iTunes ****ting me

[ade]

Having a problem with iTunes. Just spent two weeks
Consolidating all my music, CDs etc into a new hard drive.
When I put it onto iTunes, it displays numerous copy's of the same songs. How
Do I get it to display just one. I know there is only one copy
Of each song on my music hard drive as I recently spent hours
Sitting in front of the computer goin through my 38 gig of music to make sure there where no duplicates.
Thanks

[alittlebitconcerned]

The only way I know to fix this issue is to manually delete all the duplicates.
There should be a way to do it much easier but I don't know what it is.

[shining]

I got completely fed up with iTunes and went android. The app market is just as strong and my kids were amazed how easy it was for me to put music on my phone.

[Petetheprinta]

I don't know if you are using a Mac or PC, but In a Mac, in music view, go to "view" and simply select "show duplicate items" you can then select and delete. It must be similar on both platforms.

[VladTepes]

I got completely fed up with iTunes and went android. The app market is just as strong and my kids were amazed how easy it was for me to put music on my phone.

me too best thing ever.

[incisor]

me too best thing ever.

what the hell are you guys smoking?

[Petetheprinta]

I got completely fed up with iTunes and went android. The app market is just as strong and my kids were amazed how easy it was for me to put music on my phone.

The OP has a problem he is asking the forumites (is that a word?) help to resolve, I fail to see how your problems with iTunes and going android is in any way helpful to him. IMHO, as a professional user of iTunes, I have found it to be a simple and effective method to file, sort, retrieve and play the several thousand tracks I handle.

Pete

[debruiser]

The only way I know is to "show duplicates" and then go through and delete.

Are you sure you havn't told Itunes to import all new music? it likes to do that... then it will 'rearrange' it for you too check in the settings for that

[shining]

The OP has a problem he is asking the forumites (is that a word?) help to resolve, I fail to see how your problems with iTunes and going android is in any way helpful to him. IMHO, as a professional user of iTunes, I have found it to be a simple and effective method to file, sort, retrieve and play the several thousand tracks I handle.

Pete

That was how I solved my problem with iTunes.;) And that's what I often recommend to people who have on-going problems managing their media with iTunes. I too work in IT as a profession but it's my personal opinion that Apple is not always the best solution to every IT situation.

[Petetheprinta]

That was how I solved my problem with iTunes.;)

Haha well that's one way to solve your problem, but considering the effort the OP had already put in I would have thought it would be considerably easier to remove duplicates than to buy an android phone, tablet whatever and start again.
By the way I am not an IT expert, I just work with a lot of sound tracks and IMHO without a doubt iTunes is by FAR the easiest and best way to handle them. I base this on conversations with with others like myself who deal with lots of music and their methods of organization.
Pete

[shining]

Yes you are right. I hope he/she doesn't need to invest too much time in fixing.;)

[theresanothersteve]

Haha well that's one way to solve your problem, but considering the effort the OP had already put in I would have thought it would be considerably easier to remove duplicates than to buy an android phone, tablet whatever and start again.
By the way I am not an IT expert, I just work with a lot of sound tracks and IMHO without a doubt iTunes is by FAR the easiest and best way to handle them. I base this on conversations with with others like myself who deal with lots of music and their methods of organization.
Pete
iTunes works well if you are prepared to accept the default actions, but it is not a very good organiser of files. It must be the only app in the world that can take an album and create a folder for each contributing artist on the album.
Unfortunately installing iTunes a number of years ago totally wrecked my music collection, iTunes insisting on reorganising everything (including changing the format of some files to a proprietary apple format). Not what I expected from software that is supposedly user friendly. Nor does it play nicely with multiple PCs or multiple devices.
If you want control over your collection, think away from iTunes. If your happy to play by the software's rules, iTunes does what it is supposed to do.

[Petetheprinta]

iTunes works well if you are prepared to accept the default actions, but it is not a very good organiser of files. It must be the only app in the world that can take an album and create a folder for each contributing artist on the album.
Unfortunately installing iTunes a number of years ago totally wrecked my music collection, iTunes insisting on reorganising everything (including changing the format of some files to a proprietary apple format). Not what I expected from software that is supposedly user friendly. Nor does it play nicely with multiple PCs or multiple devices.
If you want control over your collection, think away from iTunes. If your happy to play by the software's rules, iTunes does what it is supposed to do.

Well, I must disagree with you there, your first few words show where most people go wrong "default actions" iTunes is easily changed to do just about whatever you need it to do. It does by "default" create a folder for each artist, so what? The album itself doesn't change. You can also create compilation albums but it doesn't do that by "default" you have to change prefs to do so.

