Itunes upgrade deleted albums off my hard drive?!

I need a fix to this problem!
I just noticed that some of my albums had a "!" next to them in itunes, & when I tried to locate them, I found that they weren't in my itunes folder anymore at all! (therefore no longer on my hard drive, unless itunes moved them to some mysterious location.)
I've heard that it's possible that this is due to an upgrade- the most recent version of itunes I upgraded to is 6.1.1, & it's possible I upgraded from 4.x, instead of 5.x. Has this happened to anyone else?!
Can you help me?!
Thanks!
PC   Windows XP Pro  

iTunes won't just DELETE albums off of your computer. Depending on your operating system, the files will be placed under different locations. (This solution is under Windows XP)
Now, check your C drive EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. Just go to My Computer and get into your C: . First, usually your Documents will have them, though sometimes the iTunes music file will be somewhere else, though your media will always be branched off in MANY different locations. Now you'll have to click and drag all of your media into one location so you don't have to do an Easter Egg hunt for them all again. Then go into iTunes and go to File, then add a folder into your Library. Then, browse to the file and add it. iTunes will be a bit messy then, so just clear all the media that has the "!" in it.

Similar Messages

  • ITunes Match deleted songs from my hard drive. I had to re-rip them. How can I stop this from happening?

    iTunes Match deleted songs from my hard drive. How can I prevent this from happening if I try it again?

    iTunes Match can in no way be considered a backup service, this is due to the inexact nature of the 'matching process' (see https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4112, for more detail).
    Loss of files from a Disk is certainly possible through media failure.  However, the extent of iTunes Match capacity is solely to influence the content of the cloud.  Perhaps there was a coincident, or pre-existing, failure of the disk which was simply exposed by the iTunes Match interrogation of the disk content.
    There are certainly other services which depending upon your goal may work well.  For example, Google Play with gBeats IOS App works very well.  My use of Match is to synchronise across several computers and to drive Apple TV and an IOS device - other IOS devices still use sync for specific music and are complimented by gBeats for access to the full library when local mobile signal strength is high.
    The strong advice to always start with a secure backup remains but if your primary concern is iTunes Match interfering with physical disk content you can relax - it simply does not have this ability.  (Apology to Sherlock, further investigation required).

  • Deleting Movies off my Hard Drive...

    I downloaded a couple of movies from iTunes a while ago, now I'm running out of space on my hard drive I want to delete them completely. The only problem is when I go to delete the actual file it gives me a message saying:
    "Cannot delete [movie]: Access is denied.
    Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use."
    Any suggestions for how I can solve this problem. Any help is greatly appreciated.
    Message was edited by: Magic_Mayhem09

    If you have some large files that you know are duplicated on your backup drive, drag one to the Trash. Empty it and try to operate the OS to see whether fit responds properly to commands. Do that repeatedly until to does. Then start tp trash your movie files.
    My 2¢ worth…delete render files. I  bet you free up a lot of space,
    Russ

  • Deleting a photo in iPhoto doesn't delete it off my Hard drive

    I'm deleting them the prescribed way too.
    I delete them from the library and then empty the trash in iPhoto.
    But the photos, although off of iPhoto (the application) are still lingering around in my iPhoto Library.

    I can't figure this out. Every other thread on this topic has someone who didn't realize that they had to empty the trash first, but I am emptying the trash, and still my photos are not deleting from the hard drive.
    If any one can please help -- I'm getting desperate..

  • ITunes not delete songs from your hard drive while they're playing?

    So, if I delete a song, it says "would you like to keep this file or delete it?" And I always want to delete it; I can't even imagine why I would want to keep files I'm deleting.
    However, if you are playing a song at the time, or if you're listening to a podcast and it has finished playing, if you try to delete them, it will not delete the file even if you tell it to.
    Is there a setting around this or is iTunes just as stupid as I think?
    i.e. Is the only solution after you finish listening to a podcast to play some other random file and then delete it?
    This became infinitely more annoying after iTunes decided that videos should automatically be played in the window instead of a new window, since now I have to make sure I'm picking another random file that ISN'T a video so I can actually see the original file and delete it.

    I often want to remove files from my iTunes library, but keep them on my harddrive. That's why iTunes asks you if you want to delete it. Holding control down when you hit delete will at least get rid of the first dialogue box.
    If you are trying to delete a song that is playing, it won't delete it because it is in use.
    I assume the same is happening on your machine with podcasts. Your system thinks the files is still in use, so can not delete it.

  • Hello, I have a MacBook Pro from 2011 and I accidentally while playing around with it deleted everything off my hard drive and I need to know how I can re install an operating system. Would I have to download it.

