Restoring iTunes Library from Time Machine

I messed up my iTunes library when I attempted to move it to the Shared folder so that my wife could access my music on her account. Now when I load up iTunes, none of my media (songs, videos, podcasts) are there. I tried to restore from Time Machine (I restored the Music/iTunes) folder, but I still have nothing in iTunes. All my music, etc. is in the right folders, etc. -- nothing's been moved -- but it doesn't show up in iTunes. I could just add everything back and start from scratch, but I'd really like to recover my playlists, ratings, etc.
What do I need to do to do this? I must be missing something?

Try holding down the option key while opening iTunes. Select the option to choose a library. Inside the Music/iTunes folder there should've been a database file called iTunes Library. Select this file to use.

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How to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

Please, can someone give me the instructions on how to restore iTunes Library from Time Machine on Mavericks?

See Pondini's TM FAQs, for details.

New HDD - how to restore iTunes library from Time Machine

Installed a new HDD in my MacBook Pro, would now like to restore my iTunes library on the computer.
Searched & saw a post about "needing to use the Time Machine interface to restore the entire library".
What is this interface they are referring to and how do I find it?
I open Time Machine in preferences and see there is an "options" button, and you can add items to the restore window ... I'm hoping there is a document somewhere that details if this is the correct place to restore an iTunes library, if so, what files/directories need to be added for restore, etc...
What's the process to restore an iTunes library from a Time Capsule backup?

Please do not double-post.
Answered in your other thread on this subject: https://discussions.apple.com/message/17532046#17532046

Restoring iTunes library from Time Machine backup -- help!

I'm trying to restore my iTunes library from TM backup. I can restore songs from individual albums, but if I try to restore multiple albums at once I get this error: "The operation can’t be completed because you don't have permission to access [name of file containing a song]." At this rate, it will take days to restore my library. Help! There must be a better way!

http://pondini.org/TM/E10.html

Restore iTunes library from Time Machine, after full hard drive wipe

I had to do a full hard drive wipe on my MBP running 10.6.6, so I made a full Time Machine backup before hand. I reinstalled os x (10.6.3) and used migration assistant to restore my files from the Time Machine backup.
Most of this process has been painless, however, when I open iTunes it's empty. I have all the music files, iTunes Library.itdb, iTunes Library Extras.itdb and iTunes Library Genius.itdb. Is there a way to restore my previous iTunes library with these files? I feel like this should be a pretty basic thing to do but I haven't found much/any documentation of it online. Any help would be much appreciated.

Take the files that you list and the iTunes music folder from the TM b/u and drag them to the iTunes folder. To put it in simpler terms - drag the iTunes folder from the TM to the same location on the internal HD.
By default the path should be HD>User>Your Account>Music>iTunes(your iTunes files are here)>iTunes Music (your music files are here)
MJ

How to restore itunes library from time machine

I recently needed to replace the hard drive in my mac. I have an external hard drive that has been backing up to time machine.
All documents and photos were retrieved. Itunes backed up files and plugins but I can't find any of the music, video's etc.
Where are they located and how do I re-load into my Itunes library?
Thanks!

The default location for the iTunes media folder is
Documents/iTunes/iTunes Media
in your home folder. If that folder exists, set it as the location in iTunes preferences. If it doesn't exist, search for it by name in Spotlight.

I want to restore my iTunes Library from Time Machine

I want to restore my iTunes Library from Time Machine, but when I enter the Time Machine, I don't know where to look for it. Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Paul

Your iTunes Library is typically in…
Your home directory > Music > iTunes
… and if you restore that entire folder it will revert your iTunes Library in total to the state it was as of the date and time you select in Time Machine.

Restoring iPhoto library from time machine

How does one restore iPhoto library from time machine. When I attempt to do so time machine downloads 2/3 of the library and then says: operation cannot be completed because you do not have permission to access iPhoto library. Any advice? I am using so 10.8.2

Try the methods pondini gives here.
http://pondini.org/TM/15.html
Look at the specifics for iphoto..
It is not easy as the versions have changed.. if you are trying to restore a version older than the OS.. not sure what willl happen.
You might also need to do a full restore to an external drive and pluck the library out of there.

IPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70 some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3K more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

iPhoto crashed. When reopened, 70+ some events were grayed out (no photos). Restored iPhoto library from Time Machine, fewer grayed events. Said yes to a msg on fixing library, 3000 more photos. Still wrong. What next to do?

Do you still have the library that you were using when the crash occurred? If so apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
2 - run Option #4 to rebuild the database.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button and select the library you want to add in the selection window..
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - 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.
OT

ITunes Library from Time Machine Backup to Windows 7?!

Hi everyone,
Yeah, I'm switching over to a PC...
Does anyone know how to put an iTunes library from a Time Machine backup to a PC (running Windows 7?)
Thanks!

When I tried to relaunch itunes holding down the option button and select my backed-up itunes folder from time machine
Is this after you restored the iTunes folder from Time Machine? Or were you trying to select the iTunes folder on the Tme Machine drive to use as the iTunes library?
Quit iTunes.
Open Time Machine.
Selct \Music\iTunes\ in Time Machine.
Go back to when you want it restored from.
Click on Restore.
When it asks, select Replace.
After it is finsihed copying, launch iTunes.

Permissions Error message trying to restore iPhoto Library from Time Machine

I've tried several times to restore my iPhoto library from Time Machine. After 45 min. when it's almost finished, I get an error "The operation can't be completed because you don't have permission to access "iPhoto Library". Anyone know how to fix this?

Hi, and welcome to the forums.
Connect to the TC via Ethernet cable if at all possible.
Try repairing your backups, per #A5 in [Time Machine - Troubleshooting|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

I need to restore iphoto library from time machine, but have a question

I need to rebuild my library but already have 5 libraries which are taking too much space on my HD to finish a complete rebuild. Is it safe to move those 5 libraries to the trash and restore the one from time machine???
thanks in advance,
Kari

IF nothing goes wrong - hardware - software - human - then you will be fine
Personally my photos are important to me and I'd purchase an external harddrive and backup everything to it first - then do the deletes/rebuild etc
Then I would continue using the new EHD for a second backup using a clone package (Carbon Copy Cloner or SUperDuper)
LN

HT4927 Restoring iPhoto library from Time Machine backup

Will restoring an iPhoto library from Time Machine overwrite the current library? After I did a backup, I deleted some photos but since then I have added new photos.

It is an option. You can overwrite or keep both when you restore
LN

How to restore iphoto & iTunes library from time machine?

My imac has had its hardrive replaced - (unfortunate) - and I am wanting to restore the files fom itunes and Iphoto only. I have tried for many hours following other posts, support, but have so far not had any luck. What is an "Idiots" way to achive this, hort of taking my mac back to apple and get them to do it for me!

Open Finder and go to Music folder. Then, open Time Machine and restore the iTunes folder. Open Pictures folder and restore iPhoto Library of Time Machine

Can't restore iphoto library from time machine

I'm running iphoto 8 on 10.6.8. The iphoto library disappeared and I've tried numerous ways to restore it. Rebuilding the library didn't work. Neither did library manager's rebuild function. When I attempt to restore directly from time machine I get a permissions error. I tried to work around that by creating a disk image and restoring the time machine back up to that. It copies some of it, but then gives me an error 36.
"The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “iPhoto Library” can’t be read or written.
(Error code -36)"
It did transfer enough data before quitting so that I could get my low res photos from the "data" folder, but I can not get to the originals folder.
Is there any other way to get that folder out of the time machine back up directly. The library on time machine shows over 20 gigs of data, but I can't seem to get to it.
I did upgrade to snow leopard a few months ago.
I appreciate any and all help. :-) shaeri

Thanks so much Terence. I tried some of the fixes from that page, but then discovered the suggestion to compress the Time Machine Back up of the original library and transfer it as a zip back to my computer as detailed here:
http://pondini.org/TM/E9.html
That worked like a charm. I really appreciate it.

Restoring iTunes Library from Time Machine

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