As regards changing files, again I disagree. As you import files, you have a choice of file formats. Again "default" is apple format. Change it in prefs, end of problem. It does NOT randomly import some files as one format and others as something else, it's all one format that you have the choice of setting.

Have no idea what you mean regards problems playing on multiple PC's. I move music between phones, tablets, PC's, TV's, media boxes and vehicles with no problem whatsoever.

I am certainly not here to defend iTunes, I have no interest in who does or doesn't use it, but It has been my experience that most problems with anything computer orientated are caused by the operator not having a clue what they are doing, blindly diving in without due thought to consequences of actions. IMHO iTunes It did not "wreck your music collection" you did that. Why would you entrust your music collection to something you are unfamiliar with. Why not "suck it and see" Install a few tracks, if it works for you then use it, if not don't use it. I really don't see how anyone would blame a simple program for not doing what they want it to do particularly if they are unfamiliar with how to use it.
Here endeth the lesson for today.
Pete

[theresanothersteve]

...your first few words show where most people go wrong "default actions"...
Pete
My point exactly; in a supposedly user friendly app peole will accept the defaults.

To get iTunes working for my wife I ended up setting up an old PC for iTunes only, and changed the defaults (much as you suggest) to get it to work. That bought her existing CD collection across. When she buys a new CD she rips it to the iTunes library through iTunes, and to the media server using her PC.

Face it, iTunes (capable as it is in an Apple world) does not play nicely in a multimedia world. If you want to use it, the best bet is to only use iTunes (and iThings) and it works well. Try to add Android, Windows, playstations, and so on and it becomes (shall we say) clunky. These devices have no problems sharing media using Windows Media Server or third party apps like serviio.

[Petetheprinta]

My point exactly; in a supposedly user friendly app peole will accept the defaults.

To get iTunes working for my wife I ended up setting up an old PC for iTunes only, and changed the defaults (much as you suggest) to get it to work. That bought her existing CD collection across. When she buys a new CD she rips it to the iTunes library through iTunes, and to the media server using her PC.

Face it, iTunes (capable as it is in an Apple world) does not play nicely in a multimedia world. If you want to use it, the best bet is to only use iTunes (and iThings) and it works well. Try to add Android, Windows, playstations, and so on and it becomes (shall we say) clunky. These devices have no problems sharing media using Windows Media Server or third party apps like serviio.

Therein lies the problem "default" I don't want to sound like an old fogey but I have been using computers since Adam was a boy. I would NEVER use a program unless I have tested it thoroughly and ensured it does what I want it to do, NOT, what it is set up by default to do. To be honest I don't see how anyone can get the most benefit out of a program set up as "default" (I am in the enviable position to trial software before I buy, most people cant do that)

I own a printing company in which we use a Apple (primarily for graphics, web, multi media) and PC's (business side of things) I would NEVER use Apple for running the business and I would NEVER use PC's for the graphic side. They both have their place. Having used both platforms extensively, IMHO I can speak with a tiny bit of authority on the subject. Most of our clients present us with files prepared on PC's in Word or publisher (shudder) not realizing they are useless to printers. We needed to convert them on macs into something we could use. But we need the PC's to accept the files in the first place. So both platforms work hand in hand.

MOST people but not all (and I am not suggesting you) have experience with one platform only usually PC and will not entertain the thought that Apple is of any use whatsoever. You only have to look through some of the posts on the forum to see that. For some reason they take it personally the Apple/iPhone/Mac etc. platform "forces" them to do it the Apple way. The PC platform/android etc does the same thing but they are too one eyed to see that. (They will probably come out of the woodwork now). As I said previously they both have their places.
Cheers
Pete
Wow, sorry, very long winded, apologies for hijacking the thread. Hopefully the original poster has had his question answered. :oops2:

[Tombie]

So let me see if I get the OPs original dilema.

You have your entire music collection sorted.
You have single copies of the music
You have all the music stored on a single drive

Itunes shows multiple (duplicates) of each file

Solution:
Select ALL songs in itunes
Hit delete - But NOT from hardrive, just from itunes
Import folder containing music files back into itunes.

Problem solved, not big issue...

[Tombie]

Therein lies the problem "default" I don't want to sound like an old fogey but I have been using computers since Adam was a boy. I would NEVER use a program unless I have tested it thoroughly and ensured it does what I want it to do, NOT, what it is set up by default to do. To be honest I don't see how anyone can get the most benefit out of a program set up as "default" (I am in the enviable position to trial software before I buy, most people cant do that)

I own a printing company in which we use a Apple (primarily for graphics, web, multi media) and PC's (business side of things) I would NEVER use Apple for running the business and I would NEVER use PC's for the graphic side. They both have their place. Having used both platforms extensively, IMHO I can speak with a tiny bit of authority on the subject. Most of our clients present us with files prepared on PC's in Word or publisher (shudder) not realizing they are useless to printers. We needed to convert them on macs into something we could use. But we need the PC's to accept the files in the first place. So both platforms work hand in hand.

