How to fix 'itunes library.itl' not valid after power outage on Windows 10?

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Level 1

8 points

How to fix 'itunes library.itl' not valid after power outage on Windows 10?

I have windows 10 running Itunes 12.12.8.2. I try to make backup copies of the itl and xml files every week or 2. My power went out for a few seconds today and then when opening Itunes I got the message that itl was not valid and it created a new one.

I have tried different backups I have from the past few weeks. Itunes will load them fine. Then when I close Itunes and open it back up, I get the message that the itl is not valid again.

I uninstalled itunes and reinstalled. I did a check for errors on the hard drive and did not have any.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Mar 5, 2025 03:38 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Mar 8, 2025 01:58 PM in response to arthurwv

arthurwv wrote:

To turn off the xml file, do I just go to preferences, advanced, and uncheck "share itunes library xml..."?

Yes. The existing file won't be deleted, but it won't update either. You can manually create an XML with File > Library > Export Library... at any time.

What do you mean by "Did you have anything previously that might not have been fully cleaned out?"?

Some AV software has been known not to uninstall correctly. If you've not used third party AV it isn't an issue, but your symptoms are reminiscent of something interfering with iTunes as it saves updated library files.

<snip>

I've added a new comment to the user tip for the recent builds but this link will give the current 64-bit build:

https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win64

Frankly nobody should still be running 32-bit Windows.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Mar 8, 2025 03:30 AM in response to arthurwv

If you are making backups of the .itl, that work, then you don't need the .xml. How many tracks do you have? Not making the XML may cut down the work iTunes has to do with each update or play in your library. Delete those two .tmp files. That fact that you're routinely opening in safe mode and closing services doesn't sound good. See Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates - Apple Community. A full tear down, reboot, and reinstall run as admin might be in order.

If I recall the iPod Service only runs if you tell iTunes that you want it to open automatically when a particular iPod is connected. You can probably change the launch option in services.msc so that it no longer runs at startup.

tt2

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Answer 3

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 8, 2025 07:22 AM in response to turingtest2

I have over 22,000 tracks and hundreds of podcasts, but I do not sync the podcasts to the ipod.

Is the XML file the reason iTunes is so slow (freezes for several seconds) when I delete podcasts, add music, etc?

I am just paranoid about losing my ratings and playlists, etc if I do not have an xml file and my itl file is corrupt and I have to completely rebuild.

I deleted the .tmp files.

In services.msc, the ipod service is set to manual startup type. Change that to disabled?

I followed Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates - Apple Community. Then I used my last good itl file from 2/26/25 to start itunes. When I closed and restarted itunes, I get the 'itunes library.itl' not valid.

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Answer 4

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Mar 8, 2025 10:20 AM in response to arthurwv

arthurwv wrote:

I have over 22,000 tracks and hundreds of podcasts, but I do not sync the podcasts to the ipod.

Is the XML file the reason iTunes is so slow (freezes for several seconds) when I delete podcasts, add music, etc?

Possibly. Each change, playing a track, deleting a track, editing some metadata, etc. will update the library. If you are creating the XML that is two files that need to be regenerated for each minor change, not just one. Rebuilding the library by importing an XML file resets all Date Added values, so it is always better to work with .itl files if you can.

In services.msc, the ipod service is set to manual startup type. Change that to disabled?

Worth trying.

I followed Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates - Apple Community. Then I used my last good itl file from 2/26/25 to start itunes. When I closed and restarted itunes, I get the 'itunes library.itl' not valid.

It might be worth checking the health of your hard drive. E.g. https://www.howtogeek.com/1033/how-to-use-chkdsk-on-windows/. You could see if a clone of your library on an external drive opens and closes without error. See Use multiple iTunes libraries on PC - Apple Support for details on how to switch between libraries.

Do you have any other security software other than Defender? Did you have anything previously that might not have been fully cleaned out? Is there a reason for sticking to 12.12.8.2? The current build is 12.13.6.1. Or perhaps you already updated as part of following my troubleshooting suggestions.

tt2

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Answer 5

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 8, 2025 12:54 PM in response to turingtest2

To turn off the xml file, do I just go to preferences, advanced, and uncheck "share itunes library xml..."?

I changed the ipod service to disabled.

I already checked the drive with chkdsk and it did not report any errors.

I do not have any other security software running.

What do you mean by "Did you have anything previously that might not have been fully cleaned out?"?

