iTunes and the disappearing mp3's !
 

I really am getting passed off with this . . .

iTunes 4.8 on an old iMac G4 it's sole purpose is to playback MP3's and stream some video.

Well every so often I will be listening to an album and it will skip a track or two and continue as if nothing has happened !

The tracks effected have an exclaimation mark beside them which apparently means the file no longer exists. However when I dig into the iTunes folder the files are there ! It just appears to have lost the pointer or symbolic link to the original MP3 file.

To fix it you have to drag affected files into the Album and delete the old ! entries far from ideal when I have over 500 CD's ( all bought b4 it all kicks off on the usual legal tack ! )

Any ideas ? Apple web support is a little bit too light and fluffy on this one ?

rich

1stly I'd update your iTunes. 4.8 is a little old. This may, in turn, solve your problem.

Mmmm TBH I would probably said the same thing but I can't say I like what the newer version has to offer.

Anyone else seen the same behaviour and resolved it ?

r

I'm not surprised Apple support is fluffy, you're running an outdated version of the software, and the best, and first course of action should be to upgrade to version 6.0.2.

What exactly don't you like in 6.0.2?

OK now upgraded to 6.0.2 with exactly the same issues . . .

As to why I had not bothered to update I just did'nt like the way it started with 6, seriously though I did'nt need podcasts/videos and the like so why should I upgrade.

Just because Apple see's fit to update their product line unless it offers something of merit i.e. Now fixed symbolic iTunes database then why upgrade ? and there was no mention of that either ;)

I doubt we are going to agree so I'll get me coat :) but thanks for the suggestion.

Something good did come out of all of this though FetchArt updates your Library Artwork on a Album by album basis.

rich

Could try clearing all the tracks in itunes then getting it to re-search and populate the library. Careful not to delete the actual files though!!! i.e. don't move to trash.

Mmmm good idea but it is not something I would want to do on a regular basis.

When I finish up later I'll backup the library before I start and force it to "Add to Library" and leave it to it overnight.

iTunes is such a great product so when this sort of thing happens it really needles if you know what I mean.

BTW - Sizzling Keys is another ace iTunes addtion

rich

You can turn off the Radio, Podcasts, TV and other bits, which I what I have done as I don't use those fucntions.

I can understand why you'd not want to upgrade, as apart from this one issue, it's working happily for you, but progress is progress. I encounter the same thing with people using our software, there are some running, now discontinued and unsupported versions of our software, as it just works, so they see no need to upgrade, until they get a particular issue.
When it comes to this, my first advice is always to upgrade to the latest version, simply as we're not going to bugfix discontinued software. If they don't want to upgrade, well, they have to live with the problems they have.

I do agree about FetchArt, very nice little app :)

FetchArt???? Where is it?

Marcus, I do take your point really I do. I naturally assume that as app's increase in version number so does their bulk guess I hung around with the wrong crowd for too long ;)

But I guess I am of the school of thought if it ain't broke don't fix it . . . . though admitedly it was er broke :)

Doubt I 'll get to the bottom of it, such is life.

The guy's over at Slim Devices might know so I'll email them and let you know if useful.

Whilst we are on the subject why do certain titles allow their Artwork to be modified but the odd one does not !

I did suspect all the usual OS X file/disk permissions issues but if I delete the iTunes entry and drag the file back into the Album all is well !

When you used FetchArt did you make all songs let it at them ? Bit scared to do that may do it on an artist by artist basis.

rich

By the power of SN

VersionTracker.com - If you ever need anything Mac

FetchArt

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19933

Though Tag'N Rename is very nice on XP if you like that sort of thing.

rich

I'm on XP. HAve iTunesArtImporter which is OK but would prefer better and faster.

Fetchart doesn't work on my intel Mac, script errors all over the place. Shame.

OK now sorted ! -

Closed iTunes and make sure it is not running before continuing.

Moving the old '~/iTunes/iTunes Library' and '~/iTunes/iTunes Music Library.xml' to an archive.

Open iTunes and using Add to Library.

20 mins later everything as it should be !

Even the weird cannot update Artwork problem has disappeared.

Strangley FetchArt is working with no errors too and the Library file grew by over a 1Mb from the previous archive !

I would imagine the SlimServer software is going to have a cow when it tries to look for it's nightly changes, something to fix tomorrow ;)

rich