Restoring music to iTunes Library

I accidentally erased my entire library and it took all of the songs off my iPod. Is there any way to restore them? HELP!!!!

Perhaps you may still have the music files on your PC -- but not seen in iTunes or the PC.
Do a thorough search of your PC PC using the tips below:
First - Make sure that you enable your Windows Explorer to view 'Hidden' files:
- Open Windows Explorer
- Select 'My Computer'
- On the main Windows Explorer menu: Tools=>Folder Options=>'View' tab
- In 'Advanced Setting' --> Files and Folders --> Hidden files and folders:
-- Select 'Show hidden files and folders’
- Click 'Apply to All Folders'
- Click 'OK'
Then check using Windows Explorer in 'My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music\...' for folders containing your music (or wherever you keep your music folders).
Also check in your Recycle Bin to see if you accidentally deleted it. If so, ‘Restore’ it back to it’s original spot.
Then try running a search using Windows Explorer (or similar) for files with the extensions of: m4a, m4p, MP3, OR with the partial names of the songs you are missing.
Do all the above before you decide that your music files have been completely erased from your hard drive.
IF you can locate the music files/folders, we can get iTunes to recognize it. Try one of these:
If you have a backup iTunes database file available....
1. --- Close iTunes. If you have a backup (or previous version) of the ‘iTunes Library’itl’ database file, then place a copy of that file in the ‘...\My Music\iTunes’ folder (or wherever the current, incomplete file resides).
1b. --- Open iTunes
If no backup ITL file exists….
2a. --- In iTunes choose: Edit==>Preferences==>Advanced tab. Select 'Change' and browse to the music folder in your PC drive (if it isn’t already). Click OK to save that setting.
Then....
2b. --- In iTunes choose: File==>’Add Folder to Library’ & browse to the music folder in your PC drive. Click OK.
Without the ITL file, re-‘Adding’ the music files to the Library will lose you the Ratings, Play Counts, Date Added and Last Played attributes, as well as your Playlists. No real way to recover them if you haven’t made prior backups. Something to consider for the future....
IF your music files are truly gone: As long as you have not reloaded much (or any) new information to the iPod, the following links will direct you to software that has a (small/medium/good) chance of recovering some or all of your iPod’s deleted music files. Several responders indicated that Recover4All worked for them (although it could be as a result of being first on the list below). Most are not shareware or freeware, so you may have to spend a little money.....
This link will give you several 'Erased iPod' recovery resources for both Mac and Windows users:
http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45619
This PodSalvage software will only work with Macs running OS X.
Make sure you read through many of the posts on the iLounge – some folks had good results, others had poor results. There seems to be a split camp on the effectiveness of recovery programs.
Either way, strongly consider a thorough backup strategy after you recover or replace your music: http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=394618&messageID=1263275
http://www.recover4all.com/
http://consumer.undelete.com/undelete/undelete.asp
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm
http://www.handyrecovery.com/index.shtml
http://www.stellarinfo.com/mac-data-recovery.htm
http://www.binarybiz.com/vlab/mac.php
http://www.yamipod.com/main/modules/home/

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