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How to Solve Duplicate File Problem on iTunes

I find that I have three or four copies show up in my itunes folder for just about every album I have. Itransferred all my CDs to itunes (Apple Lossless format) a couple of years ago. The only exceptions are recent files I added (new CDs). Is there a way to remove these duplicate references? I'm not sure why they're showing up. I have had one or two harddrive fails, and I created a backup directory for music at one point, which have have had something to do with it - but it should be a backup, not a duplicate.

Any help would be apprecaited in knowing how to remove these dupes, and on keeping proper backup going forwrd.

Am using a PC, iTunes, all Apple Lossless files. Am also open to changing to another interface as long as it's convenient. I do like the itunes remote access via iphone though..
outlier

Showing 2 responses by herman

herman
2,282 posts
 
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first step: do you have duplicates of the files on your drive(s) or just duplicate listing of the same file in your library? Is it possible you have several versions of the same song, say an Apple lossless and an MP3?

Do a "get info" on several of the duplicates. If they are the same song but stored in different files then you need to get rid of those duplicates. That will also show the rep rate.

If you just ended up with duplicate listing of the same file (I think that would be unusual) then I would suggest starting over. Delete the iTunes library and reload the files. If you end up with duplicates at that point you surely have duplicate copies of the same files on your drive(s). Go to the artist folder on your drive for the duplicates and see if you have the same song several times, like you ripped them more than once or have them at different rep rates.

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herman
2,282 posts
 
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When you do a GET INFO for an album there is a space for ARTIST and another for ALBUM ARTIST. Most of the time whoever loads the data for an album with multiple artists puts the names in the ARTIST field.

I have a Richard Thompson box set that on some songs the artist is just him, some listed with and his ex-wife, and some with bands he was in. If you sort by ARTIST you get multiple albums, but if you put just his name in the ALBUM ARTIST field and sort by ALBUM ARTIST then it shows as one album.

To sort by ALBUM ARTIST cick on the ARTIST column and it will change.

Also useful to clean up the artist list if you have someone who records with a lot of different people. I have a bunch of Itzach Perlman albums that have him with another artist or orchestra. By putting his name in the ALBUM ARTIST field it is listed as one artist

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