Who can help me repair my iTunes library?

[KnowledgeWorker]

Hi there,

I managed it to damage my iTunes library. Especially my Podcast details are gone, although everything is still in place. Also the re-import failed, the only thing that it did was duplicate the existing titles without merging them with the "old" titles, which do include ratings etc., but have a broken path somehow.

Config: I do use an iPod Classic and no iPhone. I use Windows 7 x64, the *.mp3 and *.m4a files are on my network share (NAS) and I have no full library backup. Yet I'm sure all the details are still in the database files - it is just that I defaulted it.

I'd be really happy if someone would be willing to help me, much appreciated!
I'd send you the last "backup" (I made after seeing the first problems occuring) or the current library files, so you could have a deep look into it! The most important thing for me is to get back my podcast details (listened to / unlistened, i.e. marked as (un)read). If there would be a way to merge that into a new database I'd be happy as well, although I'd love to preserve my music ratings as well!

Side note: I want to keep the music files on my network share (NAS) to stream it to the other PCs and remotely. Yet one can't rate via the streaming access, is there a way to replace this by the new "Home Sharing" or in another way?...

Thanks for your help in advance!

Kind regards

 

[Adrian]

Hi there,

I managed it to damage my iTunes library. Especially my Podcast details are gone, although everything is still in place. Also the re-import failed, the only thing that it did was duplicate the existing titles without merging them with the "old" titles, which do include ratings etc., but have a broken path somehow.

Config: I do use an iPod Classic and no iPhone. I use Windows 7 x64, the *.mp3 and *.m4a files are on my network share (NAS) and I have no full library backup. Yet I'm sure all the details are still in the database files - it is just that I defaulted it.

I'd be really happy if someone would be willing to help me, much appreciated!
I'd send you the last "backup" (I made after seeing the first problems occuring) or the current library files, so you could have a deep look into it! The most important thing for me is to get back my podcast details (listened to / unlistened, i.e. marked as (un)read). If there would be a way to merge that into a new database I'd be happy as well, although I'd love to preserve my music ratings as well!

Side note: I want to keep the music files on my network share (NAS) to stream it to the other PCs and remotely. Yet one can't rate via the streaming access, is there a way to replace this by the new "Home Sharing" or in another way?...

Thanks for your help in advance!

Kind regards

Gutentag meine freund aus Deutchland! Hey not bad for a AMI!
We are not sure what you mean when you say you damaged your library?
ITunes keeps your library on your hard drive?
If so, how did the damage occur?
Also, if you have all your podcasts on your IPod all you would need to do is a sync operation.
All your music, videos etc. reside on your hard drive.
Let us know what you discover,
regards
Adrian
Vielen Danke.

 

[whs]

Maybe you can recover an intact library from one of your earlier restore points with Shadow Explorer ( ShadowExplorer.com - About ). Just navigate to the library, right click on it and "Import" to any place in your system.

 

[KnowledgeWorker]

@Adrian: I have to say I had to clean up my iPod a week or so before this happened. So no podcasts there. Also I didn't have the podcasts there before, because the whole library itself is really old. I skipped using iTunes for a long time until I got my iPod, then just used it to put the music on it and that was it. So @whs also: the library is so old and was basically used on another Vista (x64) installation (which I did not write here, sorry). I had to delete it and then installed a new Win 7 Professional x64 installation. Then I tried to reuse this old library, while at the same time I already had changed the file location to the network share! Yes it is complicated - at least from todays perspective. In the past it was just one trial & error step after the other. I btw. also tried several library repair tools ( "iTunes Library Repair beta 5" & CopyTrans), but as I didn't google for them first (before trying around myself -.-), they didn't help.

So I think there is no way around digging into the "source code" of the library *.xml file (as you can't open the *.itl, can you?).

*edit* I should be able to access shadow copies in Windows 7 (!) Professional by default (without Shadow Editor), as it is the Professional edition, shouldn't I?

 

[Adrian]

@Adrian: I have to say I had to clean up my iPod a week or so before this happened. So no podcasts there. Also I didn't have the podcasts there before, because the whole library itself is really old. I skipped using iTunes for a long time until I got my iPod, then just used it to put the music on it and that was it. So @whs also: the library is so old and was basically used on another Vista (x64) installation (which I did not write here, sorry). I had to delete it and then installed a new Win 7 Professional x64 installation. Then I tried to reuse this old library, while at the same time I already had changed the file location to the network share! Yes it is complicated - at least from todays perspective. In the past it was just one trial & error step after the other. I btw. also tried several library repair tools ( "iTunes Library Repair beta 5" & CopyTrans), but as I didn't google for them first (before trying around myself -.-), they didn't help.

So I think there is no way around digging into the "source code" of the library *.xml file (as you can't open the *.itl, can you?).

My friend, did you complete a full OS7 install, or and upgrade?

 

[KnowledgeWorker]

If you'd read the text thoroughly you'd seen that I did a new / fresh install!

As said, there was nothing left of the old OS, that is not the topic at all, sorry...

 

[Adrian]

If you'd read the text thoroughly you'd seen that I did a new / fresh install!

As said, there was nothing left of the old OS, that is not the topic at all, sorry...

SOL my Teutonic freund.

 

[MilesR]

You have the uncorrupted .xml file right?

If so, you should be able to repair the itunes .itl file from that.

Check the locations within the XML file to ensure it all looks OK, make sure you keep a copy of it somewhere else.
Open the existing .itl file in a text editor and delete everything in it (effectively making it a zero byte file) and save. When you open iTunes, it should try and rebuild the .itl file from the XML.
I haven't had to do it for a while, but it should work.

More comprehensive instructions here:
iTunes hack - share the library

Hope that's of some help.

 

[KnowledgeWorker]

Hi there,

thanks all, I already solved it. Will add some details soon. Was a hassle but worked out.

 

[Herox]

Don't use itunes library? I told itunes to not add to its library and just use mine. It gets my music where I put it and no where else. No problems. Id try it that way.