MOST people but not all (and I am not suggesting you) have experience with one platform only usually PC and will not entertain the thought that Apple is of any use whatsoever. You only have to look through some of the posts on the forum to see that. For some reason they take it personally the Apple/iPhone/Mac etc. platform "forces" them to do it the Apple way. The PC platform/android etc does the same thing but they are too one eyed to see that. (They will probably come out of the woodwork now). As I said previously they both have their places.
Cheers
Pete
Wow, sorry, very long winded, apologies for hijacking the thread. Hopefully the original poster has had his question answered. :oops2:

Or you run a Mac, with windows neatly controlled in a box (where it belongs) that seamlessly allows files to be moved around.

Mac OS is Unix, a powerful and robust OS... And modern Macs can handle other OS due to their hardware.

There are fantastic Business accounting, inventory etc packages for both platforms.


As for multimedia in a home enviroment, Apple talks equally well to my media players, in fact is more robust than the PC to MMPC ever was.

Even the xbox, Samsung TV, PS4, all communicate well with the iMac currently serving the media. This media is all stored and handled in iTunes without issue.

Most problems come from taking people, who were immersed in a Windows world and asking them to learn something (a) New, (b) different and (c) that doesnt require a degreee in IT to operate...

:)

[Petetheprinta]

Or you run a Mac, with windows neatly controlled in a box (where it belongs) that seamlessly allows files to be moved around.

Mac OS is Unix, a powerful and robust OS... And modern Macs can handle other OS due to their hardware.

There are fantastic Business accounting, inventory etc packages for both platforms.


As for multimedia in a home enviroment, Apple talks equally well to my media players, in fact is more robust than the PC to MMPC ever was.

Even the xbox, Samsung TV, PS4, all communicate well with the iMac currently serving the media. This media is all stored and handled in iTunes without issue.

Most problems come from taking people, who were immersed in a Windows world and asking them to learn something (a) New, (b) different and (c) that doesnt require a degreee in IT to operate...

:)

Whilst I do this at home, sadly at this time I am unable to do so at work. For reasons that would be very boring to most non printers, we use postscript fonts because they work best with various RIPS we use to produce proofs, plates, high res PDF's etc. It's too time consuming to convert a supplied PC file, with its strange collection of font and graphic types, into something we can use to go straight into the system. We always have a small proportion of problems using PC's which we don't have using Macs. The problem may well be ours, hence the conversion with Macs before we use the file. I suspect, if we used PC's only, we would have solved the problem by now however "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." It works for us and that's the criteria.
Pete

[Landy Smurf]

So let me see if I get the OPs original dilema.

You have your entire music collection sorted.
You have single copies of the music
You have all the music stored on a single drive

Itunes shows multiple (duplicates) of each file

Solution:
Select ALL songs in itunes
Hit delete - But NOT from hardrive, just from itunes
Import folder containing music files back into itunes.

Problem solved, not big issue...
That is what I would recommend too

[ade]

So let me see if I get the OPs original dilema.

You have your entire music collection sorted.
You have single copies of the music
You have all the music stored on a single drive

Itunes shows multiple (duplicates) of each file

Solution:
Select ALL songs in itunes
Hit delete - But NOT from hardrive, just from itunes
Import folder containing music files back into itunes.

Problem solved, not big issue...
That's what I have done. Just wanted to know if there was a easier method. I didn't want to here about people's arguments over android v iTunes v whatever.
Start your own posts for that ****. It ****es me of when peoe hijack a thread with their useless thoughts not anything helpful

[Petetheprinta]

My first post answered your question. My other posts answered thoughts put by other people along a similar vein. I don't see any iTunes v whatever. If you don't bother to take advice given, or even acknowledge if it worked for you or not, why whinge about further posts developed along the lines of your original question?

[Tombie]

Time out fellas :D

[ade]

My first post answered your question. My other posts answered thoughts put by other people along a similar vein. I don't see any iTunes v whatever. If you don't bother to take advice given, or even acknowledge if it worked for you or not, why whinge about further posts developed along the lines of your original question?

The advice given it what I did. I hadn't yet posted it due to not being
On my computer 24/7.

[jonesy63]

One suggestion I would have if you want to use iTunes - manually manage your music collection. Otherwise, some TWIT at Apple will decide in the next release, that music compilations belong in the "Various Artists" folder. The following release, another TWIT at Apple decides that it really belongs in "Various" folder. Then the next release, another TWIT moves them to "Compilations" folder.

