I get this message when I try to listen to my itunes on my computer. Song could not be used because the orginal file could not be found

i get this message when I try to listen to my itunes on my computer. Song could not be used because the orginal file could not be found. WHy do I get this and how do i correct it?

Hi ihrtthecowboys,
When tracks in iTunes display a it means the file cannot be located; it may have been moved or deleted. For this issue, see the following article:
iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408
Alternatively, if your media was downloaded from the iTunes Store, you may be able to download it again free of charge:
Download past purchases
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
Thanks,
Matt M.

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    After downloading itunes on my new computer all of my songs have an exclamation point in front of them and it says the song could not be used because the orginal file could not be found. How do I fix this?

    Hey waltee911,
    It sounds like you're seeing something similar to this picture:
    If that's the case, the following article has troubleshooting steps to solve the issue:
    iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408
    Welcome to Apple Support Communities!
    Sincerely,
    Delgadoh

  • On some of my files there is a ! in front of it, if I try to play the song, I get an error message; "The song "_____" could not be used, because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" Then when I click "Locate", I get nothing.

    I'm really dumbfounded on this one and it's driving me bonkers!!!! On some of my music files there is a ! in front of it, if I try to play the song, I get an error message; "The song "_____" could not be used, because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"
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    If so I would be ever so gr8ful if maybe someone with the knowledge would be so kind as 2 tell me how/where 2 retrieve these songs & how to put everything back where it belongs, I would be 4ever gr8ful !!!
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                                                      ThanQ SO very much!
                                                                             [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] .
                                                                                               You can also find me on Facebook, my given name is Tiffinie Trimmer, &
                                                                                                that's my Facebook "handle".    ThanQ 4 taking the time 2 read all of this!
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    I was not complete clear.
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    In my iTune I have this, and I believe it is the default.
    Users/YOURHOMEFOLDERNAME/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music

  • When I try to listen to a song I purchased last week, I get the message, "could not be used because the original file could not be found. would you like to locate it?" What do I do to find it?

    When I try to listen to the songs I purchased from iTunes last week, I get the error message, "could not be used because the original file could not be found. would you like to locate it?"  What do I do to fix this problem or locate the song?
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    I am getting this same message.  I recently bought a new Macbook Pro and the geeks transferred my files from my mini-mac.  Perhaps they did not transfer something critical?  I follow the "locate" option when it asks to find my files and I get a file folder that has a red circle with a white bar in the middle. 
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  • After installing iTunes 10.5 update i get the following message when trying to play any song in my Library "The song could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"  how do i fix this??

    I have an iPod Classic and work on Windows 7.
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    Try my script FindTracks. Select a few of the missing files to start with then run the script. Choose No at the first prompt so that you can check how it works track by track, then confirm or edit the location of the media folder where your files are. Once you are happy with how it behaves let it process larger numbers of tracks automatically.
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  • When I try to play a song in my itunes libery I get an error saying "this song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  I do I restore the file?

    When I rry to paly a song in my itunes libery, I get an error saying "this song could not be used because the original file could not be found". I do I find the orginal file?

    Hello crispinofromfl,
    Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
    For more information, take a look at:
    Where are my iTunes files located?
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391
    Have a nice day,
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  • My partner deleted my itunes (10) library. I use a WD external back-up and retrieved my itunes library, but when i try to play a song i get the message 'could not be used because the original file could not be found Would you like to locate it?'

    My partner deleted, by accident my itunes library. I have an iMac 10.6.7, Itunes 10. I use an WD passport as an external back up and retrieved my itunes library but now get the message "could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" so itunes is not recognised the exclamation marked songs, how do i get the retrieved files recognised. At times I get fed-up with Apple blocking files being used, although I like the product its restrictions are so silly!

    You not only have to retrieve the library file from the backup drive but the actual music files (usually stored within the "iTunes Media" folder) as well.

  • Library Lost - Please HeIp I tried updating my old ipod & now all 10,000 songs in my library have an ! next to them and I get the error message "song " " could not be used because the original file could not be found" on every song I try to play

    Please help - this morning I tried updating one of my old ipods for my wife (this ipod hasn't been updated in 2-3 years).  I plugged it into my pc, it was recognized and the software updated.  I created a new playlist and tied to sync the ipod.  This ipod had never been used on this pc/itunes since the pc is only 2 years old.  When I tried to sync the ipod it stated that it would have to erase all the old songs on the ipod prior to syncing.  I clicked ok and it proceeded to wipe out the old ipod and sync the new playlist (~1000 songs).  When the sync was complete there were only 6 songs from the new playlist (all purchased this morning from itunes) on the ipod and to my horror all ~10,000 song on my pc in itunes now have a ! next to them.  Only my recent purchases from itunes do not.  When I click on a song with the ! I get the error message "the song " " could not be used because the original file could not be found."  How do I correct this issue - I am scared to hook my ipads or other ipods to my pc for fear of losing everything?!?!?  I spent 100s of hours burning the 10,000 songs from my cd collection and do not want to have to do it again. 
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    This "original file cannot be found" 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.
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    Some of the songs I have downloaded into i tunes won't play when I select it to do so.  The error message I get is "The song can not be used because the original file can not be found.  Would you like to locate it?"  When I select yes I'm sent to a screen that has my i tunes library listed.  When I select the song in question I'm asked if I would like to open the song.  When I select this option I get nothing.  The songs I have downloaded must be somewhere because they are listed in my i tunes library and on the screen I've been sent to.  I can't the songs to play however.  This is not true of all of my songs but it is true of quite a few of them.  Actually, one song is too many.    How do I get my music to play that seems to be locked up somewhere in the computer?

