Where is my iTunes Library?

For some reason -- an upgrade I suppose -- my iTunes library is now completely empty. Everything, gone. Where is my library file stored? Can I re-import it?
thanks
Scott

Thanks S.M., but I was asking where my Library files are, not my music files. It looks like the Library files got wiped out in the last upgrade. I have thousands of music files on my iPod, and dozens of playlists, and I usually remove the music files from my hard drive after synching up my iPod to save disk space. Just "re-adding" them is not really an option.
Is this standard behavior when upgrading to iTunes 6? If so I'll avoid future upgrades.
I do have a backup "iTunes Music Library.xml" file I made last summer. I was able to Import that file; however, it only imports songs that it can find on my hard drive. Is there any way to import that file and have it still list music files that have been removed?
I may have to use PodUtil to export all of my song files back to my hard disk, and then rebuild everything with those files; but that's a bit of an arduous task as well, and of course I'd have none of my playlists. None of this is improving my attitude toward iTunes as an application.
Scott
G4 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Similar Messages

HT203167 Where is my itunes library?

Where is my itunes library? I'm new to itunes and I purchased a movie but I can not locate where it went to. I set it up through my desk top but had my ipad connected to my desk top at the same time. My fee for this has been taken from my account.

As above you've not given us much information to go on. This may or may not be the fix you need...
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. 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!
tt2

ITunes 11 - Where is the iTunes Library.itl file?

I used iTunes 11 to move my entire library to a new Western Digital Thunderbolt duo drive. In iTunes advanced settings, I specified an itunes library path of /Volumes/Media Library/iTunes Media. Then from the menu selected File -> Library -> Organize Library. This moved all my itunes media from my local hard drive to the external drive in the path specified above. As expected, there was still a /Users/bernie/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media folder, which contained my iTunes Library.itl and other files. So, I moved this folder somewhere else, yet iTunes continues to function normally.
The iTunes Library.itl file is NOT on the external drive. Can anyone tell me if this file is still necessary, and if so, how is my iTunes still working without it?
-Thanks

You did not in fact move your entire library, you moved just the media files. Your iTunes application is likely using the true "library" file (along with all the other supporting files it needs) normally in your Home > Music > iTunes folder. I have not tried what you have done but it seems iTunes is keeping track of where you have relocated that iTunes folder with the rest of the library in it. In some regards iTunes is good at keeping track of moving files, but is horribly unforgiving if you do that to media files.
Yes, that file is still necessary, though you could use Spotlight to see if you have other copies iTunes could be using instead.
To properly move your whole library to the external you should have copied the whole iTunes folder to the external drive, then start iTunes with the option (alt) key held down and guided it to the iTunes Library.itl file on the external drive.
As expected, there was still a /Users/bernie/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media folder, which contained my iTunes Library.itl and other files.
Is this accurate? Your iTunes Library.itl file should not have been in your media folder.

Where's me Itunes library gone?

Ok ever since I installed Itunes 8 I've had awful problems accessing my library. Every time I turn my laptop on and access my itunes it keeps telling my that the library is damaged and then start to gone through all my artwork and restart genius.
How can I sort the problem out??

Nevermind, I found it anyway. It was in Previous Systems >> Previous System 2 (my most recent build) >> Users >> [my old username ] >> Music >> iTunes. I just copied all the files in this folder and replaced the files in my new iTunes folder with them and got my library back. Worked like a charm.
-Bill

How do I get movies purchased on Apple TV to download to my iTunes library?

Using iTunes 10.7 on my iMac where my main iTunes library is located. I have a couple of Apple TVs with the latest updates. When I purchase a movie on Apple TV, what is the easiest way to get it to download to my iMac? It seems that it is much easier to purchase movies on my iMac and then they show up in the library for that computer on my Apple TV - but you have to wait for the movie to complete the download before you can watch it - sometimes inconvenient.
So, following a purchase of a movie on my Apple TV what is the easiest way to download that purchased move to my iTunes library so I can also watch it on the computer or my iOS devices?
SOLVED: Looked at post labeled "Movie purchases in iCloud" and received my answer. Movie now downloading into my iTunes library.
Message was edited by: JHiTunes

Thanks - I understand this in principle - but still think it should be up to the user.
If my Apple TV glitches and I lose a bunch of tv shows, its not the end of the world.
If I have no room on my computer for a large powerpoint presentation for work because my hard drive is full of Simpson episodes, it is.
Not giving the user the option not to have gig upon gigs sent to his computer is very.... well, Gatesian.

I lost my iTunes library?

(Apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong forum.)
First off, I have a Macbook 6.1, version 10.6.8. and iTunes version 11.4 (18). Originally, I was attempting to put my iTunes library onto my external hard drive to save space on my computer. Here are the steps that I took:
1.) I made a copy of what I thought was my iTunes library. My iTunes library somehow is a "Previous iTunes Library" (which happened maybe 3 years ago, but I don't remember how), and in Finder there were multiple items called "iTunes Library (various dates)" so I picked the one that looked like the most current date. However, I have reason to believe I chose the wrong file, which I will explain later.
2.) After copying what I thought was my current iTunes library, I put it on my external hard drive.To make sure that the one stored on my external hard drive opened each time I used it, I held down alt/option when launching iTunes and clicked on the one I copied (I knew it was the copied one because I changed its name to "iTunes Libraries Copy"). However, when I opened this copied iTunes, I realized it was the wrong one (a previous iTunes library with only about a third of my music).
So my current problem is that I can't locate where my current iTunes library is. It's got got to the point that I just confused myself so badly that I've just kept the old iTunes as the one that opens. If at all possible I would like to find the iTunes library that I had before this whole mess happened. I've tried opening all the files called "Previous iTunes Libraries" in Finder and none of them are the right ones somehow. Essentially, I lost the file of the iTunes library that I want, and I want to find it again.
Also, if this matters, I still have the iTunes library I want on my iPod touch (because I haven't synced it). Additionally, I had backed up my computer (including, I assume, the iTunes library I want?) using Time Machine, but I'm fairly new to that and I'm not sure how to retrieve it. Whatever is the simplest method to get my iTunes library back would be great! I'm trying to free up space on my Macbook so I can purchase a Macbook Air and transfer all my stuff (minus the stuff that takes up way to much space, such as iTunes). I realize this is quite confusing, but I would appreciate any help I can get!

Well, put it this way, this is what you should have done: Moving a library: Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive. Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes. At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.

Moving iTunes Library to external HD--song could not be used

I wanted to move my iTunes library to an external HD, because my internal drive was running out of space. I looked around on here and found directions how to move my iTunes Library to an external hard drive. I followed those directions, and everything seemed copacetic the first time I started iTunes after the move and pointed it at the moved library. Songs played and everything was great.
But tall subsequent times I've started iTunes, I get the dreaded "song could not be used because the original file could not be found" message for every song I've tried.
I looked around on the discussion boards here some more, and seem to be seeing that there is no general solution. There's no good way to tell iTunes, "Go match up all the lines in the iTunes database with all the song titles in such-and-such a location."
I also read the article about "What are the iTunes Library files." I see that there are 2 basic files. One is a database file called "iTunes Library," and the second is a text file called "iTunes Library.xml." I opened up the XML file and looked around a bit. Here is what I find:
Every song in the XML file seems to be referred to with a relative path, such as: <string>file://localhost/Users/rodney/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/Krys%20Mach,%20Jo%20Az usa,%20Jerome%20Mokar/Native%20Spirit/01%20Cave%20Dweller.m4a</string>
The thing is, that's not the right path, unless localhost happens to be pointed at my external HD, which I don't know why it would be.
I suspect that this is the exact same problem inside the database file, too.
I'm looking around for a definition of localhost... the only thing I'm finding is in /etc/hosts, which looks like:
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1 localhost
I think it's odd that localhost is in there twice, but maybe that's normal.
Anyway, enough rambling, the basic question is, how can I tell iTunes that my files are on my external HD instead of wherever it thinks they are on "localhost," which I'm sure somehow resolves back to being my internal HD. Can I do some tricky grep-ing through the database file and strategically replace all occurrences? Or is that just asking for trouble?
Thanks!
Rodney

I don't know if this is at all useful to other people having similar problems, but I did get all my songs back more or less, and this is how:
1) With iTunes shut down, I went into my iTunes directory (ExternalHD/Users/rodney/Music/iTune), and moved my "iTunes Library" and "iTunes Library.xml" files to someplace else.
2) I started iTunes while holding down the Option key.
3) When iTunes popped the "Quit / Create New Library / Choose Library" dialog, I selected "Create New". I chose the path back to where my original iTunes Library used to live and where my music is; ExternalHD/Users/rodney/Music/iTunes.
4) iTunes started up with a completely blank library. I went and looked in the above directory, and yes, there was now a very small "iTunes Library" file there.
5) Under the File menu in iTunes, I chose "Add to Library". I then navigated to the location of all my music, which was ExternalHD/Users/rodney/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music.
6) When I selected this folder, iTunes started going through a bunch of gyrations of scanning, organizing, adding... I don't know what all it thought it was doing, but it finished 24 GB of music in about 3 minutes.
And now my music is all playable again! Of course, all my playlists are toast... completely gone, since they were in the old library.
The thing I notice is that iTunes moved all the artist folders... For instance, my album by the group Baka used to be in "ExternalHD/Users/rodney/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Baka" with previous versions of iTunes, but now iTunes 8 seems to want to flatten that out and it moved that directory to reside at "ExternalHD/Users/rodney/Music/iTunes/Baka". So, while it works, it looks messy. I liked it better when all the artist folders were down a level in the directory /iTunes Music/. Then the only things in the iTunes folder were the database files, a few other files iTunes has created over the years, and the iTunes Music folder.
But whatever... at least I don't have to add thousands of songs back into iTunes manually.
Just as a side note, I took a clue from the directory flattening out, and I tried one other thing: I put all the artist folders back down in the /iTunes Music/ folder, and I moved my original "iTunes Library" files down into that folder too. Then on startup, I tried pointing iTunes at the original library which was now down one level. But that didn't help... the individual song paths in that database are apparently still pointing onto my internal HD.
Rodney

