My iTunes account sayscould not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it? whenever i click on a song and i didn't move the songs anywhere. I don't know if i saved them to my hard drive so i can't find any songs

I downloaded something that was told to me to get to put some of my itunes songs onto my android phone. I think it synced my account, though. Whenever i click on a song an exclamation point comes up and something pops up and says "could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" and i don't remember ever backing up my songs (this computer is fairly new) and now none of my songs come up. I have no idea what to do but ive spent hundreds of dollars on this account purchasing from the itunes store. Please help me!

Tunes works through a database file which has a list of your tracks.  When you click on a track it looks up in the database which file it needs to play, then plays the file.  If something breaks this link then you get !  The two main ways to get ! are to move a file from where iTunes expects it to be, or to delete it altogether.  I don't know which has happened in your case.  You can try using Spotlight to find a file for the one referred to in a broken link.  If the files have been moved then they need to be moved back.  If they were deleted completely you will have to restore them from a backup or download them again from the iTunes Store and rebuild your library.

Similar Messages

  • When i try play a song i get this message " the song could not be used because your original file could not be found, would you like to locate.  I tunes works on my iPad

    OSX 10.9.5

    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. 
    I have the same issues with my downloaded movies but my apps all seem to be fine.
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    Should I get new geeks to locate these files on my old mini-mac?

  • Itunes error "This song could not be used because the original file could not be located"

    i keep getting the error that the _____________song could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to loacte? " when i try to locate it does not find the song anywhere on the computer. Please advise

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  • Music missing, all songs display could not be used because the original file could not be found.

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  • 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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                  Is there anyone out there who has been through this frustrating game of chasing your tail?....<that's how I feel>
    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 !!!
    I can't afford 2 replace the songs just like I'm unable 2 buy back my old music from my stolen iTouch....man that was an awesome collection-someday I'll be able 2 afford 2 do that & I would like 2 have all the new music that I paid 4 but cannot find when I got my new iTouch....that would just be  wonderful.
                 I hope someone sees this post that can help me retrieve these files....losing $100.00 of iTunes is a REAL BUMMER!!!!!!
                                                      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!
                                                                                                hope 2 get a reply someday....I'll B checking all my emails & my Facebook, as well
                                                                                                as marking this page in my FAVORITES so I can find it fast! Take Care!!!

    I was not complete clear.
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    If you press the reset button you just give to itunes its default setting as for the position of the music files: probably this will be a good choice if you have never changed any default preference.
    But before I would check the folders and see if the songs are really there
    In my iTune I have this, and I believe it is the default.
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  • What does this message mean: This song could not be used because the original file could not be found--When I try to play songs there is an "!" next to it.

    A friend recenlty replaced my hard drive.
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  • 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

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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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  • 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

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  • Error message when trying to play music on computer states The song ... could not be used because the original file could not be found.  However, my library shows how many items and the GBs used.  How do I locate the files?

    When I try to play my iTunes music on my computer, an error message comes up and state "The song (title of song) could not be used because the original file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it?
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    Hi angela dfromtx,
    When tracks in iTunes display a it means the file cannot be located; it may have been moved or deleted. You'll have to locate the file manually if it is still available. For more information refer to the following article:
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    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:
    Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
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  • "The song could not be used because the original file could not be found"

    Hello,
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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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  • This is a new notification coming up with iTunes, why and how do I fix it? The song "Penny Lane" could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?

    This is a new notification coming up with iTunes, why and how do I fix it?
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    Hey xxCreepyFiaxx,
    First, I would try the following suggested steps for when you don't see content in iTunes after updating:
    Quit iTunes.
    Download and install the latest version of iTunes.
    Use the Finder (Mac) or Windows Explorer (Windows) to go to the iTunes folder that contains the iTunes library files:
    Mac OS X
    /Users/username/Music/iTunes/
    Microsoft Windows Windows XP and Windows 2000
    \Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\
    Microsoft Windows Windows Vista and Windows 7
    \Users\username\Music\iTunes\
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    Open the Previous iTunes Libraries folder in the iTunes folder.
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    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1967
    If that doesn't resolve the issue, then I'd go through the steps in here:
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    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408
    Have a good one,
    Delgadoh

  • 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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  • I tried to play my iTunes and suddenly get an error message that says "The song (name) could not be used because the original file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it now?"  It happens on all my tunes and each one I select ends up with a "?"

    I tried to play my iTunes and suddenly get an error message that says "The song (name) could not be used because the original file could not be found.  Would you like to locate it now?"  It happens on each tune I select and a "?" appears beside the song.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

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    If you press the reset button you just give to itunes its default setting as for the position of the music files: probably this will be a good choice if you have never changed any default preference.
    But before I would check the folders and see if the songs are really there
    In my iTune I have this, and I believe it is the default.
    Users/YOURHOMEFOLDERNAME/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music

  • ITunes tells me "Could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"  I can locate it and all my other music, but can only open one song at a time.  How do I set it to open all my music whenever I want it?

    iTunes tells me my song selection: "Could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?"  I can locate it and all my other music, but can only open one song at a time.  How do I set it to open all my music whenever I want?
    Message was edited by: Woildbill

    I just spent several hours dealing with this when switching to a new PC. It was extremely frustrating as I knew my files were on my external HD but no matter how many times I copied my old iTunes folder over the files were still missing...because dummy me had forgotten to "unhide folders" on my new PC and my old files were actually stored in a hidden folder created long long ago.
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    1. Look in iTunes Advanced Preferences to see where iTunes is saving files. (Edit, Preferences, Advanced)
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    Hope this helps!

  • 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.
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    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 .
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