Hundreds of missing files in iTunes (!)

My iTunes library is now showing lots of missing files with the ! next to them. I haven't moved my files or library. I have checked and the files are actually gone from the folders.
Question is: I have iTune music match enabled. All this files have an iCloud status of Matched or Uploaded. Why can I then play the files if they are in the cloud? I thought that that was the main idea of the music match, to safe keep copies of the files in case something happen (like this) to my library. All the missing music files are also in my iPhone but I don't believe I can synch and transfer those files back to the Mac. I will have to painfully look thru backups and find the files one by one and restore them to the respective folders.
Is there a way to restore the files from the iCloud/Music match library back to the Mac?
Thanks
Leo

I don't have a complete answer.
Changing preferences won't reconnect broken links.
Too many things happening at once so I can't tell if it was iTunes that did it or Tidyup. I never let that kind of utility anywhere near my computer.
Letting a startup drive even get near the point where it is reporitng as full is going too far. Never let it go much under 20 GB free at all times.
Your profile says you are running OSX 10.4.11 If that's true then there's no way you are running the latest iTunes upgrade.
You may have to restore the files from the second hard drive you bought at the same time you purchased hte first one since you always have multiple copies on different drives.

Similar Messages

Itunes not working, get "missing file, reinstall itunes" message.

1. Itunes not working, get "missing file, reinstall itunes", message.
2. When try to reinstall itunes, gets as far as "starting services", then stops with message, "Apple mobile device failed to start. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to start system services."
I am logged in to my laptop as Administrator.
3. After selecting "retry" and "ignore" a few times, install went ahead and got "Congrats, you have successfully installed itunes"
When I went to itunes I got, " Itunes not installed correctly, please reinstall. Error7 (Windows error 126)".
4. On reinstalling itunes yet again, got, "Programme cannot start because MSVCR80.dll is missing. Try to reinstall programme"
Help !!!

See if this post from turingtest2 helps : https://discussions.apple.com/message/24620553#24620553
There is also this user-tip for troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows from turingtest2 : https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6562

Deleting hundreds of duplicate files in Itune Library

how do I delete HUNDREDS of duplicate files that show up in my ITunes library? I guess I (or my teenagers) keep importing or adding the same files and folders back in somehow, and now I have 5 or 6 files of each song, hundreds in all. I can't delete these individually..... and the 'consolidate' thing seems to want to erase my mp3 library, I don't want that because I have an old Samsung/Napster that uses those. I just need to delete duplicate files in my Itunes library with one click. Any way to do that?

I had the same problem. I found many duplicates on my pc after moving files to an external hard drive. Some duplicates existed before this move but I did not worry about them. So, after a while my children were running out of space on their ipods so I used the "Show Duplicates" feature and deleted "the .....ing duplicates". Now my children tell me a great deal of their purchased music is missing and they are very annoyed. I told them that I thought Apple/iTunes spoke English and that Duplicate means just that, A Duplicate. This is extremely annoying. It seems like such a common sense fubar thing which is contrary to the awesome quality of the itunes/ipod in general. How do I get the songs we already *payed for* back on our computer? Or, are we screwed and in a spot where we must repurchase this music? Honestly, this is something I expect from microsoft, not Apple.

Help with the missing file in iTunes library on Mac

My recent purchase, a movie, from iTunes does not appear in the library. It shows up on my other devices, iPhone and Apple TV, though. There's an exclamation mark next to the movie file in the libaray and I did try to locate the missing file but it didnt work out. It seems that it hasnt even downloaded the pertaining *.m4v file. I also checked for any incomplete downloaded file, but there wasn't any... Is there any other way I can retrieve/redownload the missing file from my Apple ID account (because I have the movie on my other devices) to my library on Mac?

