My Itunes file is corrupted.

[Harold_Z]

Help. This morning I turned on Itunes - It was taking an inordinately long time to come on. I saw a dialog box saying something about importing library, I clicked it off and lost about half of my Itunes. I tried system restore. I tried deleting what was left and loading from an online back up source - but nothing is working. I still have the half Itunes there and the site is not visually as it was either. Can't sort by artist or album.

[Noj]

Very strange problem, not one I've encountered. I would try removing the iTunes software and re-installing it, then re-loading your library from your external.

I'm not sure if you do, Harold, but I never use the "Sync" function. I load the music onto my iPod, then I delete the files from my computer to keep the hard drive from getting overloaded. Then I use a program called "Ipod Access" to back up the entire iPod onto an external.

[Harold_Z]

Thanks NOJ. I ended up trying system restore a second time and then was able to use my backup discs and this time it worked. I only lost about 350 tunes (most of which are things I took from cds I have). The playlists are all screwed up, but I can fix that over a period of time. Whew! I hope this scenario doesn't repeat.

[John L]

Did you actually lose your MP3 files? An iTunes bug that destroys MP3 files is scary. That would be another reason to back everything up. I actually had one incident where an MP3 folder got lost or destroyed due to an iTunes bug. So it is possible.

If it is just the iTunes library file that is corrupted, then the problem is not a huge one. That has happened to me before as well. The easiest solution is just to discard the file and create a new one. With the new blank iTunes library, select "Add folder to library" and then select all your entire iTunes Music folder. That should replicate the library that you had.

[Harold_Z]

I actually did lose files and when I went to the online backup (carbonite) it said the library folder was "damaged", but I had the option of trying an "earlier version". I did that and was missing a couple of thousand files. Ever worse was when I tried the back up discs and the it wouldn't take the final one. The error message was "the itunes library cannot be saved. There is not enough memory available."

Yikes!

I actually think I screwed up when I interrupted whatever was happening when I turned itunes on yesterday morning - although a warning would have been nice. As is after a sucessful system restore back a few days and using my backup discs I lost around 350 files, only one of which is a 9.99 itunes purchased album. The rest I can replace easily. I guess the moral is keep backups current.

I just hope the problem doesn't reoccur.

[John L]

Wow. That sounds like a computer problem that could go beyond iTunes. Good luck.

[jazzbo]

Harold,

If you have that iTunes purchased album on your iPod, it will probably reload it to iTunes when you next connect the iPod, it has a feature that scans for purchased items and asks you if you want to transfer them. . . .

[Harold_Z]

Harold,

If you have that iTunes purchased album on your iPod, it will probably reload it to iTunes when you next connect the iPod, it has a feature that scans for purchased items and asks you if you want to transfer them. . . .

Thanks Lon - it is on the ipod.

Since I last posted this morning I noticed a few problems on other applications. I could open a game, graphics looked slightly different, etc. I tried another system restore and the pc didn't let me. Then I had to leave for work. When I get home I'll do a virus scan and try again. That probably exhausts my computer acumen. It's into the shop tomorrow if that doesn't work.

[Templejazz]

Do a Google for 'Spybot Search & Destroy'(if you don't have it already) in addition to whatever virus software you have. Excellent 100% FREE program that finds a LOT of malware/spy/adware/trojans that some other utilities. don't find.

Not sure what OS you have but if Windows, go to My Documents------->My Music --->itunes, see if there is a file called 'iTunes LibraryDAMAGED.itl'...in ADDITION to 'iTunes Library.itl' It might be named 'iTunes LibraryCORRUPT.itl' or something. If there is, remove 'iTunes Library.itl' (send to recycling so you can restore if this doesn't work) Rename the DAMAGED file to 'iTunes Library.itl' and that SHOULD be your former settings, playlists and such...(correct me if I'm wrong)

Something like this happened to me before. Now if you lost the actual music files, you might want to try a file recovery program to see if it finds anything salvageable(sp?) Glarysoft Undelete has worked for me in the past...it is also free.

These are some suggestions that may or may not apply but I hope everything works out.

Bill

[John L]

The iTunes folder that holds MP3 files is called (by default) "iTunes Music." Thus, it could be "iTunes MusicDAMAGED." Alternatively, it could be that some of the individual MP3 folders inside iTunes Music are damaged. "iTunes Library" is the name that is given to a single document that holds the information about the library (including created playlists).

Edited November 11, 2008 by John L

[Harold_Z]

I'm going to have to put it in the shop today. I ran avg - that showed no virus, but I was unable to run ad-aware. I tried to reload but couldn't. a lot of different things are popping up. Folders don't open. When I restart I get several messages that this and that is not working. All things that I have no idea what they are. I can't operate the things that might help such as system restore and I can't download spyware. The internet is ok so far. Hardrive failure? I dunno. My pc is less than two years old.

Into the shop.

Edited November 11, 2008 by Harold_Z