Library disappeared, everything gone

Just opened itunes and my entire library is gone! I hadnv'e installed any new software, no changes or updates (windows 7, 64 bit)...
hours and hours of music and audio books... all my purchased audiobooks and music, hours of favorite podcasts... gone, the library is empty
isn't there an itunes library stored on my hard drive?
can I restore it from there?
I also have a copy of my hard drive on a separate hard drive (Acronis, mirror image of hard drive)
can I restore it from there?
I've been losing "files" for a couple years now, the loss accelerating... ("9,0000 missing files") and unable to find them as the process used to work
easier to delete the audiobook and re-copy it, but it all takes so much time, the concept of building a library fails when I have to rebuild it perpetually
what is going on?
since the last "remodel" of itunes, I've had nothing but problems... and it isn't my computer, everything else is working fine
I don't have the tech skills to be contantly dealing with the problems (or the time)
and from the posts I read, I'm not the only one.... is there some comflict with windows?
though two friends who have macs are having the same problems
are they going to fix these issues?

See this post. *******Will do******** my conversation inserted in *****************
Hopefully you have a copy of the last working library database in your mirror image that you can restore, otherwise there may be a .tmp or .itl file that you can restore.
It is worth noting the mirroring tool could potentially be the cause of the problem, particularly if you don't also use AVG or have been suffering these symptoms for some time.********** I use AVG, have never a problem before, no problems with anything exdcept WMP (that also is a common problem currently) and did not do a backup/copy right before this happened (weeks ago). Acronis has never caused any kind of problem with any other files or folders... I see a comment about an AVG patch to solve the problem? AVG caused the problem?
turingtest2 London, UK
Re: All the content from my iTunes library has disappeared
Apr 6, 2013 12:28 AM (in response to jmacdougall17)
You're welcome. AVG issued a patch yesterday which should stop it happening again.
tt2
not that there is not a first time for anything, but the decay of itunes functions seems to predominate pattern.*******
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. Note that in iTunes 11 an "empty" library may show your past purchases with links to stream or download them.
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.
****** firtst hitch, when I click on the dates of previous libraries, the current library opens... sorry to admit, I don't have the background to read this as a step-by-step, I found the "previoius library, what to do I do with it and why does it open the current empty when I click on it to see what is in it, or is it supposed to?**************************************************
Alternatively, depending on exactly when and why the library went missing, there may be a more recent .tmp file in the main iTunes folder that can be copied and renamed asiTunes Library.itl to restore the library to an earlier state. Look for a recent .tmp file that is similar in size to the .itl files in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder. If it has happened repeatedly you may want the earliest such file generated since the last iTunes upgrade.
If applicable, 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!
Should you be in the unfortunate position where you are no longer able to access your original library, or a backup of it, then see Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
I've noticed more of these missing library posts of late and a common factor to most since I started asking is AVG Anti-Virus. It seems in some cases it might be at least part of the reason why the library file disappears. Try excluding the iTunes folder from any AV scanning process.
tt2

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HT4527 I transferred my library to a new laptop and everything appeared on the screen. I turned off the old computer and the library disappeared. How can I make it a permanent transfer as my old computer is being scrapped. Thanks

I transferred my library to a new laptop and everything appeared on the screen. I turned off the old computer and the library disappeared. How can I make it a permanent transfer as my old computer is being scrapped. Thanks

Hello Terryfrank,
Congratulations on your new laptop! Also, thank you for the details of the issue you are experiencing with transferring your iTunes Library to your new computer.
I notice that you are coming from the article “iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer,” and it sounds like you might have used the Home Sharing method outlined in that article.
With Home Sharing, you can stream content from another computer, and it sounds like that is how you have it currently set up. The last step is to import the content to your new computer. Use these steps on the new computer (while the old computer is on) to import the music to your new computer’s hard drive:
Once your new computer sees the Home Share from your old computer, click that Home Share on the left side of iTunes on your new computer.
Select the content in the Home Share that you want to transfer to your iTunes library on your new computer, or choose Edit > Select All to choose all of it. Then, click the Import button in the bottom-right corner of iTunes.
Wait for the content to finish transferring.
Additionally, if you want to transfer your playlists, you can export them from the old computer to the new computer:
Transferring playlists
If you want not only your content but also your playlists to exist on your new computer, you will want to transfer a copy of all your playlists from your old computer. To do this, choose File > Library > Export Library on your old computer. Save the XML file that is created to your desktop.
Send the playlists file to yourself as an e-mail attachment, use an external drive, or use file sharing to move the playlists file to your new computer. Once the file is on your new computer, open iTunes and choose File > Library > Import Playlist. The import process will remove any items from the playlists that you didn't share via Home Sharing.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Sheila M.