Well it started working for me today, out of the blue.
The only thing that I think could be a coincidence is that I recently installed Adobe CS6 on my Mac (it's likely that this is when the problem started), but today I had to open a CS5 product. The next time I looked at iTunes everything was working.
I doubt that has anything to do with it, but hey maybe! I hope others are experiencing the fix too

Locating missing files in itunes library

Hello everyone,
I have an iTunes library with 177 days worth of music, and every now and then I try to play a track and a "!" appears, and I realize that some how I accidentally removed something from my iTunes Music folder at some point in the past.. So I go into time machine and find those files and recover them.
However, when I did this last, it alerted me that it relinked 2 of 160 missing files-- But I have no idea what the other 160 files are.
I did some googling, and found someone that gave a tip to find all the missing files in a library:
- create a playlist
- drag your entire library to the playlist
- create a smart playlist, and add everything that is not in the other playlist to it (this should give you a playlist of all missing files)
... I tried this approach, and dragging 177 days worth of music (over 11,000 tracks), I got the spinning color wheel.. Left the computer for a few hours thinking it just needed to process those... And I get "iTunes unexpectedly quit". I tried it a 2nd time, and got the same results.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do in this case?
Is 177 days of music / 11,000 files just an amount that is too much for iTunes to handle, or is there something else wrong here?
Thank you.
-patrick

Patrick Collins wrote:
every now and then I try to play a track and a "!" appears
maybe this helps:
iTunes Track CPR v1.3
This script attempts to locate the files of so-called "dead tracks"--iTunes tracks designated with (!)--that you assume are not actually missing but are still located in the iTunes Music folder in their "iTunes File Order" (Music -> Artist -> Album -> file.xxx)."
additionally, this application may be useful:
_*Music Folder Files Not Added v2.0*_
This application will list the file paths of the files in your designated "iTunes Media" folder which are not in iTunes' library. Additionally, you can select a different parent folder and its contents will be compared to the iTunes library. Options to Add a selection of found files to iTunes or move them to the Trash.
JGG
edited by the Jolly Green Giant (where Green stands for environmentally friendly)

Purge "Missing Files" in iTunes...

I use iTunes and Serato Scratch Live (Don't worry, this is an iTunes question, promise ).
As a DJ I move music around alot and yes i know it's best to manage music in iTunes, having said that, how can i scan my iTunes library and determine which tracks are "missing"? Sometimes i end up with duplicates and these i purge with Gemini but once iTunes imports them into the library, there seems to be no way to tell iTunes to check the consistancy of the library and remove the "missing" tracks.
Serato has this functionality but only for its library, it cannot write to iTunes library (as far as I know).
I don't think i'm alone and yes i'm disorganized (Thanks to A.D.D. in case you haven't figured that out yet ) but every now and then i get my stuff together and like to clean up my music so on that note ANY help is much appreciated.
Merci....
Nate

There's a trick I just tried with itunes 11, I don't remember the details for a previous (better) version of itunes.
To summerize the trick I detail bellow it's to use a video field to set for all your music tracks, then have itunes set it and check all tracks, itunes will set it only for tracks with a valid file and will update the track state to show whe it hasn't a file. Then you can use that field value to sort tracks of you library music and delete all tracks with a missing file.
So for itunes 11.0.1:
- Select your library in itunes to see all tracks.
- Then choose the tracks presentation.
- Then in Prensentation options add the serie (video section)
- Sort the list by Season to check it's not a used field, it shouldn't as its music.
If the season field isn't used then you can use the trick :
- Select all in the list
- Get information
- Go in Video Tab
- In season number enter 1
- Then check ok.
- Then let itunes set the field for all tracks and it will check them all. It takes times if you have many tracks.
- Once it's finished just sort the list by season, and all tracks with no season are those with missing file. Well perhaps also those with a protected file that can't be changed. Ididn't tested that last point but you could give a visual check to the elements to be sure that all are showing the icon for missing file.
So with that sort you can select all the tracks with missing file to delete them.
Then you can restore the season field to none to reset all valid tracks:
- Select all tracks in your library
- Righ click to get information
- Select video tab and in season number field erase the 1 you set before.
- Ok to apply.
Well it's neither fast nor without risks of human errors, a paid software well designed and well programed is a wiser choice, but that manual process is free of money (well if time isn't money).
The small adventage I can see is in that way you are sure that itunes will check all files of your library.
EDIT: Take care when you do the operation that all the removable disk you are using to store files in you itunes are well connected. That's this sort of little traps a human could forget check and it could generate a little disaster. :-)

Some missing files from itune

I downloaded iTune 5, and I don't know what went wrong, but I couldn't use iTune.
I tried to reinstall, and install again...but now I get the msg "some files are missing reinstall itune...
I tried to install from CD I got when I bought ipod mini, but still the same. I wonder how I can get those missing files...

