the music file listed means I would have to edit over 1200 line items -- even though I already told the program where the
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    try something else.
    What must I do to transfer just the meta data and keep the actual music files on the D drive?
    Dell 8250 desktop   Windows XP  

    The XML file is less important (See the link that Katrina provided above).
    First re-install the iTunes program (if you have not already).
    Make sure that the music folders and files are copied to the exact same location they were in prior to the PC Restore. If they were running on the C: drive, you'll need to place them there at first, then move them within iTunes.
    Then copy the original ITL file you saved into the 'iTunes' folder, replacing the newly created (and smaller) ITL file that was created when you reinstalled iTunes.
    Open iTunes and the Library should be as it was prior to the Restore.
    To move the files to your D: drive keeping iTunes 'informed' see this link:
    http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=721335&messageID=1316838
    Post back if you still have questions.

  • How to restore iTunes after music files erased

    So, I accidentally erased all my music files which were stored on an external hard drive. (Bone headed move, don't ask). Thankfully, all the files were backed up. I restored the external hard drive with all the music files but am not sure what the next move is. Couple of questions:
    First, the iTunes application still has all my songs listed. Of course, when I click one, it says it cannot locate the file since, of course, the original file was accidentally deleted. If I simply re-import all the files from my backup harddrive will I have essentially duplicates of every song I have? That is to say 1 file that won't play and one file that will?
    Second, should I erase the entire songlist from iTunes and then re-import?
    Third, any other suggestions?
    I backed everything up on TimeMachine.
    Thanks,
    John

    Hi Jim,
    Thanks for the reply.
    Not sure how I would go about restoring the itl file.
    The only files I lost were the actual music files. The hard drive with theiTunes application and other itunes files are fine and untouched but since the original files were deleted, iTunes can't locate them. (Unless I point it toward the restored drive one-by-one)
    Does that make sense?
    Thanks,
    John

  • How to restore library from backup on external hard drive

    I am helping my wife move her library to a new computer after the old one crashed. I backed up my wife's music library to an external hard drive by simply copying and pasting all the files in her My Music >> iTunes folder into the external hard drive. When she got a new laptop, I tried placing those same files from the external hard drive into the My Music >> iTunes folder on the new computer (overwriting the few default files that were there), but that didn't seem to work. iTunes does not acknowledge that any songs have been added. I also noticed that almost all of the files say "(protected)", although I'm not sure if that is having an impact on the failure.
    Additional information: some of the songs are iTunes purchases and some are from CDs we imported. Because restoring involves more than just iTunes purchases, I can't simply plugin her iPod to the new laptop and use the import purchases feature.
    Finally, I see a great deal of information in customer support about restoring from a CD or DVD, but not from an external hard drive, although an external hard drive is mentioned as one way to backup iTunes music, so I believe there must be a valid way. Any literature on that would be helpful as well.
    Thank you.

    EmmanIsaac,
    Do you just want a new drive that can be read by Macs and PCs? I would suggest taking a look at MacMall and shopping for, at least, a 1TB drive (they're cheap these days) and, when you get it, format it as FAT32 on a PC. Then you'll be able (with some limitations) to share the drive on both platforms.
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    Clinton

  • How to restore library from a CD backup

    Hi,
    My PB 12" HD just decide to die last week. So I had to change it, and get my pictures back from a DVD backup I had. The backup is a little bit older that what I had in mind, but it is still better than nothing!
    The problem I have is that I do not know how to get back the information I had. On the DVD, my keywords are there, but if I just copy the files to my library, they do not keep their the keywords when copied.
    How should I proceed to get my library it was at the time of this backup?
    Thanks

    Hi,
    I've looked on the CD, and finally found out that the format was identical to the iPhoto 5 photo library folder.
    So I just copied the file to my HD in My Pictures, then I open iPhoto which ask to translate the library to iPhoto 6.
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    But, since that took back also the folders and album I had created in standard albums, I was able to rebuilt most of the tag without having to look at every pictures one by one in the library... Better than nothing...
    Thanks

  • How to restore  library after computer crash

    how do i restore my i tunes libray after my computer crashed

    Copy it from your backup copy of your computer.

  • How to restore your old music after it has been erased from being synced??

