iTunes can't read all of music

[Spartan Samuel]

I have about 65 gigs of music, and only 51 transfered over, I've tried clicking and dragging the specific bands that didn't transfer, but it's still a no go. They're both wma files and mp3 that didn't work, so I'm not sure why it's not flowing. Any tips?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Some "protected" WMA files will not be compatible with iTunes on the Mac. Do those WMA files have protection (i.e., DRM)?

[Spartan Samuel]

How would I check to see whether or not it does, and if so, how would I go about either changing it?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Where did the WMAs originate from? An online music store? Ripped from a CD? If from an online store, more than likely, they have DRM protection in place. If CD, likely not.

iTunes for Windows will import and convert non-DRM-protected WMA files, which can then be transferred to your Mac's iTunes. I know not whether iTunes for Mac imports/converts WMA files -- I suspect not, but if so, that'd save a step.

If you have WMAs that have DRM protection, then you cannot import them into iTunes. In the United States, this is illegal (as it violates the section of the DMCA concerning circumvention of copy protection measures), so you're out of luck trying to "crack" the protection on the WMA files. One option is to burn those WMA files to a CD in an audio CD format (one that can be played in a regular CD player), then import them into iTunes as if you were importing a regular, store-bought music CD. This degrades the quality of the tracks slightly (as you've now done a double-encode -- much like copying a copy of a cassette tape back in the 80s -- each copy gets progressively worse), but is the only "legal" way to remove the copy protection from those files.

As for the MP3s that won't import, I don't know what's up with those. They may be corrupt or have some problem with them that prevents importing. Are they standard MP3s that you created yourself? Downloaded from somewhere? Ripped from CDs?

[Spartan Samuel]

It's is all music from online, and I didn't create any. I just find it extraordinarily odd that on my PC I can run Zune and it'll play everything, yet on my Mac I have these issues...

[ElDiabloConCaca]

It's is all music from online, and I didn't create any. I just find it extraordinarily odd that on my PC I can run Zune and it'll play everything, yet on my Mac I have these issues...
Your Zune won't play everything. As for the protected WMAs, they're basically the same as protected AAC files from the iTunes Music Store. Your iPod/iTunes won't play protected WMA, and your PC/Zune won't play protected AAC. Blame Apple and Microsoft. Each have their own proprietary format (although AAC isn't proprietary, and the iTunes Music Store, unlike most WMA stores, gives you the option of downloading non-protected MP3 files instead of protected AAC files for a few cents more).

As for the MP3s that won't transfer over -- I don't know. Have to see one to see what's going on, but DRM protection doesn't exist in the MP3 specification, so there's gotta be something else the matter with those (unless some music store added proprietary protection to them, which is unlikely, and would then cause those music files to not conform to the MP3 specification).

So you've got two issues, and a baffling 3rd:
1) Any protected WMA files will only play on your PC/Zune.
2) Any protected AAC files will only play on your Mac/iPod (or a PC with iTunes).
3) Corrupt MP3s. (?)

[CharlieJ]

If you really want a song that is DRM protected get a jack - jack cable.
Go from the headphone port into the microphone port and record it with garageband.

(just a theory)

I say: who uses Windows Media anyway ;)

CJ

[Spartan Samuel]

Are there any programs that will play all files that can run on a mac os x, then?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

iTunes will play MP3 and AAC (as well as uncompressed formats: AIFF, WAV, Apple Lossless, etc.).

QuickTime will play unprotected WMA files with the Flip4Mac plug-in. The discontinued AudialHub program can convert the rest of the formats to something iTunes can use (OGG, etc.).

Nothing on the Mac will play a protected WMA file.

[Spartan Samuel]

So basically, if I convert the files to mp3 or whatever, it might lose the protection and iTunes'll play it? I've tried it with Switch and it worked, but it lost all information (artist, album, genre, etc.). Is there anyway to convert without losing the attached information?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Yes, conversion to MP3 will strip protection (although that's in violation of the DMCA in the USA -- just a standard disclaimer, not passing judgement or anything here).

I don't have any experience with "Switch" so I can't really say how to retain album/artist/etc. information. MP3 stores that information in the "ID3" tag of the MP3 (extra information embedded in the MP3), but I don't know how WMA stores it -- whether it's embedded in the file like with MP3, or whether there's an external database file that keeps track of that info.