I have at least 13 backups of my entire 7000 song iTunes library on an external drive using Time Machine. Unfortunately, a Sr. Rep. at iTunes support was misinformed and had me delete a folder that I later discovered contained all of my ratings, etc. Whoops. I do not know the date this folder was deleted as I didn't realize I had been a problem until later.
I have since continued backing up to Time Machine and replaced my internal hard drive, and now download new songs to a new iTunes library on my Mac. This library and my original 7000 song library and a copy of the deleted folder are on my Time Machine backup drive. The music library only is also on a second external drag-and-drop backup drive.
Another Sr Rep. suggested that I actually move EVERY huge iTunes library one-by-one from TM to my Mac to find the last one that included the ratings. It sounds like it would be easier to look for the folder with the ratings on Time Machine.
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Is there an easy way for me to find the ratings folder that went with my large iTunes library on Time Machine — I backed up my Mac with TM prior to deleting the folder and continued to use Time Machine regularly. I am not even certain what to search for or what that folder is named or what it contains.
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Once I find that folder that contains the 7000 song ratings, etc (what is the folder called and where is it nested?), what other folders do I restore?
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How do I add the additional songs to that library from my new library on the Mac? I assume I need to rename the new library first — There are fewer than 250 "new" songs in the current new library.
Best Answer
http://macs.about.com/od/itunes/tp/Restore-Your-Itunes-Music-Library-By-Copying-The-Music-From-Your-Ipod.htm
I know this isn't the answer you are looking for, but maybe it will help.