Import iTunes Library to new Mac

My old Mac died. I have a new iMac running Mac OS 10.8.6 with iTunes 10.
I copied my iTunes library from the boot drive of my old Mac to the secondary drive in my iMac.
I then went into iTunes preference to designate the iTunes folder I copied as the "iTunes Media folder location."
Two questions,,,
1. A dialoge box popped up asking me "Would you like iTunes to move and rename the existing files in your iTunes music folder to match the "keep iTunes Music folder organized" preference?". I assume that should be a yes, correct?
2. I thought when I told iTunes where my existing iTunes library is located the library would show up in iTunes. How do I get it to show up?

You should not have needed to change any preferences. Because you did the steps in the second link (I think) it only moved where your media are stored but not everything iTunes uses to produce the window you see when you start iTunes. It left some critical files on your main drive which is why the two folder structures are not identical. You should have just copied via Finder's drag and drop the whole iTunes folder from the first drive to the second, making (as you suggest) an identical copy on the second drive with the same structure. Then start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to the new library location.
I am not sure of the best way to correct this other than to reverse what you did the first time and then do it using a method outlined in my first link above. You were not very specific as to what exactly you did when you "copied" the iTunes library. Did you do this via the preference settings and consolidate or did you really copy the whole iTunes folder via Finder. Do you have preferences set for iTunes to manage your media for you?

Replacing my iTunes library with another

Hi, I just got a new mac and am passing my old computer on to a family member. She requested I remove my iTunes library and replace it with hers. I'm guessing it is easy but I don't want to risk losing my iTunes on my new computer. Any suggestions?

I'm guessing it is easy but I don't want to risk losing my iTunes on my new computer.
Do you have your iTunes library on your new computer?
If so, removing it from the old computer will not do anything to your new computer.
If it is not on your new computer, copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder from the old compuer to /Music/ on your new computer.
Hi, I just got a new mac and am passing my old computer on to a family member. She requested I remove my iTunes library and replace it with hers.
Where is her iTunes library now? Does she already have a computer with it on there?
If so, copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder on her old computer to /Music/ on her new (your old) computer.

Sharing iTunes Library between Mac and PC

Hello
I have a Windows PC at home and had a Dell laptop. I have my itunes library on an external hard drive. This worked perfectly since which ever machine I was on I had access to the same library. Recently my work upgraded my laptop to a Mac Book Pro with Snow Leopard. Is there a way to share this same library on my Mac? I am new to the Mac world and am a bit lost. Thanks in advance

I have a similar setup. You need to move your itunes library to your network storage device. You need to do this within itunes (you will have to google moving your itunes library because I don't remember all the steps). After you moved the itunes library to a network share, you need to go into advanced preferences on each computer that will access the library and set the location of the itune library to point to the network share folder where the file itunes library.itl is located - the exit from Itunes. Restart Itunes on each computer (pressing shift on the Windows computers and option on the Macs). You will then have to choose the Itunes library. Browse to the network share and click on the itunes library.itl folder.
Three notes. Only one computer at a time can access the library. Second, each time you switch back and forth between mac and pc, the library folder needs to be updated. Third, for some reason, with iTunes 9.0.2, the updating process has slowed down. It is especially slow taking 15 minutes or so for a 13GB library. Hope apple fixes this.

I am trying to backup my Itunes onto my external hard drive. I am at the step where I on Itunes, click on File - Library - Organize library. I am suppose to check mark both boxes there, It won't allow me to check mark the second box, why? How to fix this.

I am trying to backup my Itunes onto my external hard drive. I am at the step where I on Itunes, click on File ->Library ->Organize library. I am suppose to check mark both boxes there, the first being "Consolidate Files" & the second being "Reorganize files in the folder 'Itunes Media'. I am able to checkmark the first box but It won't allow me to check mark the second box, why? How can i fix this? Please help!

