iTunes Downloads
- Thread starter rctneil
- Start date
It depends what the content was. If it was music or videos you're pretty much stuffed, as marc said above. If however it was an app, you can download them again as often as you want without paying again (Unless the app creator has released a new version and not allowed a free upgrade for owners of the previous version).
I would however add that is you lost music or videos that you have recently purchased (ie in the last day or two at most) send apple an e-mail asking them to allow you to re-download the items in question. I did this a couple of years ago after I lost a couple of tracks when my HDD died within a few minutes of downloading, and they did allow me to download the tracks again. They might do the same for you or they might not, but it's worth a try before you fork out for them again.
But in future remeber to backup, backup and then backup again.
I would however add that is you lost music or videos that you have recently purchased (ie in the last day or two at most) send apple an e-mail asking them to allow you to re-download the items in question. I did this a couple of years ago after I lost a couple of tracks when my HDD died within a few minutes of downloading, and they did allow me to download the tracks again. They might do the same for you or they might not, but it's worth a try before you fork out for them again.
But in future remeber to backup, backup and then backup again.
Caporegime
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- 9 Mar 2006
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- Surrey
Seriously 
You can't download stuff again?!? Jesus, I mean I've never used it for other reasons but that is a damn strong one, what an incompetent system.
You can't download stuff again?!? Jesus, I mean I've never used it for other reasons but that is a damn strong one, what an incompetent system.
Associate
- Joined
- 24 Nov 2006
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- 1,119
yeah it sucks
I ended up losing about £40 + worth of music
Should be able to download again. Ridiculous
I ended up losing about £40 + worth of music
Should be able to download again. Ridiculous
Associate
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- 24 May 2003
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- UK
The same thing happened to me a while back and is the reason that I no longer use the itunes store.
I now buy my purchased music off play.com instead as you can re-download any purchased music if you lose it!
That's the official line.
However, if you open a support ticket with Apple, explain what's happened and then they will allow you to download your music again. The same thing happened to me, it was only a couple of albums but they simply said "Silly boy, we'll let you download it again this time but don't make the same mistake again".
However, if you open a support ticket with Apple, explain what's happened and then they will allow you to download your music again. The same thing happened to me, it was only a couple of albums but they simply said "Silly boy, we'll let you download it again this time but don't make the same mistake again".
I had the same issue, lost quite a lot of music, but they let me download it all again.
Just be nice in the e-mail rather than ranting to them and your more likely to get a positive response.
I know it sounds bad that you cant re-download it, but if you'd have purchased the CD, and it had broke or become lost, you couldn't go back to the shop and ask for another one for free because your CD broke
Just be nice in the e-mail rather than ranting to them and your more likely to get a positive response.
I know it sounds bad that you cant re-download it, but if you'd have purchased the CD, and it had broke or become lost, you couldn't go back to the shop and ask for another one for free because your CD broke
Keep backups. Not a problem then.
I concede that in the event of a catastrophic computer explosion that wipes out your backups as well, the system sucks, but when the problem arises because you delete the files yourself, I can't really muster much sympathy.
I concede that in the event of a catastrophic computer explosion that wipes out your backups as well, the system sucks, but when the problem arises because you delete the files yourself, I can't really muster much sympathy.
Soldato
- Joined
- 2 Nov 2007
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- 4,185
With most music download services you can't download again, but you'd expect better from iTunes IMO.
The thing is with Steam for example the files you download can be mirrored on as many servers with naff all security as the files are the same for everyone. You just have to login to Steam to be able to use them!
With the iTunes Store the files are actually stored in an untouched "default" form. When you order and download these files, they are then taken and wrapped in DRM (for movies) and just your account information (as it is now with iTunes Plus music).
So there could be many reasons:
The music companies don't allow it?
It would eat server cycles and bandwidth - Apple run the iTunes Store (or at least used to) with very minimal profit?
They can't do it easily with the current system?
IMO though they should've offered this when they were slapping DRM on music. Now that is "open" I can understand why the don't let you redownload...
With the iTunes Store the files are actually stored in an untouched "default" form. When you order and download these files, they are then taken and wrapped in DRM (for movies) and just your account information (as it is now with iTunes Plus music).
So there could be many reasons:
The music companies don't allow it?
It would eat server cycles and bandwidth - Apple run the iTunes Store (or at least used to) with very minimal profit?
They can't do it easily with the current system?
IMO though they should've offered this when they were slapping DRM on music. Now that is "open" I can understand why the don't let you redownload...