Gray "!" iTunes 8 annoying song location issue...

[Nintendo Fan]

Ok so first of all I'm using iTunes 8, and a 1GB Sansa C240 MP3 player, and I'm using Windows XP SP2.

The Problem: Ok so I probably have somewhere over two hundred songs on my iTunes music library right now. The problem is is that for a while now, iTunes has been losing the original file locations for multiple random songs (they'll have a gray "!" next to it). It does this to random songs and at random times, and it's really annoying cause I have to click "Get Info" and it will say something like: "Could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?", and I click yes, and I find the song, double-click it, and it's in. It's not a big deal, but when I have to do it for over five different songs, it can be a big pain cause it sometimes deletes the album art, too, and it just takes a long time to go through each one and re-locate it for iTunes. I locate all of my songs for iTunes from a folder I keep all my MP3 songs in, by the way.

[jimmalenko]

Don't know if this applies to you, but I found out very early on that using My Computer or Windows Explorer to rename and/or move your files around can cause iTunes to go nuts - you should use iTunes to do all that sort of stuff.

[Nintendo Fan]

Don't know if this applies to you, but I found out very early on that using My Computer or Windows Explorer to rename and/or move your files around can cause iTunes to go nuts - you should use iTunes to do all that sort of stuff.

I don't use either of those to re-name my downloaded songs. I manually edit them on the Desktop by going into its Properties and changing some of its Advanced Settings (like Artist, Genre, Album, and Title). But even if I change the info on a song the slightest bit it can make iTunes start losing the original files? But then how come even the untouched songs randomly get lost all of a sudden? Like iTunes will choose certain songs out of no where even though they have been fine for a while, and have not been edited.

And if I delete the song from the Desktop after its been synced, then import it into iTunes (after its deleted), will make this happen? Well I can't keep every song I download on my hard drive. What should I do if that bit is true?

Also, I have a folder called "Back-up MP3 songs" that contains all of my already synced songs, in case my MP3 ever gets lost. Is that folder affecting iTunes in anyway?

I'll start using iTunes to edit songs from now on to see if that works.

[jimmalenko]

I don't use either of those to re-name my downloaded songs. I manually re-name them on the Desktop by going into its Properties and changing all of its Advanced Settings.

Effectively that's the same as My Computer or Windows Explorer

Basically just renaming files (whichever way you do it) outside of iTunes can cause it to misbehave - I should add that I think this is only an issue if you have not selected "Manually manage media files" option - not sure on exact wording, but it is something like that.

But even if I change the info on a song the slightest bit it can make iTunes start losing the original files?

I don't think the info side of it matters so much as that is just metadata, moreso the actual filename itself. But then again, if you're doing it through iTunes, you'll soon realise that it doesn't really matter what the filename is - as long as you have the right artist, song name & album name in the iTunes properties, you can call the actual file whatever you want.

[Nintendo Fan]

I don't use either of those to re-name my downloaded songs. I manually re-name them on the Desktop by going into its Properties and changing all of its Advanced Settings.

Effectively that's the same as My Computer or Windows Explorer

Basically just renaming files (whichever way you do it) outside of iTunes can cause it to misbehave - I should add that I think this is only an issue if you have not selected "Manually manage media files" option - not sure on exact wording, but it is something like that.

But even if I change the info on a song the slightest bit it can make iTunes start losing the original files?

I don't think the info side of it matters so much as that is just metadata, moreso the actual filename itself. But then again, if you're doing it through iTunes, you'll soon realise that it doesn't really matter what the filename is - as long as you have the right artist, song name & album name in the iTunes properties, you can call the actual file whatever you want.

I edited my post, go back and read it cause I changed a lot of things. Sorry, lol.

And I did select Manually Manage Media files.

And yeah, I realized by editing songs from the Desktop using iTunes, it will change the song's info in both locations.

[jimmalenko]

Let me preface this by saying that my thoughts are only what I have found out by trial and error. I don't know whether what I say is definitive, or the "correct" way of doing this, but the way I have come around to managing my music works for me and I don't have any problems at all.

And if I delete the song from the Desktop after its been synced, then import it into iTunes (after its deleted), will make this happen? Well I can't keep every song I download on my hard drive. What should I do if that bit is true?