With respect to the hardcoding of 127.0.0.1:8888 it is how it was intended.
If you go through the setup and deployment guide for the PIP, and follow through the steps in page 19 (Section "Configuring Integration Files"), you'll find that we include a utility in the PIP that handles substitution of the server names/ports .. one of the first steps is to setup your deployment server values in a file called CRMIntegProcessParameters.xml, where you specify your server values, after which running the utility substitutes the server-names and ports.
With respect to the missing files, again I don't see the issue. the files are included in the posted zip file in which the PIP is delivered. I just reconfirmed opening the zip file and reextracting the file reported as missing .. and it is present.

How do I go about finding some missing files for ITunes

HI
I am having problems retrieving itunes since I tried to install itunes 7.5. The message that is coming up is when I tried to windows can not run itunes because some files are missing, please reinstall itunes. Have tried this but same thing happens. Has anyone got any suggestions on how I can fix this problem. I would really appreciate any help.

Go back through the forum. Someone suggested downloading the previous version and where to download it at. There is a problem with the upgrade. I've been having problems with my computer, and I thought this was the straw that broke the camels back. I know the problem is not on my end, it's itunes. Look back through the forum, I think it's posted having problems with Itunes 7.5. That's where I started. Just got done downloading the previous version, it worked for someone else.
Eli

Missing files with itunes update

a lot of music i had in my itunes library has gone missing since the update..the update is fantastic but does anyone know why its getting rid of my music?
gateway Windows 2000

Click here and follow the instructions. You may need to completely remove and reinstall iTunes and all related components; this won't affect its library, but that should be backed up anyway.
(99128)

Can't relocate many missing files on iTunes 11, please HELP

Hi,
I have this problem with iTunes. I moved all my music to a new folder and not about 1200 files can not be located. I tried everything i could find in forums and YouTube, nothing worked. I created a new folder and copied all songs, without folders, just .mp3 files. I set this folder as iTunes Media folder location and iTunes found about 200 files out of 1400. So the other 1200 are still with this sign . I literally tried everything I could, but nothing worked Please HELP

What you should have done was to declare a new iTunes Media folder, let iTunes copy the content to it, back up, then delete the originals.
Since it is too late to reverse what you done I suggest you try my script FindTracks. For details on how it works see this thread.
tt2

Missing Files in ITunes

I have over 30,000 songs listed in my iTunes library, however man y of them appear with an "!" (exclamation point) to the left of the song.
Is there a way to sort by the exclamation point like you can sort by song, or artist, etc?

Two iTunes upgrades later and this problem has gone away.

I transferred my music to a larger hard drive and when I went to sync to iTunes there half my library had a '!' next to the songs. After I located one song the question 'would you like itunes to find other missing files' came up. What does this mean?

I recently transferred my music from one external hard drive to another and when I went to sync it to iTunes half my music had a '!' symbol on the left side, which meant that the songs weren't located. When I went to locate one of the songs it asked me if I wanted iTunes to find other missing files, which I said yes. What happens next and what is iTunes doing to find the missing files?

iTunes is a database. When you import songs to the database, it records the location of that song, so that when you play, or sync the song iTunes knows where to look for it.
When you moved your music to a different location, iTunes can't find it because you didn't tell iTunes that you moved the music.
You'll have to re-add those songs that you moved to your itunes library. Your best bet is going to be to delete all the songs in your library and then go to File > Add folder to library > and then find your music folder on the new external hard drive.
Also, the external drive HAS to be connected in order for iTunes to find it.

How do I find out where iTunes thinks missing files are?

I have several hundred "missing" files in my iTunes library but they are all actually on the computer. But I don't remember where the were previously. I add dozens of songs at a time to my library all the time and there is no Earthly way for me to constantly remember where they were before. I don't just want to reimport the files because I have several hundred playlists with these files and it would be completely stupid to edit them all one at a time when all I need to do is to move them back to where iTunes thinks they should be. So where is that? The Windows media player has a column that displays file location. Why doesn't iTunes? (This is so stupid. It makes things -not just this- so much easier when you have the file location in the music list in your music player.)
Is there a way to find out where iTunes thinks the missing files should be at?