[VladTepes]

Yeah chillax homies!

My dilemma:
Mrs has an ipod
I have a Samsung s4 phone

We both want to put music on our devices

As I mentioned I have never had much luck with itunes

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/02/899.jpg

but I dont think it can be done any other way for an ipod.

What would people recommend add the best way for us to go.

Open to all solutions as long as it doesn't involve new hardware! :lol2:

[OffTrack]

That's what I have done. Just wanted to know if there was a easier method. I didn't want to here about people's arguments over android v iTunes v whatever.

If you have multiple copies in the library and only one on your hard drive the duplicates will most likely be missing files. You'll get "missing file" on all but the version that actually exists. If that is the case there is a solution that works with the current version of iTunes on OSX, possibly on Windows too.

The method is pinched from a old blog post here:
How to Remove Broken or Dead Tracks from iTunes « Paul Mayne (http://paulmayne.org/blog/2007/11/how-to-remove-broken-or-dead-tracks-from-itunes/)


1. Make a smart playlist called “All Files” with this rule: “Artist” is not “123456789″ (or any nonsense name that won’t be in your library).

2. Make a static playlist called “All Live Files”.

3. Make a smart playlist called “Missing Files” with these rules: Match all of the following rules, Playlist is “All Files”, Playlist is not “All Live Files”

4. Select all the files from “All Files” and drag them into “All Live Files”. The dead files marked (!) will not copy over.

5. “Missing Files” will contain all of your dead files. Select all and delete. Voila, a nice clean iTunes library.



The trap is that you can't just select and delete from smart playlists in recent versions of iTunes. You need to hold down the Option key on a Mac while pressing Delete, or use Shift + Delete on Windows.

I'd used this method 4-5 years ago to clean up 1000's of dead files, and tried again just before posting to remove 280 dead files from my laptop iTunes library.

My main music library has just over 10,000 tracks ( 530gb of mainly lossless rips) which I leave iTunes to manage.
I've found the secret is to make sure that the tracks are correctly tagged.
iTunes arranges on the basis of tags applied to each track, so the state of the iTunes library reflects on how well tagged the tracks are.

Compliations need to be tagged as compilations with a consistent Album Name on all tracks.

If you tag things properly it all just works.

This is a multi disc compilation from my main library:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=72653&stc=1&d=1392015791

And corresponding iTunes managed folder, filed neatly under Compilations:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=72654&stc=1&d=1392015870

and track tagging to achieve this:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=72655&stc=1&d=1392015971

I'd much rather invest the time tagging the tracks so iTunes can manage the library rather than spend time trying to maintain it manually and fighting against software at every turn as a consequence.

cheers
Paul

[EvilGTV]

Yeah chillax homies!

My dilemma:
Mrs has an ipod
I have a Samsung s4 phone

We both want to put music on our devices

As I mentioned I have never had much luck with itunes


but I dont think it can be done any other way for an ipod.

What would people recommend add the best way for us to go.

Open to all solutions as long as it doesn't involve new hardware! :lol2:

Winamp will put songs on an iPod... Don't know about the phone though...

[VladTepes]

offtrack - thanks for the detail info (useful to the OP no doubt) but it does highlight that itunes is not as user friendly as it claims to be. NONE of that is anything a casual . new user would even think of doing. Nope apple - not good enough. must try harder.

[OffTrack]

offtrack - thanks for the detail info (useful to the OP no doubt) but it does highlight that itunes is not as user friendly as it claims to be. NONE of that is anything a casual . new user would even think of doing. Nope apple - not good enough. must try harder.




The problem that requires that kind of clean up only occurs when you start moving around tracks on the hard drive manually.



iTunes adds the track to it's library database when you add it to your collection and assumes that the track will remain in the same location until it is removed.



Once you start shuffling tracks around manually and doing reorganisation the information in the Library database is no longer correct and you end up with broken links and duplicates.



You can't blame Apple for users thinking that ticking "don't automatically organise the Media folder" really means "I can move tracks around manually to my hearts content without creating problems." It doesn't. It never has, and I dare say, it never will.



In fact I'd argue that if you want simple you leave iTunes to manage the library as the per default settings, and add and delete media using the iTunes interface. You are unlikely to have major issues. Even my 79 year old father who is a bit of a technophobe can manage it so I don't think the bar for competence is set particularly high.



The loudest complaints, and biggest problems come from those who think they are power users and choose to fight against the way the program is designed. I've been there and done that and it's a recipe for an unmanageable collection.