    Someone please help me
    I'm not sure what I should do to re install an operating system would it be possible to install mavericks
    I don't have the operating system backed up

    That's not good. OS X Recovery requires a high speed broadband connection as noted here > About OS X Recovery
    Check your download speed here >  Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test
    Message was edited by: CS

  • Will Upgrading Mac OS X delete the windows off the hard drive?

    Will Upgrading Mac OS X delete the windows off the hard drive?

    Will Upgrading Mac OS X delete the windows off the hard drive?
    If you're using multiple partitions, no. If you're using an image with Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, only if an Erase & Install is done.
    (40716)

  • After downloading music and dragging into iTunes I end up with multiple copies of the album on my hard drive. I do have the "copy files into iTunes library" checked. When I try to erase one of the copies I end up with red ! in iTunes library.

    Please Help!  After downloading an album and dragging it into itunes I end up having multiple copies of the album on my hard drive.  I do have (under Itunes preferences, advanced) copy songs into itunes library "checked".  I'm sure this is the reason for the multiple copies.  When I try to delete one of the copies of the album and go back to itunes and try playing a song, I get a red exclamtion point next to the song with an error message saying itunes cannot locate file. My questions are, Does Itunes literally make a copy of the song? If so , How do you know which file to delete?

    Sony's own entertainment software on the Vaio plays merry **** with iTunes, worse there's no telling when it will kick in.
    First head over to the Sony Vaio site and get the update for the software, that will stop it from messing with the iTunes database/library files when you connect your iPod.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2715
    http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=VGNP588EQ&updid=4526&osid=28
    With that stopped you can add the music back without fear of this happening again.

  • ITunes 7.1.1 deletes music files on hard drive

    After updating iTunes to 7.1.1, I discovered that my playlist for "alternative" music had dissappeared. OK, no problem, the music files must still be in "music/itunes". Searched through this folder, but ALL the "alternative" music files were gone from the hard drive - all the music burned from CDs, even those purchased from iTunes! Used "find" in various ways, no luck. They are truly deleted.
    After hours and hours of reinstalling all the "alternative" music from backups, all was back as before. I shut my Mac down for the night. The next day I opened iTunes and the "alternative" playlist was gone again - and the music I had put back onto my hard drive had been erased again!
    I've tried starting iTunes from an old library - the playlists come back, but the music is not, just shows question marks. I've even done a virus check of the whole HD.
    As any ideas as to why this is happening, and what to do?
    Now I'm worried that other playlists, and their actual music files will be unpredictably wiped.
    Has this happened to anyone else's "Alternative" music files and/or playlists?
    I can't believe my music files have been erased off my hard drive - twice!
    Hard to trust iTunes now.
    G4   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

    Thanks for the reply, it's appreciated.
    I usually turn off the computer each night. After updating to 7.1.1, just the "alternative" playlist and music files were gone from my HD. I re-installed the music files from a backup HD.
    To test things, I quit iTunes and then opened it again and looked in the music file on the HD, a number of times. The replaced music was still there.
    The next morning, I turned on the computer [Of course, I know that an off computer can do nothing ]. When it came time to open iTunes, again the music files were gone. I didn't check to see if the files were there before I opened iTunes, unfortunately.
    I did use Norton, but only AFTER I discovered the files were gone ...
    At the mo' I'm trying to recreate the problem to see if I can further narrow it down. Putting just one song into the Alternatives playlist, shutting down, starting up, etc. See if it's there. Repairing permissions with Disk Utility, etc etc.
    Again, thanks for trying to help!

  • ITunes Music Folder Missing on external hard drive after changing iTunes Media Folder Location from MacBook Hard Drive.  Not deleted...just missing?

    I store my iTunes media folder on my external hard drive and can no longer find it there.  It seemed to becomd lost after I re-designated the default iTunes media location.  I had downloaded some things from iTunes without my external hard drive plugged in and when they downloaded they downloaded to the default location on my Macbook Pro.  In recognizing that, I wanted to move those files from the hard drive on my MacBook Pro to the external hard drive.  When I re-selected the location as the external hard drive a copy process began.  I cancelled the copy process fearing the small number of files from my Macbook Pro would over-write all of the files on my external hard drive so I quit the copy process.  Now I do not see my "iTunes Music" folder on my external hard drive.  I fear that I have somehow lost the path but I believe the content is still on my external hard drive although I no longer see the "iTunes Music" folder on my external hard drive.  I know I didn't delete it, but it isn't there.  Is there a way to make it re-appear?  I would really appreciate any guideance anyone has.
    Thank you.
    Best,
    Matt

