This is something that has happen to me a few times. You go to look for a file (in my case a podcast) only to find that it is missing. Just gone for no real reason because I know that I didn’t delete it. Guess it just got bored and left.
The good thing for me is that its just a podcast and not something that I have payed for like some other people have had happen. But what is the reason because there has to be one. Files just don’t disappear by them self. Does iTunes just pick random crap and say “You don’t need this”. Or is there something really wrong in the program?
In my case it was from the podcast You Look Nice Today Ep. 3a. I know for a fact it was there because I remember clicking on the get button and then syncing it to my iPod and iPhone. As you can see below its still on my iPhone. So whats going on Apple? Is just because I am on a Windows system or does your program and a major flaw?
Anything like this happen to you?
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
This is also happening to me and it is driving me crazy. To be more precise, what is happening is that I open my ITunes library and all of my songs – a few thousand of them – have disappeared, vanished. It has just happened today, for the fifth time this year. Yes, I am aware that I simply go to File ==> Add Folder to Library, and they all come back again. However, like other posters above, I have spent many, many hours rating all my songs and putting them into playlists. And now I am back to the start again. Does anybody in this world know how to stop this most infuriating vanishing of my ITunes Library?
The first time ALL my music disappeared from iTunes, I redid it and now just about 1/2 is missing. I read and read and try everything, but no success. So annoying with no real solutions.
Guys, iLounge helped me get this link: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1493 (“Windows confuses iPod with network drive or hard drive and may keep iPod from mounting or songs may seem to disappear”) With this I have retrieved some of the lost albums; now, it’s tricky, because some different albums got lost in the way. My final conclusion will be: if in Windows, keep your music files to your local hard disk, and only use external as back ups, triying to maintain the same drive letter assigned
After reading your comment something popped in my head. I switched to a Mac over a year ago and since then haven’t lost anything from iTunes. Don’t know if that is because of being on a Mac or just because iTunes stop deleting files. Just a idea.
Hi All, I have a similar but different problem . Our PC Crashed recently and we went out and purchased a MAC – I then left on hols and havent been able to get the Itunes librasy retrieved rom the hard drive of our PC – so currenlty NO itunes library. Anyway two nights ago i went to listen to music on my iphone after downloading a new ringtone (Itunes Top 10 ringtone) and presto now I have now music in library at all – thousnads of songs just gone!!! What?? Has nothing to with syncing – I am interstate and not near another computer! So how can this happen – does Apple sync automatically without approval if you purchase something via I tunes on ur phone??? Is the music still in the phone somewhere
YES, it sucks. iTunes has f**ked up some where and now every time I go into my music a few more songs go missing. What the hell, Apple!?! I’m extra pissed off about this because alot of my music is really hard to find, even on the internet. Apple and iTunes have really got to get their sh*t back together if they ever want me to make the switch to a Mac.
i’ve had itunes libraries get damaged numerous times, losing all the play count data and ratings etc, most songs missing from itunes. but the MP3’s and AAC’s are still in their original folders. i assume everyone here checked that.
Losing valuable files is a good lesson to backup! I periodically make a copy of my itunes music folder on another drive just in case.