Argh! Ipod help please?

Question

I spent hours recording all my cds onto my itunes on my old laptop (not conected to the net). I am now living abroad and had used my work computer to download some good songs from limewire, etc. i also managed to access itunes and set up an account to buy a couple of audiobooks.
I managed to get all my new tunes onto my ipod but most of my old ones have been taken off. They are listed in my library but with an exclamation mark next to them. When I click on it, it says that itunes can't find the source. I am give the option to manually find the source but there are about 20 folders, each with 10 music files. How can I replace my songs quickly without searching through every music file. Is there a way to get my favourite songs back?????

Answer 1

Simply rebuild your library, itunes automatically sorts music into folders and subfolders. Add all the music you want to your itunes music library. Go into itunes and select all your music and right click and select remove. DO NOT send to recycle bin, just remove from list. Then when your library is clear, click file and select add folder. Select your itunes music folder in your my documents folder and away you go...

Answer 2

Ah the iPod catch!! Here's the problem - you only ever want one PC to auto-sync. If you auto-sync on a second PC, iTunes wipes out the iPod, then syncs up with only the local songs. Since the second PC likely doesn't have the library that the first did, you lose all those songs.

What you do - iTunes has no inherent way to remove the songs in the library list that are missing. But, I found a javascript someone wrote that will do exactly that. I so wish I had the link, but if you Google 'iTunes exclamation javascript' you should find it. Once you start it, it won't look like anything is happening until magically you notice that the exclamation points are disappearing. A window will pop up when it's done telling you how many it removed. You now have a solid library.
In iTunes, add all the folders to your library that have tunes you want loaded. Set up your iPod for Manual Sync.
Then, select all the tunes and drag them to you iPod. iTunes will then manually sync them up. Don't worry if you have selected tunes that are already on the iPod - iTunes is smart enough not to create duplicates. If you try to sync a song already on the iPod, it just skips it.
Once that's done, you'll want to manually sync your iPod on the other computer to get back any missing songs.

The key here is manually syncing - if you auto-sync, iTunes will make your iPod match exactly what's on that current PC, anything not in that library gets deleted.

Answer 3

you probably have itunes set to auto-sync. your music files have been deleted.
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Yes. Redowload them. (The songs.) Also, make sure you have the latest version of Ipod and Itunes.

Answer 4

You downloaded songs from Limewire. Itunes will find those and disable them if they aren't registered correctly.

Answer 5

ive heard those have alot of themes immediately on account that they're truly new. this has befell to my acquaintances contact earlier, yet all she had to do become restore it. you restored it on your workstation on iTunes accurate? becuz thts all she did to hers. EDIT: attempt letting it sit down a pair days so it drains the battery then value it back. this has fixed mine earlier

Answer 6

Sorry, I have the same problem, I will give you a number and a website, I hope they help.
`Blaze
Call:1-800-275-2273 for apple support. It will ask youvarious questions.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=32222

Answer 7

you probably have itunes set to auto-sync. your music files have been deleted.