Tim's Tech

Issues with iTunes Libraries

Several things can happen to wipe your libraries “unexpectedly.” Below are some of the reasons this can happen, and what you can do about it.

1. Restart. Be you a Mac or a Windows PC, step one in mostly all your problems should be to restart; It’s truly amazing how many problems can be fixed with a simple restart. Restarting your computer gives you a fresh run, dumps temp files and some caches and clears your Random Access Memory (RAM). This should be done from time to time for system maintenance, and I always recommend shutting your computers down overnight if you aren’t using it or needing to keep it on for Network Access or Updates.
2. Windows. iTunes works great on Macintosh, but it has a bit more problems on Windows. A lot of this has to do with the difference in coding, and how integrated iTunes is with OS X while not at all on Windows. For example, iTunes’ startup time is much quicker on Macs than on Windows computers, on average.
3. iTunes Library File. Your iTunes library is a file, which is by default iTunesLibrary.xmlin your iTunes Music Folder. If that file gets moved, deleted, or otherwise altered your library will be history. I once knew somebody whose computer locked up while editing music details (Windows… hence the locking up) and that caused the xml file to become corrupt and mess up the entire library. Without iTunes Match or a local/network backup, you’re out of luck. There is also an itl file, yourlibraryname.itl, which should be in the same directory as the xml file. 
   
   
   
4. Directory Error. Sometimes, particularly on Windows, for seemingly no good reason the library file gets “lost” by iTunes. This happens most often after updating iTunes. When you start it up, just alt-click on Windows or opt-click on OS X to go to the library selection menu and select the library to open. You can have multiple libraries this way, and it lets you locate libraries it can’t find using Finder or Windows Explorer. 
   

5. Edits along the file path. Let’s say your file path is simple: on Windows, for example, C:/Users/<yourusername>/Music/iTunes/ or on OS X, ~/Music/iTunes/ which are the defaults for new libraries. If any folders along those paths get modified, such as your username or modification of the Music or iTunes folders, the ability for iTunes to locate the xml file (see #2 above) can be lost. Follow the steps from #3 to direct iTunes to the correct location of the file. See “iTunes: What are the iTunes library files?” from Apple’s Support Page.
6. Parental Controls. Does your account have Parental Controls on it? Restrictions from these controls can change how your applications work on all Operating Systems and can cause trouble in applications such as iTunes.
7. User Type. If you aren’t an administrative user, you can run into a lot of permission problems with various things. See #8 below for more on permissions.
8. System Permissions. With newer versions of Windows, permissions are a lot more strict in order to make it more secure than older versions had been and protect more from viruses. There can also be some issues with this on OS X because of the UNIX infrastructure. On Windows, the registry files can change after system updates or iTunes’ file permissions can be modified in a number of ways. If this happens, iTunes will not be able to operate correctly because the system won’t let it. Sometimes you need to go to properties for iTunes and select “Run as Administrator” (you’ll need admin permissions to launch it if you choose that, so only do it if you have those permissions) to allow iTunes to bypass permissions in Windows 7/8, but usually the problem can be solved by doing a registry check or checking your user’s permissions to open iTunes — and, in some cases, access the Internet — which will often times fix the problem. On a Mac, a UNIX registry check can be helpful, but checking for updates (both your system and for iTunes) can fix issues as well as updating System Settings and checking your Internet connection.

These options will not solve 100% of the problems that can cause issues with iTunes. If something goes wrong, don’t panic… most of the time your music is still there in the Music folder but the xml is modified or has mysteriously disappeared. The iTunes Store keeps a record of purchases also, for you to redownload if necessary. Also, do not attempt work with the registry and/or command line without a basic knowledge of what you are doing. You can completely mess up your entire computer and need a reinstall of your OS if you do certain things, so you need to know what you’re doing.

If necessary, you can re-create your iTunes library and playlists.

I hope these help some of you with your iTunes trouble. Our recommendation for everyone is to buy an external hard drive and back up your entire computer in case anything goes wrong… for iTunes problems, back up your iTunes folder at least. If you have a Mac, use Time Machine with that drive to keep everything backed up automatically as long as the drive is connected. Backups have saved us countless times!

For more, please visit Apple’s iTunes Troubleshooting page.