User Error with Duplicate Tracks in iTunes

[Osarkon]

Hi all,

Having a slight dilemma right now, iTunes was showing loads of duplicate tracks in my library, so I told it to show all duplicate tracks, and deleted them (Well I don't need duplicates do I) . Thing is, I hadn't bargained on it having the bright idea of showing the originals in that list as well, so a good portion of my music collection is gone.

I realize what I'm asking is unlikely to be resolvable, but is there anyway to get that music back? A lot of it has been amassed over the years and I have no way of getting it back..

 

[Revlimit Punk]

Well, when you delete tracks from your library, you are presented with a dialog that lets you choose if you want to keep the files in place or if you want to move them to the trash.

In the first case, simply use the menu File > Import... to add the tracks again (they are still physically stored in the iTunes music folder).

In the second case, if you haven't emptied the trash yet, all the songs that you deleted will be still there, so you can just get them out of the trash and add them to iTunes again.

If you emptied the trash... well... you'll have to use a third party data recovery tool to get them back.

 

[Osarkon]

Thought so..damn.

Shame iTunes doesn't have a feature to get them back like iPhoto lets you get original pictures.

I don't suppose there's a free file retriever, or a demo or something free I could use that anyone knows of?

 

[Revlimit Punk]

I don't know if there are free data recovery tools for mac, maybe someone else will chime in on that.

Anyways, may this bitter experience encourage you to backup all your non-replaceable data.

Backup today or be sorry tomorrow.

 

[islandman]

Ouch. Please back up. It's going to be difficult for you to retrieve your music now.