Suddenly cannot open my iTunes library

[Sossity]

I have my iTunes library on an external hard drive, and usually have it plugged into my desktop Mac running Mavericks.

Today, I needed the hard drive and was using it on my newer laptop running El Capitan. I opened up my iTunes library for music and also updated some of my info in my iTunes account.

I get home and plug this hard drive back into my Mavericks desktop Mac and try to open my iTunes library, only to get a message saying; “ this library was created with a newer version of iTunes and cannot be opened” with options to download iTunes or quit.

I have used this hard drive between these computers before, so what happened? And how do I get it back so I can run my library off my desktop again?

 

[HDFan]

I have my iTunes library on an external hard drive, and usually have it plugged into my desktop Mac running Mavericks.

Today, I needed the hard drive and was using it on my newer laptop running El Capitan

“ this library was created with a newer version of iTunes and cannot be opened”

I highlighted the key words in your question.

What version of iTunes created the library? What version of iTunes is on your newer laptop which is trying to read the library? Older versions of iTunes don't know how to read newer iTunes libraries. Newer versions of iTunes generally can read older library versions.

 

[Sossity]

I dont remember the version used to create the library, it was an earlier version from the versions I am dealing with now, i have since updated itunes on both the laptop and the desktop.

The version on my desktop of which is the one that is not able to open is; 12.6.2.20

The version that is on my laptop and which I can still open my library on is; 12.7.2.58

I have used this library on this external drive before between these computers and these versions of itunes before with no problems.

Another thing I will add sorry; forgot to mention is I went into my apple ID online and updated my email address, and added a middle initial in the middle name box where one types in their name.

Another thing I notice is under itunes preferences store preferences subtab; on my laptop, it reads password settings for and it has my old email address there, and there is no where for me to change it.

 

[Partron22]

Inside your iTunes folder is a file called iTunes Library.itl.
Drag it out of the iTunes older, and put it someplace safe, like your desktop.
Open up the iTunes folder and then Previous iTunes Libraries folder.
Drag a copy of the newest file in that folder out to the iTunes Folder level.
Change the name of the file from "iTunes Library 2017-11-23.itl" or similar to "iTunes Library.itl"
Start up iTunes.
That should fix the problem.
If you added any songs or Apps to iTunes while using the newer version, they'll likely be gone.
However, you can usually add them back by dragging them out of the media folder and re-importing into iTunes.

 

[Sossity]

Inside your iTunes folder is a file called iTunes Library.itl.
Drag it out of the iTunes older, and put it someplace safe, like your desktop.
Open up the iTunes folder and then Previous iTunes Libraries folder.
Drag a copy of the newest file in that folder out to the iTunes Folder level.
Change the name of the file from "iTunes Library 2017-11-23.itl" or similar to "iTunes Library.itl"
Start up iTunes.
That should fix the problem.
If you added any songs or Apps to iTunes while using the newer version, they'll likely be gone.
However, you can usually add them back by dragging them out of the media folder and re-importing into iTunes.

thank you, this worked, any idea why this works? and how can I stop this from happening again? because I do use this external hard drive between these 2 computers. It seemed to happen after I had updated my apple id with a new email address. Did inadvertently create a new id or mess up my itunes?

 

[Partron22]

Likely you have a slightly newer version of iTunes on the El Cap Macs.
Apple changes structure of .itl file with just about every version.
Fortunately, instead of just erasing the old database, it stores a (renamed) copy in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder.

What you saw was normal behavior, but you have to remember that if you download tracks to the newer iTunes, you'll have to m,anually transfer them to the older Mac, as its .itl has no record of them.
Can be a PITA, but that's how it works.
You might consider downdating the iTunes on the El Cap Mac to the same version as on the Mavericks. That'd solve the trouble. All 5 of my macs are running iTunes 10.4.1, since a) it solves the .itl problem and b)Apple stopped improving the App after that point.
Plenty of threads on this board on how to do the downdate.
OTOH. you might be able to update iTunes on your Mavericks machine to whatever El Cap is running. That's much easier, if Mavericks lets you do it.