How to downgrade iTunes 8.2 without losing your library (Mac)

#1 08-03-2009, 01:18 AM

Method 1: How to downgrade iTunes 8.2 and restore iTunes Library from the backup folder

When you upgrade your iTunes, the previous version of the library is backed up in the "\Music\iTunes\Previous iTunes Libraries\" folder. called "Previous iTunes Libraries". To downgrade iTunes:

To completely remove iTunes 8.2, you may follow Apple Support’s article.

If you're familiar with Terminal application, you can simply run the following command in Terminal app to delete iTunes:

Code:

sudo rm -rf /Applications/iTunes.app /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DeviceLink.framework /System/Library/Extensions/AppleMobileDevice.kext /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iTunesAccess.framework /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreFP.framework /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileDevice.framework

Download and install a previous version of iTunes such as 8.1.1
Go to "\Music\iTunes\" folder, Right Click on "iTunes lirbrary.itl" and rename it to "iTunes lirbrary.itl.old"
Go to "\Music\iTunes\Previous iTunes Libraries\" folder.
Select & copy desired backup library (most probably you would use the backup library with the most recent date appended to its name).
Paste the backup library into the "\Music\iTunes\" folder and rename it to "iTunes lirbrary.itl".
Launch the older version of iTunes

Method 2: How to downgrade iTunes 8.2 and restore iTunes Library using Time Machine
If you have Time Machine, you can invoke it in the finder with the "iTunes Music" folder open, and travel back in time to restore the latest version of the library before you upgraded iTunes.

Please note that songs added to the library since upgrading to the latest version of iTunes will not appear in the library if you downgrade, so you will have to add them manually by dragging them into the main iTunes window.

#2 08-05-2009, 03:16 AM

Why downgrading iTunes 8.2?

Downgrade iTunes 8.2 to get back jailbreaking
iTunes 8.2 adds support for iPhone 3.0, but it prevents iPhone users from jailbreaking! If you upgrade to iTunes 8.2, you will neither be able to jailbreak your iPhone nor use SSH over USB. Apple changed some protocols in MobileDevice framework which shocked the jailbreaking community. The added security implemented some serious checks on the device hardware/software (security epoch, chipid, security domain, production mode, board id, bb chip id) before it actually lets your iPhone to sync with iTunes. This affects jailbreaking tools like QuickPwn and PwnageTool when they attempt to identify what’s connected.

If you need to get back jailbreaking, you should downgrade iTunes 8.2 to v.8.1.1 or lower.
Downgrade iTunes 8.2 to use freeware DRM removal tool Requiem 1.8.10
Requiem 1.8.10, a freeware DRM removal software, doesn't support iTunes 8.2, so if you want to remove DRM protection from iTunes files with Requiem 1.8.10 right now, you need to downgrade iTunes to v. 8.1.1 or lower.