I think that's the root of your problem right there

There's a setting in iTunes to copy imported music into your iTunes folder - if you have this enabled, then yes, you can delete the files off your desktop once imported because the file location should be pointing to somewhere in your iTunes folder. If you do not have it enabled, then the file path will still be pointing to the desktop, which if you've deleted the file(s), means iTunes can't find it any more.

AFAIK yes, you need to keep every song you download on your hard drive somewhere.

Also, I have a folder called "Back-up MP3 songs" that contains all of my already synced songs, in case my MP3 ever gets lost. Is that folder affecting iTunes in anyway?

It shouldn't, so long as you don't point iTunes to it in any way - scanning your hard drive for media, or import into iTunes from there.

Here's a thought - if you are keeping a copy anyway in "Back-up MP3 songs", why not tell itunes that you will manually manage your media files, then add the file(s) to iTunes from there ???

[Nintendo Fan]

Here's a thought - if you are keeping a copy anyway in "Back-up MP3 songs", why not tell itunes that you will manually manage your media files, then add the file(s) to iTunes from there ???

How do I do that? I'm pretty sure I've already made sure that was turned on, anyway...

[jimmalenko]

Here's how I would do it:

1. Enable "Manually Manage Music and Videos" - see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1535
Also have a read of http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080210005100AA4pJ6G



2. Download your MP3s to wherever / Move files into "Back-up MP3 songs"

3. In iTunes, use either Add File or Add Folder to add the new songs

4. Edit tags etc from within iTunes

[Nintendo Fan]

Here's how I would do it:

1. Enable "Manually Manage Music and Videos" - see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1535
Also have a read of http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080210005100AA4pJ6G

2. Download your MP3s to wherever / Move files into "Back-up MP3 songs"

3. In iTunes, use either Add File or Add Folder to add the new songs

4. Edit tags etc from within iTunes

Ah ok, I understand. But I don't have an iPod, I have a 1GB Sansa C240, so I can't get that interface to check that box. So once I get an iPod for my birthday, I'll probably be able to get it to work then. So once I check that box, and edit within iTunes, you're absolutely sure it wont give me anymore gray "!"s?

And HOLY CRAP your iPod has a freaking sh*t load of space!!!! Omg! Lol, mine only has 1GB... How much was that Nano? Do you think I should get it over an iPod Touch, and as my second ever MP3 player (my first ever and current MP3 is a Sansa C240, had it for two years)? Cause the iPod Touch looks really awesome, but it doesn't seem necessary cause I'll I'm gonna be doing is listening to music. I'm not really gonna be using the other features the Touch has, but its touch screen is pretty kool. But I can't decide if I should get that or a Nano...

Any suggestions...?

[jimmalenko]

Ahhhhh OK I glossed over it before, but it is now stating to make sense - you're only using iTunes for the management of your music on your PC, and not using it to sync to your player ?

Mine's an iPod Classic 80Gb (5th Gen I think), and was about $350 IIRC.

[Nintendo Fan]

Ahhhhh OK I glossed over it before, but it is now stating to make sense - you're only using iTunes for the management of your music on your PC, and not using it to sync to your player ?

Mine's an iPod Classic 80Gb (5th Gen I think), and was about $350 IIRC.

Yeah. I use iTunes to organize all my music, so that when I get an iPod, I'll be all set.

I use MediaMonkey to sync my music at the moment, but once I get an iPod, I'll be using iTunes instead of MediaMonkey.

Wow, damn that's expensive! What iPod would you recommend to me that's $200 or under?

[jimmalenko]

Now that synching to an iPod is out of the question (for now, anyway), this is all very simple:

Download your MP3s direct into your Back-up MP3 folder, then add them into iTunes from there, making sure that "Copy files to iTunes music folder" is not ticked in the Preferences. Change your tags, even delete your files from within iTunes. Then you can copy these files to your MP3 player.

[Nintendo Fan]

Now that synching to an iPod is out of the question (for now, anyway), this is all very simple:

Download your MP3s direct into your Back-up MP3 folder, then add them into iTunes from there, making sure that "Copy files to iTunes music folder" is not ticked in the Preferences. Change your tags, even delete your files from within iTunes. Then you can copy these files to your MP3 player.

That's exactly what I was thinking of doing, too.