ITunes music deletion?

Using a Dell with Windows 7, and iTunes version 10.1.22, I have encountered a problem where without any file movement by me, every song in my iTunes library has become 'not found'. A good majority of the files have actually been deleted from my computer. The only files remaining is one album I purchased from the iTunes store.
I cannot figure out what would be the cause of this problem. If I had moved the files I would understand their not being located, but as I did not, and now they are completely missing I don't know the root of the problem.
Could this be a problem on the machine or is it an iTunes error someone has experienced before?
Thanks for any help

Nope. However one day in 2004 when I was on a network with my Windows 98 laptop, I clicked on a web banner that said the
following.
Do you support President Bush?
Yes or NO
I clicked on the yes in Internet Explorer, and a FTP DOS Window opened and attempted to connect to a server and download a file and also upload files from my laptop to this FTP server. My computer was locked up and and I could not do anything. I do not know what was happening, so I ejected my network card and my computer was free again.
I do not know what happened and if sensitive files were copied to the hackers server. But I guess its the cost of owning a computer these days.
John

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Ipod deleted itunes music deleted???

please help....i was tryin to set up my itunes music on my new computer and i plugged in my ipod to transfer the files and now everything is gone???
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If you didn't make a back-up of your purchases to restore from (as you are advised to do) then I'm sorry to say that the policy on lost purchases is that you have to pay to download them again:
"Products may only be downloaded once; after being downloaded, they cannot be replaced if lost for any reason. Once a Product is purchased or rented (as applicable) 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 iTunes 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 this link you'll be able to email your query: Customer Service - iTunes Store Support
You might also want to check out these pages for future reference:
How to back up your media in iTunes
Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
Pressing "Erase and Sync" when iTunes brings up the dialogue window asking whether you want to replace the songs on your iPod with the songs in this ilibrary does exactly what it says. If you linked to an empty iTunes it will have erased the original contents of your iPod and with nothing to sync will have left it blank. If you have no back-up there are some data recovery programs on the market. I've no personal experience of them so I can't say how effective they are, here's an example: iPod Data Recovery
None of the recovery programs are particularly cheap so you have to decide if in your particular circumstances it's worth it to get your songs back. It may be if you have a lot of purchased tracks and you don't manage to persuade Apple to let you download them again. If they came primarily from your CDs then it's most likely not as you can re-rip them.

ITunes music deleted! Syncronized iPod still carries music...

All of the files from my iTunes library were deleted including purchased music and converted CDs, as well as videos and settings. Fortunately, all of my music is saved on my iPod Touch and I can still it and add new music with iTunes. All of my music and other files are displayed on iTunes, I just can't play it. My question is if there is any way to move my music back to the computer soley with an ipod and the condition my iTunes is.
Message was edited by: JbooApoo

There are a few third party utilities that you can use to retrieve the music files and playlists etc. from your iPod touch. Here are a few you can have a look at, read the help topics for each of them for tips on safely connecting your iPod and using each program:
TuneJack Windows Only (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
iGadget Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
iRepo Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)
iPod Access Mac & Windows (iPhone and iPod Touch compatible)

ITunes Music deleted

I was trying to update my iPhone last night and it said that I had to update my iTunes first. I went to iTunes to download v.10 and it wiped out all of my music...Is there any way to retrieve it??? Thanks.

Welcome to the Discussions,
Most likely the index has an issue and your music is still on your system.
If you had your music on an external device make sure the option for the location of the music is correct *iTunes > Preferences > Advanced*.
The music lives, on a Mac OS system, in /Users/(user name)/Music/iTunes if you allow iTunes to organize your music for you. (I believe this is on by default.) If your music is there then I would Quit iTunes, Delete the iTunes Library file, then relaunch iTunes. It should rebuild a new index and will take time depending on your collection's size.
If you locate the music files in a different place on your computer, you can drag the entire lot onto the Library on the left side of iTunes and get a + icon. Release and your music will be added back into iTunes. You may have to do a little housecleaning as this may also create duplicate files on your machine.
Hope this helps, JD

I deleted some files from my iTunes music library, how do I get them back?

