Music Library Empty

[Amigalander]

My M1 MacMini has been very unstable on 12.3.1. Suddenly Music said it couldn't find its library (which is on a thunderbolt raid).

I pointed it to Music.library but the library opened up empty. I have Time Machine backups, so tried restoring the library file, but still blank.

I checked Music preferences, and the library was pointing to the wrong folder (how in the world?). I fixed it, restored the library again, but still blank...?

My question is which files need to be restored to open my existing library?

• Music.library in the music folder
• com.apple.music.preferences (or similar) in the Library/Preferences folder

anything else needed?

 

[appltech]

Have you tried holding an Option key while opening Music? There you'd have possibility to change the default music library. If it is still blank and your library has music on it then open it as archive (Ctrl click/right-click –> Show Package Contents)

 

[Amigalander]

I had to format and reinstall 12.3.1. Only then did the music library work normally.

 

[CLPhoto]

I joined to say this happened to me today. It is making me very nervous, since I had many playlists.

I have tried pointing to many backup libraries. All of them open as empty/no items. (Except for that goddam U2 album which keeps coming back...)

Using OSX 12.6.1 on an M1 Mini

Things were working fine until I replaced a RAID containing my music files and library. I assume there is a pointer somewhere that needs to be reset?
I am hoping someone has found a solution. I may try the reinstall.

 

[Amigalander]

I don't know the solution (altho format / reinstall worked for me), but I think I know the problem: network shares. When you access a network shared folder, Finder will semi-crash and become covertly corrupt. If the Music or Photos apps are open while you are using Finder to access a network shared folder, then your libraries will become corrupted. I think this is true for every version of Mac OS 12. I'm not sure if it's fixed in Ventura.