Music files invisible in windows explorer


  1. Posts : 4
    Win 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    Music files invisible in windows explorer


    I only started experiencing this problem recently. Not sure if it was coincident with a software update (either windows or iTunes). Here's the problem. When I go to my music folder (which is on a drive other than my C drive) in explorer, explorer shows all the sub folders, which I've created based on artist and it display all sub-folders within the artist if there are multiple albums for that artist. When I select the folder that should contain the music files, only the artwork files, .event files and in some cases a .ini file. None of the mp3 are displayed. In some case if the music format is m4a it shows properly, in other cases it does not. However if I go to iTunes and click any of the albums and then select a music file and right click I can select Show in Windows Explorer all of the files are displayed. Since all my music is in one master folder, I do not use the music library. I've tried changing view options, toggling Show Hidden Files on and off, ran disk checking utilities and everything comes back clean. There are no virus' or malware on the machine. I've also tries logging on with a different profile to see if mine might be corrupt but no luck. I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 64x with Service Pack 1 installed. I have 24g of installed memory and plenty of disk space so I'm sure that's not the issue. I've looked at suggestions to other posts which showed similar problems with n luck. By the way I should also mention that if I try copying a folder to an external drive only the artwork, .event and .ini files get copied. None of the music. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 4,772
    Windows 7 Ultimate - 64-bit | Windows 8 Pro - 64-bit
       #2

    Hello there!

    If you search the Music files on Windows Explorer what location are you finding it? Is it the same as in iTunes or is it re-directing to a different location?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4
    Win 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Duplicate Directories


    OK I think I see the problem although I have no idea how it happened. I keep all my music files in folder
    d:\my music\iTunes\iTunes Music. Within that path I then create a subfolder for the artist and within the artist a subfolder for each of their albums. It's this folder that should contain the mp3, m4a files but only contains the jpg files for the album art and the .event file. Upon looking more closely I now see that within the iTunes Music folder a sub folder called music has been created and it contains a replication of all the artist folders and within those the album folders. These folers seem to contain all the mp3 and m4a files along with a .event file but in the majority of cases does not contain the album art work. iTunes shows the media folder location to be d:\my music\itunes\itunes music. So I'm now wondering if I move the mp3 and m4a files back to where they were originally will I run into the same problem again?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,772
    Windows 7 Ultimate - 64-bit | Windows 8 Pro - 64-bit
       #4

    jlz0418 said:
    OK I think I see the problem although I have no idea how it happened. I keep all my music files in folder
    d:\my music\iTunes\iTunes Music. Within that path I then create a subfolder for the artist and within the artist a subfolder for each of their albums. It's this folder that should contain the mp3, m4a files but only contains the jpg files for the album art and the .event file. Upon looking more closely I now see that within the iTunes Music folder a sub folder called music has been created and it contains a replication of all the artist folders and within those the album folders. These folers seem to contain all the mp3 and m4a files along with a .event file but in the majority of cases does not contain the album art work. iTunes shows the media folder location to be d:\my music\itunes\itunes music. So I'm now wondering if I move the mp3 and m4a files back to where they were originally will I run into the same problem again?
    I'm not 100% sure about the working of iTunes. But I would assume moving the files back to the original location the media scanner would detect the new location and should be working from there unless there is some setting that is moving the files back.
      My Computer


 

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