iPod / iTunes problem

[Steve McKellop]

My daughter has lost all of the music/videos she had on iTunes. The file in iTunes says "My Library (Damaged)". Anyone know how to get the tunes off of an iPod (Classic 80G) and back onto iTunes? I'm no computer whiz so a reasonably simple process would be fantastic! Help me, she's freaking out!

 

[Dave Hansell]

I just had the exact same thing happen to me yesterday. Any chance you've downloaded any new windows updates? That is the only thing I did before the crash. Bums!



Anyways, fear not. The music isn't lost. iTunes basically creates a library file that connects to all the music stored in your computer as sort of a directory. If the library file gets damaged, it can't connect to the music. No big deal, but it is time consuming. If you've recently made a backup of your library file, you can just use that. If not, I found the following worked for me:



1) Do not connect the iPod, first of all, until you're all done. That could sync the iPod with the computer and erase the music on the iPod. Major pain.



2) You've got to go into iTunes. Click on FILE and then "Add Folder to Library."



3) Find the folder that contains all your music. I am on Windows XP, so my path was C:\Users\Dave\Music. Basically iTunes will now re-index all the music within that folder and all the sub-folders so that they will be added to the iTunes Library file that it creates.



NOTE: You can also go into Windows Explorer and find the folder with all your music in it and just drag-and-drop it into the iTunes window.



4) Once you've got everything all loaded up, new playlists created (you will have to redo all your playlists, if you had any), make sure you save a copy of the Library as a backup. Either "FILE" "LIBRARY" "EXPORT LIBRARY" or "BACKUP TO DISC."



That is basically it. I did some housekeeping as well, as I had a ton of duplicate files, old stuff I never listened to ever, etc.



As a caveat, there may be other ways to do it, but this is all I could really find after a good deal of searching yesterday. With the cleanup, new install of iTunes 8.1, redoing all my playlists, the whole process took about 2 hours on and off.



Also, before step 2, I went into iTunes and selected everything that was showing (about 100 songs out of the 5000 that I had previously) and I deleted them. I just wanted a nice clean slate on which to work. When it asked me if I wanted to move the files to the recycle bin, I selected "Keep Files" so it only erased the info in iTunes, but not the actual music itself.



Good luck!

 

[Steve McKellop]

IIRC Windows HAD installed an automatic update at some point early Friday morning.........



I'm on XP also, I found the iTunes Library in My Music but it's empty............ no telling WHAT my daughter has done to try and get her music back :unsure: :blink: Since there's no music there either should I delete iTunes and reinstall it before trying to find a way to transfer music from her iPod to iTunes? Thanks for your help!!

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I downloaded this program for 9.95. I think the price is now 19.00. That said, it is FANTASTIC.



It creates a complete USABLE backup directly from the iPod to the computer. You can then drag the file anywhere you want to including other iPods.



Super easy to use, very happy with the purchase...

 

[Steve McKellop]

I guess that's what I'll be getting, thanks. You kinda wonder about some of these programs but since you're using it that helps. I guess $20 isn't too bad to keep her from having to re load all those thousands of songs and videos!



Happy family = happy daddy!!

 

[Kevin Palmer]

You can download it for free. It will transfer up to 100 items. After 100 items, it will tell you that you need to purchase it to transfer everything.



It worked so welll that I bought it instantly.



Since getting it, I took all the iPods within our family and created our own "save" files.



With the program we simply grab and drag whatever we want to our specific iTunes and it works perfectly.



Only thing we had to do was "authorize" the computer to use others purchased items. You can do that through iTunes for up to 5 computers.



There is a package deal for the picture options and things like that. I did buy it all for 39 bucks.



Don't waste your money though, buy the basic one as it is all you need unless you have TONS of pics on your iPod.



Good luck to you.

 

[Steve McKellop]

Do you need the whole deal to transfer videos?



Thanks!

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Nope, all videos, movies, and applications (iTouch and iPhone) transfer with the basic.



I assume games too, but I have the iTouch and it does not have/use traditional games, it uses apps...

 

[Steve McKellop]

OK, thanks! I'll tell them to send you a commission check!:banana:

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I was VERY skeptical myself. After MANY hours of trying to figure something out as well as posting here for help. I figured I would risk it..



As it turns out, well worth the risk.



Good luck with it, any issues simply ask me, pretty familiar with it..