iTunes Library problem

[JW8725]

I was moving files from my Mac to my external HD and I think I may have erased the contents of my iTunes library DATA file. Nothing is showing up on iTunes itself but I still have all my music in the iTunes music Library.xml file. Have I lost the contents of iTunes? I had some serious music there.

 

[Lacero]

Can you re-import all your music files back into iTunes? The ID3 tags in your music files should allow iTunes to rebuild the folder structure on HD.

 

[mad jew]

How did you move your music? Was it through iTunes or Finder? If nothing shows up in iTunes then this implies your data file is gone or empty so as Lacero says, you may have to reimport everything. I can't think how this would have happened though.

 

[JW8725]

Hi thanks for the replies. I had an OS on my Ext. HD and an OS on my mac mini. I was erasing the Ext. HD as I've sold it. For some reason my itunes Library DATA file on my mac mini changed to being empty. I think it was maybe cos I have no music stored on my mini HD?? All my music is ID3 tagged and safely on my PC SATA till I land another mac. Today is a bad day. My mini is sold too and I used a PC today, 1st time since I switched some 5 months ago. THE POPUPS OH THE POPUPS!!

 

[cleanup]

All the problems with iTunes seem to revolve around corrupt libraries, empty libraries, moving libraries, consolidating libraries, organizing libraries, copying libraries, and all other sorts of libraries.

I'm afraid to let iTunes organize my music or to consolidate my library or convert everything to AAC in fear of losing all my playlists and having to reimport everything. It's a scary thing. The latter would net me some extra storage space, too...

 

[mannix87]

itunes problem

happened to me once. i just reimported the songs in my HD, just follow the links on the itunes browser. it only took a couple of mins. (5 mins tops for 10GB). note though that it might be different w/ a PC, just make sure all extension files are included in the re-importing otherwise your folders may be rearranged beyond recognition. hope this helps.

 

[mad jew]

...I'm afraid to let iTunes organize my music or to consolidate my library or convert everything to AAC in fear of losing all my playlists...

Well, it's really not all that bad. iTunes has looked after my three libraries (of 70GB+ each) faultlessly for years now.