Retrieving purchased iTunes songs

[cycocelica]

My hard drive failed and I lost everything, purchased iTunes songs included. Is there anyway of retrieving these without having to buy them again? I already bought them from the store so I don't know why I would have to buy them again. Thanks.

 

[asherman13]

Unfortunatly (as far as I know), you can't download them again. After 100 downloads, iTunes tells you to back up your music.

Sorry...

 

[cycocelica]

Eh, I figured that. Ill just have to use a different method.

 

[jaw04005]

Unfortunatly (as far as I know), you can't download them again. After 100 downloads, iTunes tells you to back up your music.

Sorry...

Who Says?

Contact Apple through the iTunes Music Store link. You will have to explain the situation to them (via a web form), and they will send you a notice allowing you to re-download your music.

I wouldn't rely on this method for future purchases. Apple sends you a nasty automated email, explaining that "they don't usually do this, bla bla."

Enjoy.

 

[yellow]

Who Says?

Apple says...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93050

iTunes Music Store: Purchased songs can be downloaded only once

When you buy a song or album from the iTunes Music Store, you are entitled to download it only once.

When you buy a song or album from the iTunes Music Store, you are entitled to download it a single time. If you want to download it again, you must purchase it again. You can copy downloaded songs between authorized computers.

Important: Make a backup of the music files you download. In case of data loss, including hard drive failure or replacement, accidental deletion, and so forth, you'll be able to restore it from the backup.

They even have a warning everytime you purchase music to ensure that you remember to back up your own ****.

 

[jaw04005]

Cycocelica,

Although the knowledge base article above may describe Apple's written policy, IMO it's more of a scare tactic and not their actual practice. Apple knows that not everyone is going to backup after every song they download, so they generously provide an "exception."

I personally feel that Apple owes its customers that service (much like Napster and Real Rhapsody already provide), but to each their own.

Here is the link I mentioned above.

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/musicstore/lostmusic/

Next time, be sure to backup your data.

 

[cycocelica]

Cycocelica,

Although the knowledge base article above may describe Apple's written policy, IMO it's more of a scare tactic and not their actual practice. Apple knows that not everyone is going to backup after every song they download, so they generously provide an "exception."

I personally feel that Apple owes its customers that service (much like Napster and Real Rhapsody already provide), but to each their own.

Here is the link I mentioned above.

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/musicstore/lostmusic/

Next time, be sure to backup your data.

Thanks for link man. I sent them an email, so I will post what happens. I know I should have backed up my stuff, I obviously learned my lesson. Thanks again.

 

[pashazade]

Who Says?

Contact Apple through the iTunes Music Store link. You will have to explain the situation to them (via a web form), and they will send you a notice allowing you to re-download your music.

I wouldn't rely on this method for future purchases. Apple sends you a nasty automated email, explaining that "they don't usually do this, bla bla."

Enjoy.

Thank you very, very, very much

I had a catastrophic hard drive cache while I was mulling over my backup options. I lost over 290 iTunes songs - gone for good I thought .... but I followed you advice and got a response back from Apple in less than 24 hrs.

The lost tracks are downloading now

As you say this is a once only chance, to quote from my support email:

IMPORTANT: You won't be able to re-download your purchases on your account in the future, so please make a back-up copy of your purchased music right away.* Please make back up copies of your new music on a regular basis. You can find instructions on backing up your music below.

So once again, thank you very much

Regards

Scott

ps. sorry for all the smileys but I'm a happy bunny!

 

[NeoMac]

It happend to me.

This happend to me a couple of years ago. I contacted Apple, explained my situation and within a day or two they allowed me to down load all the music I had purchased on iTunes. At that point I had about 150 songs I purchased and they allowed me to down load them again.

 

[cycocelica]

Well I followed joshuawaire suggestion and got the email I can download my purchased songs. So thank you very much, I just got back 341 songs. Some songs I was not able to redownload because they were unavailable but they were free ones that I didn't care about. I'll back up right away once this is done.