Hi there, I hope you can help.
I have had an 80Gb iPod for a while now, but it got full, so I was deleting stuff that I didn't listen to very often from my iTunes library as I added new music. However, I kept all the music in my iTunes Music folder.
I have now purchased a 120Gb iPod, but obviously some of my music is only in the iTunes Music folder, but NOT actually in my music library within iTunes. Is there a way to sync the entire library with the new iPod (ie. including all the albums that I deleted from my iTunes library to accommodate new ones), or will I have to manually check my entire iTunes music library against my iTunes Music folder?
In essence, what I want to do is the opposite of consolidating my iTunes music library into my iTunes Music folder - to get all the music in my iTunes Music folder back into the library, without duplicating the stuff that's on there already. I hope that's clear...?
Best regards,
Matt.

Try iTunes Folder Watch for rereading the content you deleted, assuming you only removed it from the library, not the media folder. If you deleted the tracks then restore those that remain from the recycle bin first.
When you are finished you should have a new playlist with all the tracks that iTFW found. Rename this Exclude and then create a smart playlist called, say, iPod Music with the rules Playlist is Music and Playlist is not Exclude. This is the playlist you sync with your device, and any time it grows too large just find some more stuff to throw into Exclude.
tt2

My iTunes got deleted off a (no longer working) computer. Is there a way I can transfer all content from my iPhone onto iTunes on a new computer? I want to update my phone, but do not want to lose any music off it when syncing it.

My iTunes got deleted off a (no longer working) computer. I have lost all music & data that was on this original itunes. Is there a way I can transfer all content from my iPhone (music & photos) onto iTunes on a new computer? I want to update my iphone (3GS), but do not want to lose any music off it when syncing it. Help please!!

By design, the iphone will sync itunes content with one computer at a time. Any attempt to sync such content with a second computer will result in ALL itunes content being first erased from your phone & then replaced with the content from the second computer. This is a design feature and cannot be overridden. Because you are using a new computer, your phone will see this computer as a "new" computer. The itunes content sync is one way: computer to phone. If you have photos that were synced to your phone or music ripped on your own that were not backed up, you will first have to extract them from your phone using third party software, before you do anything else, as Apple makes no provision to do so:
http://www.wideanglesoftware.com/touchcopy/index.php
Once you've done that, do the following in the order specified:
1. Disable auto sync when an iPod/iPhone is connected under iTunes>Preferences(under the edit menu if using Windows)>Devices in itunes.
2. Make sure you have one contact & one event in the supported applications(Address Book & iCal or Outlook, Windows Address Book) on your computer. These entries can be fake, doesn't matter, the important point is that these programs not be empty.
3. Connect your phone, iTunes running, DO NOT SYNC at this point.
4. Store>Authorize this computer.
5. File>Transfer Purchases(To make sure all purchased content on your phone will be in your itunes library).
6. Right click in the device pane & select reset warnings.
7. Right click again and select backup.
8. Right click again & select restore from backup, select the backup you just made. When prompted to create another backup, decline.
9. This MUST be followed by a sync to restore your itunes content, which you select from the various tabs, You'll get a popup regarding your contacts & calendars asking to merge or replace, select merge.
You should be good to go.

How do I delete an itunes music download?

How do I delete an itunes music download?

Bring up your song list, find the song you want to delete. Swipe the song right to left, tap delete box.
songs with a cloud icon next to them are not actually on your phone.

