Rebuilding iTunes Library File

I have been using iTunes since the beginning and would like some feedback about the itunes Library file.
I have been using the same iTunes Library file since the beginning of the program and as my library grows and the version upgrades continue to modify the library file, is it time to create a new library file. Everything seems to be working ok except that it does take several seconds for iTunes to modify it's database when I make a change to a playlist or Tag info. I understand smart playlists occupy a lot of time and I do have quite a few of them, but would rebuilding the Library file help that at all.
Losing all of the playcounts and playlists is not acceptable.
TIA

Yes I do back up.
My iTunes Folder, which includes the Library File, the Music Folder, and the XML file are all stored on an external firewire drive. I have a symbolic link to the external drive located in the Music folder of my boot disk. This works as expected. The reason I do this is so I can take the external drive home from work, copy the symlink to my home Mac, replace the real folder with the symlink, open iTunes and all playlists and playcounts are intact. Basically pick up where I left off. The only downside to this is that I must have the volume available or iTunes will quit because it can't find or create a Library file. I can live with that. Simply rename the symlink temporarily and reopen.
My main question was referring to the Library file itself. Is it possible that as time went on and new versions of iTunes come out and the database needed updating, can the Library file become fragmented. If I remember correctly, initially Apple had the SoundCheck value stored in the Library file. Now it is stored directly in the mp3 or aac file. Does this now uneeded data still live in the library file?
I am thinking about making a third backup, create a new library and add all of my music to the empty library to see how if flies. I know playlists and counts will be gone, but may shed some light on how the Library file is managed.
Comments?
TIA

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Error message - "The iTunes Library file is full could not be saved" - Help

Hi folks.
I looked for current / recent chatter on this iss before creating this topic. Didn't see anything that addressed this issued recently. If I missed it, sorry, if not, here you go!
I got an error message last night while using iTunes. It just popped up during use, not while using. The error message read "The iTunes Library File could not be saved." Now my hard drive is DEFINITELY not full. I have hundreds of gigs of unused space. This appears to be an issue strictly related to my library.xml file. Stupidly, I clicked the don't show me this again and closed the message. My concern now is that I'll rip new content that won't end up in my iTunes library even though it's on my hard drive, thus that content will not be findable by iTunes.
I don't want to just rebuild the library from scratch as I have fixed tons of errors in how iTunes classifies my music over the years and all that work would be lost.
Any ideas on how to get past this glitch?
I noticed this problem also cropped up circa the original iPhone launch. I had that phone and did not experience this prob, and I just upgraded to the 3G four days ago. It makes no sense to me that the phone is causing this, but perhaps the upgrade to the iTunes version 7.7 (necessary to use the iPhone with my Windows computer) is the cause of the prob.
I did erase a bunch of videos and unsubscribed to several video casts. That was one recommended solution way back when.
My concern though is that since I chose the don't show me this error message again option, I won't know whether the problem persists or not.
Oh the humanity...

I have seen this a few times, usually when other 3rd-party applications are using itunes. Such as, lastfm & the Tivo remote music player.
And, I've also seen it when I was copying a bunch of digital photos to the exHD in the background while playing music and the song changed. iTunes saves the playcount in the ITL file when the song ends.
You might check this Microsoft article about "Enable write caching on the disk". I haven't seen that iTunes error since I turned mine back on for the exHD. The Tivo "delayed write failed" errors are back, but that's a different problem...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;330174
Anyway, long story short, it gets saved OK later and I make frequent backups of that ITL file.

Hello, when i open itunes i get the message: The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file. It seems I can't update my itunes library. how do i fix this? thanks in advance

hello,
when i open itunes i get the message: The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file.
It seems I can't update my itunes library. how do i fix this? thanks in advance

Hi there Br0x,
You may want to try rebuilding the iTunes library as an initial troubleshooting step. Take a look at the article below for more information.
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
-Griff W.

The itunes library file cannot be saved (-48)

After migrating my library from an xp machine to a new vista machine, I get this error whenever I open iTunes.
The itunes library file cannot be saved (-48)
The most annoying result appears to be that my video iPod does a full sync every time now (as it can't save the library file, this isn't surprising).
Anybody know how to fix this?

I am getting this error on my Vista computer. I've tried rebuilding the library and that didn't help. Interestingly I had the same error on my old XP computer. When I migrated my music from the old to the new I copied the music files but I created a new libary files; so that indicates to me that the problem is not Vista specific.
I am starting to wonder if it's a software confict, ie some software that I had installed on both computers or a corrupt file among my music.
There is another discussion about this error here, but there's nothing conclusive http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1202649
BTW I have found that the error always occurs when I connect my 2nd generation Shuffle, but it also occurs randomly, particularly shortly after I have opened iTunes (even if I have not made changes that would require writing to the library file).
Message was edited by: Madam

"The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file." How do I fix?

My buddy set me up with the Aiport Timecapsule with 500G of music. I linked iTunes to my MacPro (took a looong time) now I keep getting "The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file." I have the most up to date iTunes. I'm not sure that I set up the library the "proper way" but don't want to spend another day or 2 to reload. How do I fix what ever I did wrong, or get rid of the message?
Thanx

Hi there Br0x,
You may want to try rebuilding the iTunes library as an initial troubleshooting step. Take a look at the article below for more information.
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
-Griff W.

When I update itunes it deletes the library file, and when I restore that file from the previous libraries or my backup, itunes will run but tell me "the iTunes library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file" How do I fix this?