ITunes library disappear

Hi, recently I noticed my iTunes library disappeared and I had to import my folders again. After 3 days same thing happened again - what's the matter? I never encountered such problem before, now I'm afraid to damage my iPod flash drive with all these countless copy-pastes.
No errors or any bugs whatsoever, it just shows empty library window when I turn my PC on.
PC Windows XP Pro

Same thing just happened to me. Opened itunes and everything is gone. The music files are still there, but I had to re-import them into itunes. Now I have to re-create all the playlists. I don't want to do all that work then have it happen again.
Yep, what this gentleman said happened to me, it describes this issue better. At least I'm not the only one experiencing this problem .

Iphoto crash, everything gone.

I was just looking at pictures when iphoto started acting weird and then crashed and asked to be relaunched. I said ok, and it opened up as a brand new library. Everything is gone. I read online for hours and saw the "old masters" file that many users said to check. Mine is there, with every single event in a different folder, organized by date, just like I had it. But every one of these folders is empty. No picture in it, just the names are there. All I have left is a mysterious "recovered iphoto library" with 30,000 pictures in a giant mess, including faces, thumbnails, copies, duplicates etc... I didn't see anybody mentioning that. I have hope because the folders are there so the pictures should be able to get back in there...
I didn't do anything special to cause this crash. How can I get my stuff back? Did try to start a new library and use a bunch of apps, but made sure not to empty the trash to not over write stuff.
Thanks

Mine is there, with every single event in a different folder, organized by date, just like I had it. But every one of these folders is empty. No picture in it, just the names are there. All I have left is a mysterious "recovered iphoto library" with 30,000 pictures in a giant mess, including faces, thumbnails, copies, duplicates etc... I didn't see anybody mentioning that. I have hope because the folders are there so the pictures should be able to get back in there...
That is even worse in your case then other badly corrupted libraries. You may want to send feedback to Apple using the feedback form: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html
If you cannot restore the library from your backup, copy the recovered items out of the library and import them into a new library. In that case a duplicate finder like "Photo Sweeper" might help, because it can recognize duplicate images of different sizes, and can help to weed out the thumbnails.

My *entire library* is suddenly gone except for one recently imported music bundle.

a week ago i loaded/imported a large folder of music (gift with an e-book purchase) to my itunes music library. that went fine, but this morning i wanted to sync my ipod touch with itunes, and that recently imported content is *all that is there*. all of my other content is still in its subfolders of my itunes library on my hard drive, but itunes can't see it. the folder that it does see is parallel in the directory tree with everything else. the only other thing that happened, is my credit card expired and i am about to enter the new expiration date now. but all of my paid content *is paid for*, so i don't see why that would matter.
and of course, all of my podcast subscriptions and playlists have been wiped. AGAIN. itunes eats itself and my podcast subscriptions several times a year, but this is different. in the past it has just decided it didn't recognize my ipod, and wiped the device. i've also had it randomly decide that it didn't know i was subscribed to any podcasts. this seems to be different. i hadn't sync'ed in over a month, and it's just not 'seeing' content of folders that are already there. what's killing me, is that the podcasts are a *huge* hemorrhoid to restore. i subscribe to a lot of them, and they are all free, yet itunes routinely flags my device as a content thief and cleans them off entirely. this. should. not. be. this. hard.
no way am i connecting my ipod to this thing until it's fixed. anyone ever have this happen? any ideas how i can make it right? any ideas what *happened*, and and how i might prevent it happening again?
i would really rather not have to manually re-import all of those folders that i had already imported to itunes; and the podcast situation is untenable, because not only do i have to re-subscribe to everything -- i have to re-figure out which episodes i have and have not heard. i sometimes get a little bit behind on listening, and at the moment i am very far behind indeed. recovering them to where i left off *always* *****. not to mention the audible audiobook i'm in the middle of.
i've had my ipod touch since 2008.

