iTunes Library Damaged (missing backup file!)

[WCASD]

Hi,

so yesterday I started up iTunes (7.7.0.43) and got the "damaged library xml file" message that some people were getting.
No big deal I thought, let me just find the damaged library file and all is well.
Well, here's the kicker! There is NO "itunes library (damaged)" file.
How the hell can this happen?
Does anybody know how I can save my playlists, playcounts, yada-yada of 2+ years?

I tried a system restore although I was sure it wasn't going to do a thing and well I was right.

I really need mah music back!

Thanks


btw. I'm using Vista Home Premium, 32-Bit with SP1

[Essin]

It's kinda late thinking about backing up essential files AFTER they've gone corrupt.

But all your music will be intact if you re-add it to iTunes. But your metadata, not so much...

[WCASD]

Well I know I can't back it up now but I thought iTunes automatically compiles a damaged iTunes Library file. What the hell happened to my damaged library file?

[studogvetmed]

That is odd, usually a damaged file will sit there, but of course getting anything out of the damaged file is not easy.

You may be able to reget meta data from your iPod depending on your syncing.

Also, you can look into the "previous" iTunes libraries folders. you may find a copy of the library file from one of the updates to iTunes. You could use this to recover from, you would lose some data, but would be limited to the last major update of the library file, so it's better than 2+ years of loss.

This is why I back up my library file once a week and after every major library addition.