When I update itunes it deletes the library file, and when I restore that file from the previous libraries or my backup, itunes will run but tell me "the iTunes library file cannot be saved. A folder was specified instead of a file" How do I fix this?

Hi there Br0x,
You may want to try rebuilding the iTunes library as an initial troubleshooting step. Take a look at the article below for more information.
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
-Griff W.

"ITunes Library file cannot be saved"

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From Jordan at Apple:
On a Mac, to fix "The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. There is not enough memory available.":
1) go to Library/Preferences and delete any files beginning with com.apple.iTunes.
2) go to Library/Preferences/ByHost and delete any files beginning with com.apple.iTunes.
3) restart
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Why has this occurred The file "iTunes Library.itl" does not appear to be a valid iTunes library file. iTunes has created a new iTunes library and renamed this file to "iTunes Library (Damaged)".

My itunes library suddenly that the file “iTunes Library.itl” does not appear to be a valid iTunes library file. iTunes has created a new iTunes library and renamed this file to “iTunes Library (Damaged)”. I use an external hard drive for my Itunes.

The library file appears to have been corrupted. You say you use your external drive but is the whole library on it or only your media? No matter, you will have to rebuild the library file:
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451

"iTunes library file can't be saved."

The full message is "The iTunes library file cannot be saved. The disk could not be read to or written from."

Hi there Br0x,
You may want to try rebuilding the iTunes library as an initial troubleshooting step. Take a look at the article below for more information.
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
-Griff W.

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Every time I open itunes it starts importing- itunesmusiclibrary. XML. Then I get a message that file ituneslibrary.itl does not appear to be a valid itunes library file. itunes has attempted to recover your itunes library and renamed this file to ituneslibrary (damage)1itl. This process happens every time I open up itunes. How do I fix this?

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IT tells me it can't find the original and asks me to look for it
15,000 of it !!!
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How did you do this migration, specifically how did you migrate your library? Importantly, do you let iTunes manage everything or do you manage your own media in which case you should only do so if you are 99.999% familiar with iTunes?
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"He suggested deleting your video podcasts because it fixed the problem for him on Windows Vista, and two more people on the forum replied on Macs to say that it had fixed the problem for them as well. I tried it myself on my iMac and sat for 5 minutes with no more errors coming up, and it didn't error or try to reupdate when I closed and reopened iTunes, so that seems to be the fix for the time being. I deleted all my podcasts just for the sake of completeness but it seems to be video podcasts causing the issue.
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My laptop (HP HDX 16 running Vista) was having trouble resuming from sleep mode and I had to do a forced shut down. Upon booting up, it started to check my C drive for errors, and for some reason, deleted my iTunes Library file (it literally said it was doing that). Now my iTunes is completely empty, and the last backed up library file is from months ago. Is there any way to get my iTunes back to the way it was earlier today?!

Hi rpvee,
Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.
Depending on which library file was deleted from your computer, you may be able to rebuild the iTunes library.
See the "Re-creating the iTunes Library file" section of this article for the instructions:
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
Regards,
Jeremy

I have multiple libraries on an external drive. Somehow all the iTunes library files i.e. iTunes Library.itl, xml, itdb, Media folder, etc disappeared! Only the music files remain. Now when I start iTunes w/option it can't find any of the old libraries!

Help! I 'm using an old G4 powerbook, Mac OSX 10.5.8, iTunes ver 10. I have multiple iTunes libraries on an external drive. Everything was fine for a while, then all of the iTunes library files, i.e. iTunes Library.itl, xml, itdb, artwork folder, Media folder, etc mysteriously disappeared! Only the music files remain (thank god) So now when I start iTunes w/option key to choose a library, I can't choose any of them because iTunes won't recognize them. Because all the library stuff is missing. So can I re-create the library files? (I don't care if I lose my ratings)
Or should I create a new empty library on the external drive, then manually move all the music files to the Media folder in the new library?
I tried some stupid ideas like creating a new library just to start iTunes, then going into prefs and advanced, then under iTunes Media folder location, selecting the location of the old library on the external, to see if iTunes would then find all the music which is still there, but no workee.
I'm out of ideas, and I searched the archives.
Help! anyone?
Scott

I don't know if this is me adding files to iTunes when the external wasn't connected
it is.
is it OK to just keep deleting that library on the Air?
i wouldn't - at least not until i
mount the external
point iTunes media folder location back to the external via preferences > advanced
consolidate my library via file > library > organize library
The ntfs hasn't seem to be causing any problems, but I've always wanted to know.
in order for your Mac to write to NTFS drives, it needs some help by installing e.g. the NTFS 3G driver. apparently that or something similar is installed on your Mac already. preferably, it would be formatted for Mac but then windows machines would need to have e.g. MacDrive installed to recognize the drive.

Syncing iPhone to new iTunes w/o iTunes library file

My MBP's hard drive died and I got it replaced, so it's good as new - everything was clean, iTunes was empty, etc. I'm filling up the computer again, and I realised that I backed up all my music (the mp3 files/iTunes media folder), but I stupidly forgot to back up the iTunes library file.
So I have my iTunes filled with songs but no play count, playlists etc. All the playlists and information, however, still exist in my iPhone 4, which I haven't synced to my new laptop yet.
I'm preeetty sure because of my ****-up with not saving the library file, there's no way, but I still have to ask: is there any way to sync the song data and playlists from the iPhone back into iTunes? It's not the end of the world if I can't, but I built up all the playcounts, playlists, mixtapes over the past few years and I'm a little sad to lose them.

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Rebuilding iTunes Library File

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