More on iTunes 7.2 and MP3s

Yesterday, I noted that iTunes 7.2 had trouble syncing certain MP3 files to an iPod. It appears that this is a bug.

Specifically, if you burn a playlist of iTunes’ protected music to a CD in iTunes 7.2 and then rip that CD in the MP3 format (a trick people often use to remove the tracks’ copy protection), those MP3 tracks won’t copy to an iPod. Try, and you’ll be told that the tracks are incompatible with the iPod.

The bug appears to take the form of some problem with the iTunes music library, causing these specific tracks to be deemed incompatible with the iPod. You can put things right by recreating your iTunes library.

To do so on a Mac, quit iTunes, navigate to youruserfolder /Music/iTunes and move the iTunes Music Library.xml file to the Desktop. Then place the iTunes Library file in the Trash.

On a PC running Windows XP, navigate to Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Music iTunes and drag this same iTunes Music Library.xml file to the Windows Desktop and the iTunes Library to the Recycle Bin. Vista users do the same thing but via this path: Users yourusername Music.

Launch iTunes and choose File -> Import and navigate to the iTunes Music Library.xml file on the Desktop. Click Choose or Open and your iTunes library will be recreated.

(The details of this procedure are outlined in this Apple KnowledgeBase article. Note the link to steps for backing up and restoring playlists to help ensure that you don’t lose any of your carefully crafted playlists.)

Those stubborn MP3 files should now be copied to an iPod without complaint.

It should go without saying, but I’ll say so anyway: If you’re not affected by the problem, there’s no need to recreate your iTunes library.