Well you must have made a mistake somewhere. The last instruction of step four reads:
When you've found your iTunes library folder, drag that folder to your external hard drive. This will begin the iTunes backup. The amount of time the backup will take depends on the size of your library. When the transfer is done, your backup is complete and your external hard drive can be disconnected.
Normally dragging content from to a new location on a different drive will result in a copy action which is what you were supposed to do. At a guess you somehow managed to move the iTunes folder. Then when you started iTunes it created a new blank library for you assuming it had just been installed rather that raising a warning.
Close iTunes. Rename the iTunes folder on the internal drive as iTunes (Empty) then copy the iTunes folder from the external back into the User's Music folder. Start iTunes. All should be well.
When you've made sure it all works please read my User Tip and use that method to backup in future. Since you already have a folder with the backup in place you can skip the "Make New" operation in the fourth step and simply choose the external folder.
tt2

I have set up a new itunes library and am trying to sync this with my iphone. My iphone is asking for an 'exchange' password. I don't know what this is or where to find it.

I am trying to sync my iphone with a new itunes library. The iphone is askin for an 'exchange' password. I don't know what this is or where to find it.

Sounds like you do have an Exchange account setup on your phone. Have a Gmail or Hotmail account? They can both be setup as Exchange accounts. Have a work email account?

ITunes library mysteriously dissapeared (not the actual files where they are stored) and once I transfered songs back to iTunes, some purchased songs had been corrupted (missing tags

Last week, I purchased around 9-10 songs. The previous day, I had played songs from my iTunes library... everything working normal. The day after purchasing those 9-10 songs... I noticed that my entire songs in my library (and playlist) where gone, essentially being re-set like new. I updated my iTunes version, re-started my PC and still... nothing was showing up except those 9-10 songs. I did the next logical thing which was to check the actual music folder that stores the songs. They where all there. It did not make any sense as I had not done or noticed anything unsual while using iTunes before. Now, I want to mention that I use a DJ software (mixvibe) with the ION Discovery DJ that pulls tracks from iTunes. For the past couple of months they both have worked great. Fast forwarding to my issue, I went ahead and copied all the music back to iTunes. I spent a good hour making sure that everything worked and re-created my playlists. One thing that struck me as odd was that while checking everything... some songs that I had purchased recently and even a couple of months ago that I've used on my mixvibe software... had the track info deleted. The only information was the track name, ex. (01 - Bird One). For some reason, they were dumped into a "Unknown Artists" file. There was a good 20-25 songs that had this issue. The one thing that I noticed was that when I would highlight the song within the Uknown Artist folder... All of the information including cover art was showing up at the bottom of the folder (if you are familiar with Windows 7 you know what I'm talking about). How can it be that all of the actual information was still there yet not showing up in iTunes? I had to manually go one by one of those 20-25 songs and add all of the track info (as much as I could). I was also able to recover some of the cover art but not all. It seems like the files got corrupted. Can I re-download these tracks again or how can I get them to how they were originally? HELP!

I find the best way to do this is to right click on the song in iTunes and convert then select convert ID3 tags to V1.1 this usually completes the tag and adds all the missing info, provided it is in iTunes corectly.
Were these songs you Dled or ripped form a cd directly?

I have an existing mini mac and 4 tb external drive. My iTunes library exists on the external drive under /itunes... I have purchased a new mini mac and I want to leave the library where it is but move to new mini mac.. what do i need to do ?

I have an existing mini mac and 4 tb external drive.
My iTunes library exists on the external drive under /itunes...
I have purchased a new mini mac and I want to leave the library where it is on the external drive but move to new mini mac and have it show as it did on the old mini mac..
what do i need to do ?
I have found multitude of articles about moving itunes to external drive or other similar things but I don't want to move itunes from the external drive, just change mini mac machines and have everything in itunes the same..
Thanks

I had already tried that one and got this...
below is screen shot of what is on the new mac mini
and what is on the external drive now connected to the new mac mini..
There are no media files on the mac mini just the library files and on external just media files..
Do I need to copy anything over from the old mac mini ? xml files ? .. the itunes folder on old mini is about 840mb in size which looks to have artwork ect ? .. I am fairly computer literate, but this one has me stumped.. ?
thanks for help

Is there a way to move music I had on my iPhone 4 to my new macbook air, using iTunes it seems to want to synch to iTunes library where I don't have any music stored?

is there a way to move music I had on my iPhone 4 to my new macbook air, using iTunes it seems to want to synch to iTunes library where I don't have any music stored?

Hello KM47,
It soundsl ike you are needing to copy your iTunes purchases to your computer rather than sync it at this point. You can use the following article to transfer your purchases with the following article:
iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iOS device or iPod to a computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1848
If you have your library stored on another computer, you can also copy the library to the new MacBook Air with this article:
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4527
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
All the very best,
Sterling

Where is my iTunes Library?

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