What i would do (i'm not an expert) is make sure your library is definitely gone then go to Music/iTunes/Previous Itunes Libraries and copy the most recent iTunes library file (Ex. Itunes Library 2012-11-30.itl) and then go back to Music/Itunes and replace "iTunes Library.itl" with the one you copied (rename iTunes Library 2012-?-?.itl to iTunes Lirary.itl)

Aperture 2.0 Library disappeared after conversion in Aperture 3.0

Well, this is BAD. Converting the old Aperture 2 library in Aperture 3 and Aperture 3 crashed at the end of the process. After I restarted the program I got the message that there was no longer an aperture library. After checking in the finder I found that my whole library has actually disappeared from my system. What is the deal here? How come the library is completely gone, is there ANY way to get it back? And when I tried to start Aperture 2 again I got the message that the aperture library is a newer version and therefor cannot load. How come Aperture 2 seems to find a aperture library and aperture 3 can not? Is it maybe hidden from view in the finder or something? Any ideas?????
Hope to hear from you soon, thanks
Cheers Q!

Alaninnorway wrote:
Yes, I must agree. I have exactly the same problem. Come on Apple - do not invite us to 30 day free trial and give us this hassle for the weekend.
Any help appreciated.
The 30 day free trial cannot convert an Aperture 2 library.
Using the trial you can can only import into a new Aperture 3 library, and should not have any of these conversion issues.
We converted 6 workstations this weekend, specifically did not convert the imaging as that can be done in the future on an as-needed basis.
All of the libraries reside on disks that are no more than 40% full, for performance reasons.
The first library we converted was 500GB and at about 2.5 hours it froze at about 58%. I trashed the partial conversion and started over with a clean copy. This time, in Aperture 2 I did a Library rebuild before I converted. After this the conversion ran perfectly, in about 4 hours.
I ended up with a new file called Aperture Library, and another file called Aperture Library_Original. I found that this is the way the conversion is designed if you have the diskspace for 2 full Libraries. If you do not, it will delete the original after the conversion.
At any rate before converting run a rebuild in Aperture 2, and then make a backup of that library. You will then have a very clean original should anything happen in the conversion.
I am happy to say we followed the rebuild and backup on the other 5 Libraries, ranging in size from 500GB to 1.2 TB, and all the other conversions went smoothly.
The key is have plenty of diskspace available, more than double the size of your library, and Aperture will leave an Aperture Library_Original which can still be opened in A2.
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K.J. Doyle

HT1349 I updated my Itunes and my entire library disappeared including all my playlists. How do I fix this?

I updated my Itunes and my entire library disappeared including all my playlists. How do I fix this?

Are they really gone? Look in your Home > Music > iTunes folder and folders inside. Do you see media there? Also try to use Spotlight to search for things you know you have.
If you keep media on an external drive, are they there? If it is all there, try starting iTunes with the option key held down and guide to the external.
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If no backup and they are really gone, you can download some items from Apple again. You'll have to re-construct the library though as all the playlists, ratings, date added, and some other things will be gone.
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i purchased a song on my Ipod Touch 4 GEN. and i listened to it not 5 mins before i synced it with Itunes...then i looked in my Ipod music library and itunes library...GONE. but when i go to download it, like with Apps when if you have purchased an app and it get's deleted...you can have it back for FREE
and i tryed that with this song...and it says that " you have already purchased this song, would you like to buy it again?" but it wont let me get it again for free even tho i have bought it before...is there a way i can get it back with out having to pay??
HHHHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!! PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!!!!!!

You buy one and only one download.
As it should have been transferred to your computer when you synced, you can contact itunes support and ask for an exception.
http://www.apple.com/support/itunes

When I downloaded the newest version of iTunes, my previously downloaded music in iTunes library disappeared on my computer? There was no warning of this happening. What do I do?

