Missing iTunes files

K

KarlR

Registered
Hi all,

Recently my iMac power source died & after figuring that it wasn't worth my while replacing it (upgrading the machine was a better option) I removed the hard drive with the intention of retrieving all my iTunes mp3 files (over 160 gb worth). Upon trying to locate them I found that the iTunes music folder was now completely empty, & the hard drive was only holding 98 gb worth of data. A search of the net has thrown up all sorts of information pertaining to some sort of spyware built into iTunes that 'manages' your music. However, it sounds as much like speculation as fact so I thought I'd pose the question over here before I start ripping my CDs again, which is something I really want to avoid doing.
 
Sounds like you might need to go to iTunes on the new Mac, go to Store (at the top menu) --> Authorise this computer.

Authorising you iTunes account on this new computer should allow you to play the music you've downloaded from iTunes on the other computer. SHOULD...
 
Madelin has it head on, your computer is not authorized to play iTunes purchased music yet, so go to the top click store/authorize this computer. Enter your Me info, or whatever Mac login you have, and click enter. This should fix all of these problems. For future notice, always de authorize an old computer that you will no longer use itunes on, this way you will not run out of authorizations and be left with a useless investment of a few hundred songs that you cant play.
 
Hold on. Even if the machine is not authorized to play purchased music ( and KarlR mentioned CDs, not iTunes Store bought music), the music should still be there.

KarlR, there's no spyware built into iTunes. By default it manages music by moving it into the iTunes Library folder so users don't have to. There is an option to manually manage the files.

Why don't you try having iTunes search the hard drive for music files? I think the option is in the "File" menu (top of screen). Also, on your previous machine, your iTunes folder would have been located at /Users/[whateveryourusenamewas]/Music/iTunes Library. Did you put that hard drive into an external enclosure?
 
Sorry about the delay guys, but I've been away from my machine for the last few days. Anyway, thanks for all the responses.

I do have the old HD slaved to another machine trying to view the contents of the drive. And everything seems to be there excepting the iTunes music files.

As for authorizing the machine to play iTunes purchased music, there is only one album on there that was purchased through iTunes. You see I'm a stickler for music formats (I like having the actual disc), especially when the CD costs the same as the download. Basically, all the music that was on my machine was mine, ripped from the original CDs or vinyl.

I've searched the machine, but it seems the music is simply not there. I had over 160gb worth in my iTunes (endless frustration trying to fit it onto my 160gb Classic iPod), but there is only 94gb in total of data on the actual harddrive. It is the only hard drive that was on the machine & the folder at /Users/karl/Music/iTunes Library is empty. We're talking in excess of 50,000 songs that have disappeared. And there is simply NO way that they could have been erased by myself or anyone else in the house. That's kind of why I'm thinking there's something in the idea that there is some kind of spyware in iTunes.
 
The only part of iTunes that could resemble the 'spyware', would be the Genius option, which does this:
When you turn on Genius, iTunes collects information about the songs in your library and sends that information anonymously to the iTunes Store, where it’s compared with all songs available at the iTunes Store and with the libraries of other customers. Your iTunes library is then updated with the newest Genius information.
Click to expand...
This does not provide a channel for Apple to drain all the songs out of your music library.

So, is the bulk of your music is still on your iPod?
You can retrieve that from your iPod with one of the utilities that provides that function, such as Senuti, or ipod.itunes.
 
It could be a permissions problem. Try going into the properties of the Users folder on the external disk and in the Get Info screen set it's permissions so that everyone can read it and make sure it applies it to sub folders.
 
Nope not a permissions problem. And not all my music is on the iPod as I had more than what would fit on. Thanks anyway for the help everyone, but I think I'm going to have to write it off as one of those things. Call me paranoid but I will be turning genius off once everything is loaded up again.
 
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