iTunes Problem that WON'T GO AWAY!

[Stangs55]

Posted this in the Apple Support forums multiple times and have yet to receive a worthwhile response....Help me anandtech, you're my only hope!

"I posted this back when Vista 32-bit was first released and never received an answer. Since then, I've reinstalled the OS several times and this problem exists through hard drive formats. Now that Vista 64-bit and iTunes are compatible, I've reinstalled the OS once again...but I am SICK of this issue.

Here's the problem: I keep my OS on one drive and my music on a separate drive. This 2nd drive has existed since Windows XP was my primary OS on that first drive and the problem was NOT there. But ever since going to Vista, iTunes displays about 1/2 of my songs (seemingly chosen at random) and shows that I have TWO copies of them in the exact same location on my PC. But it names them different--file one will be names appropriatly via the ID3 tag, but right underneath it will be the EXACT same song referencing the EXACT same file but the title will list the actual file name.

I've exhausting everything I can think of looking for a solution. Of course I've deleted the iTunes folder in 'My Music' and searched the entire hard drive for anything with 'iTunes' in the title and removed it. I have completely reformatted my primary OS hard drive MANY times and when I install the OS back with a fresh version of iTunes--the problem persists.

Here is a picture of what I'm talking about: http://img292.imageshack.us/im...79/itunesbrokenyc4.jpg

I have yet to install iTunes after this fresh OS format and reinstall, and I'm coming here first for the answer. What do I need to do?

Thanks! "

 

[Barfo]

That's a weird issue, have you tried wiping your secondary HD and have Vista format it? Perhaps Vista is "seeing" the data in it in a weird way.

 

[Stangs55]

Originally posted by: barfo
That's a weird issue, have you tried wiping your secondary HD and have Vista format it? Perhaps Vista is "seeing" the data in it in a weird way.

Thought about it...problem is that it's a 500 Gb hard drive that's almost full of photos, music, and videos and I don't have anything to back it up to.

I've kinda ruled out Vista as the culprit in my mind because iTunes is the ONLY program with this problem--WMP11 and Winamp see everything just fine.

The only solution I've found is going through and deleting each duplicate entry individually from the iTunes library while leaving a copy on my PC--but this is hardly an easy/elegant solution since I've got oodles of music.

Stuff like this just fans the "I abhor Apple" flame that burns bright in my soul.

 

[nace186]

In you music folder, are you able to find a file call itune.xml? I'm not sure if it's hidden or not...Try delete that file and rebuild your collection on itune.

 

[bwatson283]

1. Make sure Itunes is up to date.
2. Copy a handful of song and copy them somewhere on the vista drive, clear the playlists, and import from the vista drive.
3. If that fixes it, then try Barfo's suggestion. Find a DVD burner and burn them, or buy a USB drive and copy/paste.

 

[Stangs55]

Originally posted by: nace186
In you music folder, are you able to find a file call itune.xml? I'm not sure if it's hidden or not...Try delete that file and rebuild your collection on itune.

Searched for that and couldn't find it.

Originally posted by: bwatson283
1. Make sure Itunes is up to date.
2. Copy a handful of song and copy them somewhere on the vista drive, clear the playlists, and import from the vista drive.
3. If that fixes it, then try Barfo's suggestion. Find a DVD burner and burn them, or buy a USB drive and copy/paste.

Going to select only the songs and move them to a different directory on the same drive, then delete the original folder, then recreate My Music and copy the songs back....I'll let you know.

Thanks.

 

[Stangs55]

Nope...

Reinstalled....exact same problem ....

 

[bwatson283]

Mac focused app on a windows machine Gotta love it.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Click off the options for "Let iTunes manage my music"

 

[Stangs55]

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
Click off the options for "Let iTunes manage my music"

It's never been checked.

Amazing...Vista's been installed since November of 2006 and the ONLY program I've had trouble with is iTunes. Everything else has been flawless (well except for some nvidia driver growing pains at the very beginning)

 

[livingsacrifice]

Thats the only program I had problems with when upgrading from XP to Vista x64 ultimate, itunes just didn't like 64bit at all. After much headache I decided to give up and now use WMP or Winamp to transfer the files to my ipod