ITunes 7 deleted "Downloads" folder of music from iTunes and iPod

In iTunes 6 I had iTunes point towards "My Music" folder in windows for my library.
One of the folders in "My Music" was called "Downloads".
NB: the music in "Downloads" is NOT my music downloaded from the iTunes Music Store... it isn't copy protected etc...
Upon upgrading to iTunes 7, i got !'s next to all my 'downloads' music.
I checked the folder and non of the music was there... all completely gone.
I do have a back up of this music, so not all is lost, but the backup is at home and I won't be able to get it for a few weeks.
So in the mean time, I plugged my iPod in, hoping to copy the downloads music off it to use until i could get my backup.
When i plugged my ipod in I got that nice new overview screen of whats on your ipod and it told me there was an update available. Ok thats cool, I'll download it an install it later (so i chose that option...)
As soon as I had done this, the iPod started updating itself and poof... all the downloads are gone of the iPod!!
Ive never had this happen before, usually if there is music on the ipod that isn't in itunes it just leaves it in there and syncs what is in my library.
I then went back to the Downloads folder in My Music to do some investigating. It turns out there were some itunes related files in there. What! iTunes deleted my "Downloads" folder, and replaced it with its own one? Grr...
Unfortunately i didn't write down what those files are, but I believe they were the files for the iPod update.
The update of my ipod actually failed and i can't get it to work... and since that has happened, the downloads folder isn't even there at all anymore. My guess would be that if i could get itunes to do the update again, the folder would reappear with those files again.

HERE IS A way too long diplomatic rant:
This is my third post on this subject. This is a real problem. And it strongly appears (based on what I've been reading from others, plus my own experience) that the new iTunes is the culprit.
But this problems is not limited to a folder named 'Downloads'.[/b.] ITunes, somehow, and for some reason, will delete entire album folders of music in the default 'Music' directory.
Here's what happened to me. Mind you, this involves music I converted to MP3's from CD's I own. I buy about ten-twenty CD's a month, so this is not some Orwellian nightmare affecting merely downloaded songs--purchased or otherwise.
Here is a typical example of what's happening:
BEFORE iTunes v7 was installed:
-An 'Artist' folder named 'A Perfect Circle' contained the following 'Album' folders: 'Mer De Noms', 'The Thirteenth Step', 'eMotive'
SHORTLY AFTER iTunes 7 (about a month or so ago):
-Perfect Circle folder contained only the eMotive album. The rest were gone: this means not in the trash. Not moved. No where on the HD. Simply zapped.
I've lost MP3 albums from purchased CD's from Bob Marley, Led Zeppellin, Bjork, etc. It has affected at least 50 artist folders. I rip entire albums that I buy: I'm not trying to pass judgement though. I just want the point to be driven home that this bug is big, and it's affecting people who have spent much time and energy legitimately converting their music collections.
Am I missing something? I know I'm not alone in this, but this bug doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves from Apple. This is a major screw up. HAS APPLE RELEASED A STATEMENT? Forgive me if it has. But I can't find it. Maybe it's right under my nose?
Anyway, I do have all my music backed up on CD's and DVD's where they can't be corrupted. And all those discs are copied and stored in a remote location, in case of fire. This might seem extreme, but when you've spent a year of your life converting hundreds of albums and tagging them meticulously, you don't take chances. The only problem with this backup method is that my backup is spread out over many, many read-only discs. Moving it back to my hard drive will be laborious.
Can someone tell me if Apple has addressed this? Because I don't want to use iTunes at all if it is going to delete files. And I DON'T care if this is some function I'm not aware of. Any software that would delete files, either mistakingly or through some helpful feature is bad software. Deleting files (w/o even sending it to the Trash!) is one function that ought not be automated, or performed by any application other than the OS itself, under direct control from the user. I've turned off the option that lets iTunes manage and 'organize' my music for me. I can do that myself, and I don't like some of the things it does.
I have a friend in the media, and I'm thinking about issuing a press-release on this bug if further research indicates this is a more pervasive problem that Apple is downplaying. Certainly they are aware of it, as others have written on it here and elsewhere.
Can someone from Apple please contact me? I want to know when it is safe to use this program again. This problem is real, and just because it hasn't affected everyone, doesn't mean it has affected someone.

