iTunes question

Cool.

Thanks for the advice chaps.

Stupid iTunes just wiped my library. I'm having to whack it all back on by adding folders.

WAC

you should have a "previous itunes libraries" folder.
You can drag the last one out of there, rename it and off you go.

It's nearly done now anyway. Pain in the bum-hole though

Always change the directory in settings, then consolidate the library under advanced (which moves all media to the directory listed under settings unless it already resides there).

Also, always have a backup (if possible) before doing this kind of thing.

Shit shit shit shit shit...

After carefully backing up my iTunes folder, transferring it to my external hard drive so I could save space by deleting the folder on my laptop, I went and deleted the iTunes music folder on the laptop.

Conveniently forgetting that's where the iTunes library file was.

I now have lots of exclamation marks in the iTunes window... Is there anything I can do, other than clicking on and redirecting 5,000 individual songs?

Shit shit shit shit shit...

After carefully backing up my iTunes folder, transferring it to my external hard drive so I could save space by deleting the folder on my laptop, I went and deleted the iTunes music folder on the laptop.

Conveniently forgetting that's where the iTunes library file was.

I now have lots of exclamation marks in the iTunes window... Is there anything I can do, other than clicking on and redirecting 5,000 individual songs?

Can you not delete everything then just add the whole music folder again? I may have misunderstood you

Can you not delete everything then just add the whole music folder again? I may have misunderstood you

I could do that, but then I'd lose all of the information like 'most played', which isn't essential, but if I can keep it I'd like to.

The biggest reason though is that I share the iTunes folder with my other half - I'll end up having to trawl through taking out Take That and Shania Twain if I do...

in winamp, you have a 'remove missing files' options, and 'add directory' and 'watch folders'
find the iTunes equivalents ?

Do you still have the iTunes library file or not then? If you do, then a repair is possible... put everything back where it was before, hold shift (PC) or alt (Mac) and then launch iTunes, choose the library file of your old library and everything should hook back up as before.

Then move your library using iTunes (discussed in this thread using consolidate library, etc) and not with Finder or File Explorer.

Do you still have the iTunes library file or not then? If you do, then a repair is possible... put everything back where it was before, hold shift (PC) or alt (Mac) and then launch iTunes, choose the library file of your old library and everything should hook back up as before.

Then move your library using iTunes (discussed in this thread using consolidate library, etc) and not with Finder or File Explorer.

It's possible that my iTunes library XML file is actually in my user profile - I don't remember that being in my iTunes music folder, since it was on a partitioned hard drive. The missus's library is still there, so I'm guessing I still have one too.

How do I 'choose' the library file?

You'll get a prompt as iTunes opens using the shortcut I mentioned:

...hold shift (PC) or alt (Mac) and then launch iTunes, choose the library file...

I'm going to go home now just to see if this works - if it has there's a pint with your name on it. It'll save me clicking on thouands of individual files to redirect them...

Try to put everything back exactly in the same location as it was before (the library file links to relative files, not root/exact locations). Good luck.

Blimey - I have iTunes back. Took a bit of doing since I'd messed about with the library a bit too much, but it worked. Pint-a-roony for you sir...

Awesome, well played.