iCloud Sucks (rant)

[maxpowr9]

So I was playing around with my ipad (I got one for xmas and decided to put it to use) and I tried/forced into loading up all my music to the icloud. I go to check the harddrive with my music on it and all 30GB of it had vanished. I backed up most of it recently (as in about 9 months ago recently) but still there is an odd 400+ songs missing that enrages me (especially a compilation someone made for me as a gift). I even threw down the $25/year for itunes match.

I normally have no problems with Apple products despite favoring Windows/Google products but the icloud is simply pure shit.

 

[Lostlover]

I'm right there with you on iCloud. I think too that it only backs up songs you've purchased through iTunes.

And, don't even think about calling Apple for support.

 

[andysayshi]

iCloud doesn't have the ability to delete music from your hard drive. The only similar bug I've ever heard of is that iTunes Match sometimes replaces original tracks with the non-explicit-language equivalent.

Can you break down the processes that you followed before the music disappeared? Is it possible that iTunes has simply moved your music library to a different location, usually a subfolder within the iTunes Music folder?

 

[andysayshi]

I think too that it only backs up songs you've purchased through iTunes.

That's true of the free iCloud service, but the paid iTunes Match service mentioned above identifies all tracks it can, not just iTunes purchases.

 

[Arcturus]

Are you sure it's been deleted off of your hard drive? Is your HD showing 30 GB less data than before? If not, then it's still there but just in a different location.

I would call Apple and ask them, or if you don't like that you could go into an Apple Store.

 

[silverbelt]

As said above, iCloud can't delete your music. And it's iTunes Match that does the uploading and matching.

One other thing: nothing forced you to upload your music. You bought iTunes Match. That's what it does: matches what it can and uploads the rest.

I suspect Arcturus is on the right track. Your music may still be on the drive. You should also let us know if you're on a Mac or PC.

 

[Arcturus]

I assumed he has a PC since he said he favored Windows products.

 

[maxpowr9]

When I got the itunes match, it basically turned my old music folder into a list of "random" that just said letters A-Z and then 0-9 and some symbols. They were all dated */*/1980 and I could NOT delete them in anyway. My music folder went from about 32GB down to 500MB with not actual music files in it. There was nothing in the itunes folder and all my folders are dated before 2011.

Luckily I found a 12/2011 copy of said external HD and just renamed the old music folder, copied over the other one and just reloaded it into itunes and fixed the problem at least but still does not suppress my anger for it. Reckon this isn't the first time I had to deal with problems with itunes (still can't fix display times even after converting to their stupid AAC format).

 

[andysayshi]

So, to clarify, after you set up iTunes Match, was the music within iTunes not playable? Did the songs disappear from iTunes, or did the song titles remain but the tracks themselves wouldn't play?

I, like others above, suspect that iTunes simply moved your music to a different folder - an option which you can turn off in iTunes Preferences, by the way.

 

[maxpowr9]

Here's a pic of what folder ended up being...

 

[Arcturus]

If you go to My Computer and look at the amount of hard drive space filled, is it 30 GB less than before you used iTunes Match? I am pretty sure it's just been hidden or something, because no one else has mentioned iCloud or iTunes Match deleting their music. I would do a search through other folders.

 

[Kyle3000]

Its useless. Especially for people with 64gb devices. It takes hours!

 

[andysayshi]

^ The first sync is very slow, but you should barely notice it after that.

I've got a friend who lost his iPhone at Mardi Gras the other night, and replaced his phone yesterday. He hadn't backed it up to a computer since the day he bought it. Within 20 minutes the new phone was restored to it's original state from iCloud. He didn't lose a thing: calendars, contacts, notes or music. Plus, he's notified the police today that his phone has shown up on "FindMyiPhone".

So, from his perspective, iCloud has been a godsend.

 

[GamerBear]

I've learned to keep my music away from iCloud and only use it for whatever I do with my iPhone. Like pictures, videos and contacts. I just recently bought a 1TB external hard drive and backed up my iTunes music and my iPod 160GB, you never know when iTunes plans to just mess with your music.