ITunes has deleted all my music except for the genre I was listening to yesterday. It has also deleted my purchased movies and all my podcasts and playlists. Grrr

iTunes has deleted all my music except for the genre I was listening to yesterday. It has also deleted my purchased movies and all my podcasts and playlists. Grrr. Is there a way to find it all again???

Hey there MotherMarthaMayhem,
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
This article provides information and troubleshooting tips that may help you find the media that recently went missing from iTunes on your MacBook Pro.
iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads - Apple Support
Cheers,
-Jason

I recently got a new laptop, it has no music on it and I have been plugging my iPod in and listening to music that way. Tonight it decided to sync with my iTunes and deleted all of my music. Is there any way I can get my music back?

I recently got a new laptop, it has no music on it and I have been plugging my iPod in and listening to music that way. Tonight it decided to sync with my iTunes and deleted all of my music. Is there any way I can get my music back?

See:
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
Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device: Apple Support Communities

Is there any way to get the music from my iPod on to my iPhone. My iTunes was deleted off my computer . Anyway to recover the music?

Ok wy iTunes got deletes off my computer and I had an iPod 3 now I have an iPhone 4 And I Reyes to buy some music using the same iTunes account but it says purchased and I'm just wonderin if there is anyway I can get the music I had on my iPod to my iPhone?

It has always been very basic to always maintain a backup copy of your computer/files/docs/pics/music/etc, for just such an occasion.
Use your backup copy to put everything back.
If for some reason you have failed to maintain a backup ( not good), then you can transfer itunes purchases from an ipod: File>Transfer Purchases
Once the music is in itunes on your computer, then you can sync to your iphone.

How do I remove song files from my iTunes Music Folder that are deleted?

Hi,
When I deleted unwanted songs from my iTunes Library I selected the option to Keep Files instead of Moving Song to the Recycle Bin. As a result I've now got a load of unwanted music files clogging up my music folders.
So how can I identify music files that are in my iTunes Music Folders but have been deleted from the iTunes Library and then remove them from my hard drive?
Cheers,
Andy.
Sony laptop Windows XP Pro

Here's a thought, have you added any new items to your library recently?
If you add your iTunes music folder to your library, anything not already in your library will be added.
Now go to your library view and make sure you have the date added column visible. (Right click in the header row to get a list of columns that can be selcted).
Now sort by date added and everying you just added will be together and can be easily identified for deletion.
Note this only applies if files are in the iTunes Music folder, files in other places have to be deleted in Windows Explorer.
PS iT is usually a good idea to make a copy of iTunes Library.itl before experimenting. Copy it from your iTunes folder to somewhere else.

ITunes 8 deleted my music files

We upgraded to iTunes 8 and I've had major problems. First, my iTunes music file no longer matches what is in my library. Now, all my songs have that exclamation point that means it can't find the original file.
Instead, the file consists of new songs lthat I bought last night through that genius toolbar. All purchases I'd previously made from iTunes are gone. I'd have to recreate my library to match it up with the songs that are backed up on my external hard drive.
Anyone else have these problems? Any suggestions?

What's the deal, Apple? Why am I missing music, why are there so many posts about this topic without answers, and what are you going to do to fix this problem? I'm missing albums from imported CD's, as well as albums from the Itunes store after an upgrade to version 8.0.1.11. Also, an album from a group called 'Triumph' has mysteriously appeared??? I have no clue who they are or how they got into my library, but I can definitely say that I would NOT buy their music because THEY SUCK!!!!
Also, your 'find album artwork' function is worthless. While it will find some albums, it refuses to find quite a few in my library (Alice in Chains: best of the box and Rush's Snakes and Arrows are sold in the store, yet artwork fails to be found?). Result? Many hours of manual adding, only to have Itunes update deftly undo all my hard work through random deletions!!!!!!
Can't you have the store find artwork on a 'best match' basis, to increase the probability of finding a match? A few different albums even have Mushroomhead covers erronously assigned to them (Freddy vs Jason soundtrack is only one).
WHere does this end?

ITunes music deletion?

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