    I once had music on my iphone and i synced it on my laptop wth itunes and now everything has been erased!!!
    How do I get everything back. I tried adding the music again but nothing it working. i EVEN checked my history of songs played on itunes and has some of my old songs on it but I don't know how to get all of it back??? someone PLEASEEEE HELPP ASAP !!!

    Well, the level of pain you are about to experience will hinge on what level of backup you have of the phone. If none, you will soon have a blank, from-factory phone you will have to reconfigure from scratch.
    Read here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1212

  • IPhoto crashed after uploading photos. Tried restart but crashed again. Message that library is damaged. I don't have a backup. How to restore library?

    I uploaded new photos and put into albums. When I tried to open album, iPhoto shut down. Got error message and clicked on reopen. Tried again and it happened again. When I opened it again it said there was damage and offered a button to restore. I clicked it and then got this: "Your photo library is damaged or unreadable and cannot be opened. Please restore from a backup." Help, no backup. Is there any way to recover the library?

    1 - you really must ahve a backup - without one it is just a matter of time until you lose all of your files including your photos - bad things happen, hopefully this is not the time but it will happen sooner or later - purchase a large hard drive (2 1/2 times the size of yoru main drive) that is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) and start runnint Time Machine so youwill have hourly backps
    2 - start by rebuilding - backup  your iPhoto library, depress and hold the command and options keys, launch iPhoto and rebuild yoru database
    LN

  • ITunes deleted how to restore apps and music from iTouch?

    My hard disk had to be replaced so I lost all my files on my computer, including iTunes. If I try to synch my iPod I know it will delete everything off of it. Is there an easy way to restore the files into iTunes from my iTouch? I really need this.

    Read my post here. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3286150?tstart=0
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  • I had songs loaded on my PC and Shuffle. My PC crashed and they were unable to restore my iPod library (that is still on my shuffle). Now, my shuffle has been used so much, I must replace it! Q: How do I get my music from old shuffle onto new shuffle?

    I had songs on my PC and my shuffle and my PC crashed. They were unable to restore my iTunes library when my computer was fixed. The songs still remain on my Shuffle, but now it is being replaced with another Shuffle. Q: How do I get my music from my old Shuffle onto my new Shuffle? Thanks!

    You will need the help of some sort of 3rd party software to help you copy the content from your Shuffle back to your PC.  Once you have done that, you can reimport this music into iTunes and configure it to sync to your new Shuffle.
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2452022?start=0&tstart=0
    B-rock

  • , I-tunes can no longer 'locate' my library , after a botched cut & paste attempt to back-up onto an external drive. Still syncing with i-Pod but playlists lost , podcasts no longer syncing, Can't play music .. how to restore back to original state .

    I-tunes can no longer 'locate' my library , after a botched cut & paste attempt to back-up onto an external drive.Cant play any music as it "can't find" the library  Still syncing with i-Pod but playlists lost , podcasts no longer syncing.   How to restore back to original state . I have tried re-installing  - with no change

    I do the same thing as you do...
    My music is on an external drive as to not use up gigabytes of storage that need not be used for media.
    There are a couple basic principles to iTunes that I believe you should know.
    1. iTunes is not a media storage program. It does not store your media "in iTunes". It simply is an organization tool for your media already on a hard disk.
    2. As iTunes is not a storage mechanism, it has no way to "know" whether or not the media that is listed is actually there. This is where the "design" of iTunes comes into play.
    I like to think of iTunes as a bread-crumb trail. The "music" in iTunes, isn't actually there. The bread crumb is the location on the external hard drive.
    If that bread crumb trail disappears (in this case the external drive you use). If said external drive is not plugged in, that bread crumb trail is not able to be followed. iTunes is "lost" and unable to find the media. The only way to remedy this is to place the media on your local drive.
    To address your issue of the library. If you hold down shift, you can select your library on your external drive. It will be a file with an .itl extension. The folder name will be your external drive.
    I go into edit > preferences > advanced and set my library to the correct location. Make sure you check the box "Copy to iTunes Folder when importing" (or whatever it says).
    You can't fix the issue of iTunes not seeing the media if your drive is unplugged unless you physically move the content to your OS HDD...Or any other HDD you use.

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