Add: iTunes has a "show duplicates" function that works well if you are trying to clean out a small number of duplicate tracks. But that wasn't what the OP asked. For a number of reasons this doesn't work well for me - I have a significant number of CDs that are a single track broken up into parts with the same name and part 1-15 added to the end. This is the way most operating systems handle duplicate files so these albums are identified as entirely made up of duplicates. Its not a particularly common issue.

Besides I would have though a moderator should know better than to hijack threads. It's not setting a very good example.

[VladTepes]

OK then/ I have itunes on a laptop. All links are broken. Yep all.

I have my itunes folder on an external HDD

ow I've hooked that up - even told itunes where it is through the advanced settings... nothing ! How do I
a) get rid of theerroneous library there already
b) get it to recognise where the ACTUAL songs are - ie import them to the itunes library ?!

[Timj]

There are a number of programs to tidy up your iTunes music library. Not necessarily Apple software and there is usually a small cost but do a google search and you will find them. Good ones also do things like sort out your album artwork.

A couple of links for you -

How to find and delete duplicate songs in your iTunes library | iMore (http://www.imore.com/how-find-and-delete-duplicate-songs-itunes)

Tenorshare Music Cleanup ? Clean Up iTunes Library and Fix Missing Album Information (http://www.tenorshare.com/products/music-cleanup.html)

Lots more out there.

Cheers,

TimJ.

[Timj]

Yeah chillax homies!

My dilemma:
Mrs has an ipod
I have a Samsung s4 phone

We both want to put music on our devices

As I mentioned I have never had much luck with itunes


but I dont think it can be done any other way for an ipod.

What would people recommend add the best way for us to go.

Open to all solutions as long as it doesn't involve new hardware! :lol2:

Sorry, I realise this is a bit of a hijack of the original posters thread but I have already replied to that, hopefully with something useful :).

The answer to this issue again can be found with third party software, an app called ISyncr will take any files you want off the Mac and put them on an Android device. If you are on a PC then just keep your music files in a format that can be copied by your phone software.

Cheers,

TimJ.

[kenleyfred]

was just trawling through the app store on home computer No.1 top paid app at the moment is Duplicate Detective. Appears to go through hard drive and find all duplicates and then give you the option to remove.
May be worth a look
Kenley

[joel0407]

My problem is I was a computer tech way back when. I'm actually Apple Mac IIe qualified tech. But apple was only popular in schools and then even they went to PCs.

Now several years on I'm a PC thinking kind of person and it's become burnt in (except for some Linux Play) and I cant think the Apple way.

I's just like to view my Iphone like a drive when I connect it so I can move music to it and off it as I choose.

I don't seem to be able to download music to my phone that I have purchased with another device. The family share an Ipad, my daughter has and Ipod, I have and Iphone 5s, my wife Iphone 4 and my son my original Iphone 3 (he only uses it as an Ipod). Now if I go to Itunes store it says the song has been purchased but it wont let me down load it. Do I really have to go to each device and see which one lets me down load it again then update Itunes on my computer then add it to my Iphone where I want it? Cant I just down load it on the phone I want it. I mean I have already purchased it and all the devices are registered to me. WTF.

Then I have purchased an album on my Iphone which I thought were a great lot of songs. Turns out they were all cover songs and rubbish. Now I cant get rid of them. If I put my phone on random and I'm within Wifi range, they get downloaded from the cloud and then their back again. I just want to delete them forever and If I want one of them again, I'll go back to the store and down loaded it. WTF

I'm just taking Tombie's advice to delete everything from Itunes (not the files), re-arranging my music then letting Itunes find it all again.

Remember when Windows had a file tree and you could just put stuff where you wanted it, not where software wants you to have it.

Happy Days.

[clubagreenie]

I had (yes had) a seperate 500gig NAS drive for music setup sahred across the network. In early versions of iTunes it wasn't an issue it just saw it, created the library. Then some plonk got fancy and it rearranged where it thought stuff should be and moved it (but didn't delete the original) and so created duplicates. There has also been instances of it changing genres on a song and so there's two copies in the library pointing to the same file location.

So there's two ways it creates duplicates, but need different approaches to correctly delete the reference and/or file.

I just want a folder that says music, below that folders for artist, then album and then disc 1/2 if necessary.

How hard can it be to reference that?

Now we have (in total) 5 iPods (shuffles, nanos), 2 iPhones & and a iPad. Now it assumes that theres a different owner for each device and so I'm supposed to setup a different user account for each and pay for the same apps to be installed on each? No way fella. The sytem had a bit of a coronary but I did manage to make all devoces work off one account, so I could manage not only what was installed but what was purchased and what was being viewed.