    Presuming they're on your computer, right click on them and then follow the prompts to locate hte file on your computer.

  • I recently reset my computer and copy my music from an external hard drive to my itunes library.  When I click on a song to play i get an error message that says " the song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  need help

    I recently reset my computer and copy my music from an external hard drive to my itunes library.  When I click on a song to play i get an error message that says " the song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  But when I have my external hard drive plug in the song will play with no problem.  What do I need to do to play my music without having the external harddrive plug in ????????  Please help

    Because the location for each song in your library is on your hard drive.  If the hard drive isn't there, how can iTunes play it?
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    Basically, EASIEST way to do all this, if you don't care about your play counts, etc...
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    -Change your iTunes Media Folder Location to something simple, but on your computer. I use C:/iTunes.  Make sure "Keep iTunes Media Folder Organized" and "Copy files to...." are both checked.  You can close Preferences now.
    -Now, drag and drop your music from your hard drive into your iTunes library.  iTunes will automatically add the music to your library, as you would expect, and also creates a copy of each file to place into that iTunes Media Folder you just created.
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  • Recently bought  a new computer and all my music appears in iTunes as well as on my computer in a saved folder. When I try to play the music in iTunes I get an error that reads"the song could not be used because the original file could not be found."

    Recently bought  a new computer and all my music appears in iTunes as well as on my computer in a saved folder. When I try to play the music in iTunes I get an error that reads"the song could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" Hope you can help me solve this issue.
    Thanks,
    Shellyboo

    This 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 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 should be able to use my FindTracks script to reconnect them to iTunes .
    tt2

  • TS1718 Why do I get this message:  The song "title" could not be used because the oringinal file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it?

    Why do I get this message:  The song "title" could not be used because the oringinal file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it?

    John Black3 wrote:
    Many of my songs in my iTunes Library no longer play.  I get this error message: "The song xxx could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?
    this usually happens when a user moves or deletes files in the finder - a sure way to upset iTunes.
    did you move or delete files in the finder ?
    I cannot locate the song.
    if you let iTunes manage your library, all your content will be in <MacintoshHD>/users/<yourname>/music/iTunes/iTunes music (or media)/music. did you look there ? tried a spotlight search ?
    if the files are really gone, and have been purchased from the iTunes store, see Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store.

  • Recently got a new computer and installed itunes from external drive - all music shows up in the library, however when i click on a song i receive this message "the song could not be used because the original file could not be found".  What do i do?

    I recently got a new computer and installed itunes from which had been saved onto an external drive - all music shows up in the library, however when I click on a song I receive this message "the song "abc" could not be used because the original file could not be found".  What can I do?

    I was given the option to locate the file where the song is held. If so select "locate" and direct it to the folder / file where the song is and open it. itunes then will give you the option to use this process to update all of your library. OK that as this will do it automatically instead of doing them one by one. I hope this helps.
    Martin

  • I cannot play music from my itunes library.  I keep getting an itunes message that says, "The song could not be used because the original file could not be found."  Is there a fix for this?  Thank you.

    I cannot play music from my itunes library.  I keep getting an itunes message that says, “The song could not be used because the original file could not be found.”  Is there a fix for this?  Has this happened to anyone else?  Is there a fix for this?  Thank you.

    Hello Turintest2,
    I am having a similar problem.  I have over 4000 songs giving me this error.  I certainily don't want to go in one by one and find them.  I know you wrote a script for Windows but I am a Mac user.  Is there a fix for me?  Here is the info on where the song is currently (used by doing the get info)
    Here's a shot of my preferences:
    Just FYI, I know that apparently iTunes is looking for this music in the trash.  However, if I go here:
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    Please help!  I don't want to have to go through over 4000 songs and update them one by one.

  • When I try to play a song it says " The song "Take a Chance on Me" Could not be used because the original file could not be found" how do I fix this?

    When I try to play a song it says " The song "Take a Chance on Me" Could not be used because the original file could not be found" how do I fix this?

    1. delete this songs from your liblary
    2. go File -> Add File to Liblary... (Ctrl+O) or File -> Add Folder to Liblary

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