    When you change the location in preferences it tells iTunes to start, from this point on, storing new media files in the new location.  It then presents you with the option to move any old files in their current locations to the new location.  It doesn't move the library files which are not media files.  Read the links below to understand how iTunes works because you are the one with the computer in front of you and are in the better position to understand how it stands as regards to iTunes files.
    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html
    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391
    Now, did you keep the whole library on the external drive, or did you keep just media?  From your description of the situation it sounds as if you kept the whole library there and when the external was not attached it returned to default location on the internal drive.  What you should have done then was plug in the external drive, hold down the option key, and guide iTunes to the library file on the external.  At this stage you could have dealt with the mislocated new files on an individual basis. 
    I guess the key question is, did your trying to move the couple of new media files to the external drive overwrite the iTunes folder there, which because you then canceled may have also just resulted in it being deleted.  I am not going to test the theory on my system.
    How big was your library on the external?  If it was 40GB do you now suddenly have 40 GB free?
    Look for any iTunes folders on the external drive.  In view options turn on "calculate all folders sizes" and see if there are any big ones.

  • ITunes Doesn't Delete Movies From External Hard Drive

    I have all of my iTunes media on an external hard drive. However, when I just tried to delete a movie (from within iTunes), it removed the movie from iTunes, but the actual mpeg file is still on my external hard drive. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or am I going to have to manually delete content from external hard drive? Thanks.

    When you delete an item from your iTunes library, iTunes will give you the option to delete the file too, but *only for items that are located in your iTunes Media folder.* So, assuming your iTunes Media folder is on your local drive, what you are seeing is the correct behavior.
    The best procedure in this case is to right-click the track in iTunes, choose Show in Finder, and delete the file within Finder. Then go back to iTunes and delete the track from the library.

  • I backed up my itunes folder to an external drive, then deleted it from the hard drive, then restored to the hard drive, but now can't see the files, playlists

    I backed up my itunes folder to an external drive, then deleted it from the hard drive, then restored to the hard drive, but now can't see the files, playlists

    Was the entire folder copied including the iTunesLibrary.itl file?

  • My iTunes is running from my external hard drive because I need to make space on my C drive. Could/should I delete the music on the C drive?

    My iTunes is running from my external hard drive because I need to make space on my C drive. Could/should I remove the music from the C drive?

    Hello Willlig
    If iTunes media is taking up a good majority of space on your computer, you can move it by following the steps in the article below.
    iTunes for Windows: Moving your iTunes Media folder
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1364
    Regards,
    -Norm G.

  • How do I permanently delete photos from my hard drive?

    Hi.
    I have deleted photos from my iPhoto but now I want them off my hard drive to increase space. I forget how to do this. Can anyone help?
    Thanks,
    Margie

    Move them form the library view (events or photos) to the iPhoto trash in the source pane on the left and empty the iPhoto trash - iPhoto menu ==> empty trash
    Deleting them from an album deletes them only from that album not from the library or from disk
    LN

  • How do you keep videos on the ipod but off your hard drive?

    When i tried to keep the videos off my hard drive but keep them on my ipod it deleted them off of my ipod also. is there any way i can just keep the videos on my ipod, but off my computers hard drive? thanks,
    keith

    you could simply add your movies to your ipod by syncing them. Adn then afterwards remove them adn manually manage your music on your ipod syncing with new music you want to add. Or another way is to burn your movies to a disc adn then whenever you want movies on your ipod then you can iport the movies from the disc to your harddrive and then sync your ipod and then manually manage your itunes adn sync of new music.
    GFF

Maybe you are looking for

  • HT4199 Can no longer connect to my home wireless network

    I've had my iphone over a month now with no problems.  All of a sudden, it cannot connect to my wireless network at home.  I have tried everything recommended from shutting down and restarting my phone to resetting my network connections.  Nothing is

  • Galleries Tell a friend

    When using Galleries Tell a Friend feature, Is there any way to change who the email is from? When the email arrives from .Mac Web Galleries, My family and friends email app. sorts it out as junk mail. And or they delete it as if it were spam. Thanks

  • How to maintain mulitple versions of universe

    We are planning multiple projects related to BO reports and each project is going in different time. How to maintain 2 versions of Universe, when we migrate universe for the Project 1 which is going ahead of the Project 2, I don't want to show the Cl

  • STORAGE_PARAMETERS_WRONG_SET when drill down in FAGLB03

    hi Experts i have a memory problem when i try to drill down information on transacction FAGLB03, i check the parameters -abap/heap_area_dia and -abap/heap_area_nondia and do the recomendation for the the dump, but dont work. any idea?

  • 5.1 updated iCloud documents.

    5.1 updated iCloud documents. Now I can not edit them until I update my apps. Why would the iCloud files change without my knowledge. I found myself without wifi and the update surprised me. I was prevented from working. Anyone else bitten by his "fe