On the Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates - Apple Community link, I did not scroll down to the comments earlier to see there is a newer version of itunes. The latest one you have a link for is: iTunes 12.13.5.3 for Windows (64-bit) - iTunes64Setup.exe (2025-02-18)

Do you have a link for the latest? I will update mine to the latest. I will follow that guide again to update. I won't be able to do that until tomorrow probably.

I will also try cloning the library on an external drive and follow the guide about that.

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Answer 6

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 10, 2025 02:06 PM in response to turingtest2

I did do this in a separate folder.

I just tried again. I used one of the older corrupt itl files and had itunes create a new itl file. This time I imported the xml file first. And it looks like that may have worked for the most part! I'll have to keep looking to make sure.

One issue I see is there are thousands of podcasts listed now under music. I attached a small pic of what they look like; some checkmarked, some not.

Most of them say played 1 one time. Is there an easy way to get rid of these?

Also, is there an easier way to get my podcast subs back? Right now only a few are listed under podcasts. I exported my podcast playlist as the opml file before itunes damaged the itl file. The last time I imported an opml file with podcasts, it took forever to clean it up because it would list all the episodes for each podcast and would freeze for over 20 minutes each time I deleted podcasts under each podcast.

Thank you so much for all the help!

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Answer 7

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Mar 6, 2025 05:37 AM in response to arthurwv

Do you have any third party anti-virus software? If so add an exclusion for the iTunes folder. Check the iTunes folder for hidden .tmp files. One of these should flit in and out of existence as the library is updated. If you have many of these the most recent might be a copy of the library that was just corrupted, but restoring a known good backup is a better move. You can delete all of them which saves iTunes from having to search for a name that isn't already in use. It may help to open iTunes with ctrl+shift held down, which opens the library in its safe mode, and can potentially help with any internal housekeeping. Unless you have other software that actively uses the XML file you should turn off the option that creates this every time you make a change to the library. iTunes never reads it.

tt2

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Answer 8

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 7, 2025 05:32 PM in response to turingtest2

I only have Windows Defender. I just added the itunes folder to exlude.

I have 2 .tmp files named iT.tmp and iT 2.tmp. The newest one says last modified in July.

I was thinking I needed the xml file in cases like this where the itl file corrupts and I need to rebuild the library. I thought the xml was used to rebuild playlists, play count, ratings etc. Will I need this if I have to rebuild the library? I have 20 years of plays, playlists, etc.

I use ctrl+shift to open itunes everyday. I have to do this to get my Ipod to sync. I have an ipod with mini-SD cards for extra storage. The only way I can get it to show up in iTunes is to close iTunes, then open task manager and stop "Ipod service". Then I plug the ipod into the computer. Then I have to open Itunes in safe mode and click on sync.

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Answer 9

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 9, 2025 01:36 PM in response to turingtest2

I cloned the library to an external drive: still doing the same thing.

I followed the guide and uninstalled and reinstalled itunes with the latest version. It is still doing the same thing.

So now if I add all the files back into itunes with this newly created empty itl file, how do I use the XML file to get the playlists, ratings, etc back?

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Answer 10

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 9, 2025 06:02 PM in response to turingtest2

I added my files to the newly created library itunes made after saying my itl file was not valid.

I dragged my itunes media/music folder into it and it looked like everything is there.

Then I imported the xml file. But it said something about it could not find all the tracks or songs. It did not import ratings, play counts, etc. It did import my smart and regular playlists though.

But I just noticed it has last played and a play count of 1 on old podcasts. Over 6000 of them. And this is under Music. It says last played spanning last couple of years. I rarely play them through Itunes or my Ipod. I don't put them on the ipod at all. I put them on an old phone to listen to.

Please tell me I didn't lose 20 years worth of that stuff.

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Answer 11

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Mar 9, 2025 07:00 PM in response to arthurwv

Hopefully you did all of this with the cloned library in a separate folder? You should be able to shift-start-iTunes and revert to your original library. When importing an XML file all of the tracks need to be at the same locations they were when the XML was created. You would do this without adding any files to the library first. Doing so may have potentially changed where iTunes stored them. For example an older library would put artist folders inside the media folder, while newer libraries add a /Music/ subfolder. If you can revert to a working (albeit temporarily) version of your library but it cannot locate the files then I have advice and/or a script that should be able to help with that.

tt2

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Answer 12

arthurwv Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 10, 2025 06:11 PM in response to turingtest2

They are labeled as podcast genre. My main concern is why are these old ones showing up and how to prevent it.

And, what is the easiest way to get my podcast subcriptions back? I have dozens I subscribe to. When I import the opml file for podcasts, it lists so many old ones that itunes slows down way too much.

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