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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 then 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!
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ITunes -many of my iTunes library list is gone

after iTunes Crash ( during iPhone sync terrible sync issue)
after i re-started iTunes
in iTunes screen on the left side many of my iTunes library list is gone.
and only a few list left. most of list is gone missing..
where can i recover my full library list?
is it possible? is there solution ? step by step someone help me?

See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash.
tt2

TS1292 hi, I've got itunes music card for my birthday and when I scratch the back to redeem the code everything gone, so no code, what can I do?

hi, I've got itunes music card for my birthday and when I scratched the back to redeem the code everything gone, so no code, what can I do? I've been to tesco to customer service and they told to contact itunes support

These are user-to-user forums. If the page that you posted from doesn't help then you can try contacting iTunes Support via this page (you will probably need to give them images of the front and back of the card, and possibly its receipt) : http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/ - click on Contact iTunes Store Support on the right-hand side of the page, then iTunes Cards And Codes

Have new iMac with iPhoto sharing turned on. When the shared library is clicked the library disappears or starts to load then disappears? What is wrong?

Have new iMac with iPhoto sharing turned on. When the shared library is clicked the library disappears or starts to load then disappears? What is wrong?

Try this: launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Import some photos and check to see if the same problem persists. If it doesn't then your current library is damaged and needs repair.
Therefore make a temporary, backup copy (select the library and type Command+D) and apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Since only one option can be run at a time start with Option #1, followed by #3 and then #4 as needed.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
If you experience the same problem with the test library then try this basic fix a try: make a temporary, backup copy (if you don't already have a backup copy) of the library and try the following:
1 - delete the iPhoto preference file, com.apple.iPhoto.plist, that resides in your
User/Home()/Library/ Preferences folder.
2 - delete iPhoto's cache file, Cache.db, that is located in your
User/Home()/Library/Caches/com.apple.iPhoto folder.
Click to view full size
3 - launch iPhoto and try again.
NOTE: If you're moved your library from its default location in your Home/Pictures folder you will have to point iPhoto to its new location when you next open iPhoto by holding down the Option key when launching iPhoto. You'll also have to reset the iPhoto's various preferences.
NOTE 2: In Lion and Mountain Lion the Library folder is now invisible. To make it permanently visible enter the following in the Terminal application window: chflags nohidden ~/Library and hit the Enter button - 10.7: Un-hide the User Library folder.
If that fails a reinstall of iPhoto is indicated. To do so you'll have to delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder and from the /var/db/receipts/ folder,
Click to view full size
Then install iPhoto from the source it came on originally.
OT

*N OVER MY HEAD! my iTunes library disappeared from my PC, TS said uninstall then reinstall, before I reinstalled though my ipad 2 said NOT ENOUGH MEMORY as I tried to update 1 app. What do I do now?

Apparently, something went way wrong SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW... and now I'm afraid of losing ALL MY MEDIA considering I have NO ITUNES ON MY LAPTOP! I followed all appropriate steps found in trouble shooting, when I reinstalled iTunes though, the reinstalled music on my pc was a handful of songs that were triplicates, even listed some five TIMES! And maybe a total of 20-25 different songs, a fraction of what I had initially!
*N OVER MY HEAD! my iTunes library disappeared from my PC, TS said uninstall then reinstall, before I reinstalled though my ipad 2 said NOT ENOUGH MEMORY as I tried to update 1 app. What do I do now?

1, you can't at the moment, though with iOS 5 in the Autumn, from http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/features.html#photos :
Even organize your photos in albums — right on your device
2, by removing it from you synced from and re-syncing. Only photos taken with the iPad, copied to it via the camera connection kit, or saved from emails/websites etc can be deleted directly on the iPad (either via the trashcan icon in the top right corner if viewing the photo in full screen, or via the icon of the box with the arrow coming out of it in thumbnail view)
3, the location of the photos that you synced to the iPad should be listed on the iPad's Photos tab when connected to your computer's iTunes.
4, you can copy the photos from your iPad to your computer : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083 . You should also be able to delete them from the iPad as part of the transfer process to your computer, and it's then your choice whether to add them to your sync photo list so as to copy them back to the iPad. Copying them to your computer would allow you to organise them into folders and therefore be able to sync them back into separate albums.
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Yeah... that's exactly the way it is supposed to work. Sharing the library does not move it anywhere.
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