Amazing disappearing iTunes files

I've got a 13" MBP mid 2010 running Mountain Lion with 8 GB of RAM. I've got about 8,000 files on iTunes. Recently I clicked on an MP3 track in an album I'd bought from a reliable third party on the Web and got the message that iTunes couldn't fine the original file. Went to the library and found the folder, but there were no files in it. Did a bit of Web research and found this happening to other folks, but no easily applicable answers.

Did a searchlight hunt and the files popped up and played, but I still don't know where they are as the spotlight widow cuts off the extended file name.

How to I find the files and restore them to the proper folder? So far these, all out of one folder, are the only ones I've found missing in action. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

It sounds like you don't have the option to add files to your media library when importing set in iTunes preferences. If it's then been moved after download iTunes won't be able to keep track of where it is.

When you search in Finder and highlight the file you're interested in hold CMD + Option to display the path.

Thanks. I try the tip for expanding the path.

Amazing disappearing I Tunes files

I have the same trouble; all my music couldn't be found, and my library has a black band across its icon. I restored the files from my cds, store purchases, but now they are in the media folder. And I'm in Lion on my MacBook Pro w 4gb of memory.

If I attach the Seagate backup drive I just got and link it to time machine, can I retrieve those music files independently? I think I should uninstall this Itunes and get a new program from Apple so the library folder will work, then add my music to it.

I'm nervous about doing this bc I don't want to lose the music again or make the situation worse. I've got some songs on there that are not from the store, for one thing.

Many thanks for any help w this!

I'm nervous about doing this bc I don't want to lose the music again or make the situation worse. I've got some songs on there that are not from the store, for one thing.

Click to expand...

Just make sure you back up everything first either to an external hard drive or to an on line storage. We keep literally hundreds of home made recordings in iTunes (mp3 versions) because it's the easiest way to sync them to iPods and other mp3 players. But like you we could not afford to lose any. I have everything backed up twice.

mrplow said:

When you search in Finder and highlight the file you're interested in hold CMD + Option to display the path.

Click to expand...

I like that neat little trick mrplow Kudos and Rep for you . . . .

I hardly use Spotlight these days now i have Alfred 2.0 which is my now goto App Launcher and Finder/Spotlight on steroids lol but will use this in the future for quick referencing.

Cheers

OK, I was looking for a particular set of files when I made my original post. Using suggestions here and from other sources I found the files in another place not connected to iTunes. I copied them and pasted them in the already existing folder in the iTunes library, but the program still did not recognize them. Using the can't find it do you want to search box, I went to the files and iTunes figured out where they were. I had to do it one file at a time, although there were only seven or eight.

ITunes would ask if I want to look for other lost files in this location, but when I said "yes" it still could find them on its own. The return dialog suggested there were about 30 other files it can't find, but since I can't identify them easily out of the 8000 or so in the library, I'll address that later. Thanks for every one's help.