Chris CA wrote:
How do I find out where iTunes thinks missing files are?
The exclamation mark means ITunes doesn't think they are anywhere.
If you right click - get info on a song then view the Info tab, you will see where iTunes last used it from.
I'm not a newbie. I know quite a lot about iTunes. You sound like you don't though because if you did you would know that this is not true. If you "right click - get info on a song" (pressing cancel to the Locate popup) "then view the SUMMARY (not info) tab" you will see "Not Available" where the file location usually is. I wouldn't have asked this question if I hadn't gone through the steps already.
Thanks for trying though. Next time, please try the advice before you give it.
I add dozens of songs at a time to my library all the time and there is no Earthly way for me to constantly remember where they were before
You should not have to remember anything about where they were.
I agree.
Are you always moving them around?
When I install a new hard drive. Yes. I generally keep everything organized and I let iTunes keep the folder organized but several years ago I used windows media player to organize my media.
Frankly I don't know HOW the recent songs/videos/etc. go missing. But some do. Maybe I accidentally move a folder without realizing it. Mistakes happen. Then I need to move it back but since I didn't know I did it in the first place I can't possibly be expected to remember where I moved it from.
Do you have iTunes prefs -> Advanced Keep ITunes music folder organized ticked and Copy files to iTunes ... ticked?
*OF COURSE!* Again, I'm not a newbie.
I have several hundred playlists with these files
Why would you have several hundred playlists?
I don't mean to sound rude but you sound like an Apple fanboy. Are you trying to tell me how I should use my own program? The answer to the question is I am a salsa instructor/DJ and I am constantly adding songs and videos to my library. Every month I have various salsa events, classes and performances that I do. I use my iPhone for the music. I need to maintain the playlists because students/teachers/studios/clubs/bars/churches/etc. call me back and want a repeat of the great salsa night I gave them a year ago. Naturally my playlists are highly organized into folders. So, I still have them and I need them.
Apple has its own ideas about how people should use its stuff but everyone is unique and our needs therefore are unique too. Apple doesn't realize this and still wants us to do things "the Apple way" even though "the Apple way" only works well for people who want their hand held through everything. This is why I say you sound like a fanboy. You don't know my situation and question if I need hundreds of playlists. I do.
I just need an answer to the question.
Thank you for your reply though. It gave me hope, for a time.

Anyway to automatically relink random missing song files in iTunes library? Random songs have "!" while other songs in same album folder are fine.

I can manually relink a missing song by navigating to the album folder in my iTunes media folder where all of my music is stored, but there are hundreds of "missing" songs in my 100+ GB Library. Any way to get iTunes to reconcile the library in a more automated fashion? I am fearful of solutions that may introduce a ton of duplicates.
Would also like to know why this has happened so I can prevent it in future. Why are some songs in an album coming up missing and others in the same root folder playing fine?? It's not like my library is missing, 80% of my music is fine.
My MAC iTunes library is organized by iTunes and all new media is copied into the iTunes folder (which I have "living" on an external USB 500GB hard drive, which I sometimes use with my PC Laptop when I travel - I don't do this often and it has never caused a problem before.)

UPDATE: I contact the developer fo the iTunes Track CPR script just to give him some feedback. His reply, "
Thanks for letting me know. CPR needs a good looking at. But have you tried "Music Folder Files Not Added"?
http://dougscripts.com/466"
I used that script and it found all of the MIA "missing" songs and then added them back to my iTunes library (took about 7 hours to auto add about 2000+ songs.) This process also created duplicates, but I was able to use the "Manage Duplicates" feature of iTunes under the File menu to see a list of all duplicates; then I deleted all of the songs with the"!" next to their names (took about 45 minutes.)
So I think in the end this did save me a lot of time and aggrevation.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Chris!

TS1368 I'm a PC user with an itunes account for several years. I updated my itunes and now it wont open and shows me 'missing file MSVCR80.dll,and error 7(Window error 126)' keep coming up even after re-installing itunes . What should i do?

I'm a PC user with an itunes account for several years. I updated my itunes and now it wont open and shows me 'missing file MSVCR80.dll,and error 7(Window error 126)' keep coming up even after re-installing itunes . What should i do?

Click here and follow the instructions.
(98897)

Hundreds of missing files in iTunes (!)

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for