Home Forums Peripherals & Multimedia iTunes, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple TV iTunes Library Cannot be saved error (-54)

I have an odd situation which may have been around for years. I am getting an error message pop up which essentially says "The iTunes library file cannot be saved. An unknown error occurred. (-54). I can check the window to not open again, but another one pops up right after.

My research so far indicates this is a problem that has been around a while and there does not seem to be one single solution or source of the problem.

I use a Time Capsule.

I have the latest iTunes and sync with a single iPod with the latest iOS. My MacBook Pro is Lion 10.7.3.

I recently downloaded some apps from iTunes as well as the App store. This began right after that.

The apps all work fine as well as my songs/music. I do not have movies, books or TV shows. I do have podcasts and some I subscribe to.

The various fixes seem to be with permissions and eliminating/changing the existing library(ies). I am inexperienced in both of these areas.

The only other event that may be affecting this is a first step taken to change my password. Long story short, I did not change my password, but during the process of considering how to do this, I attempted to set up a guest user account. I did not realize I had not hit the + to get a new user with name etc. I simply clicked on the guest user and was presented with options. One was to allow a guest full access (or words to that effect). As I am the only user of my iPod and MacBook, I checked OK, but then I stopped going forward.

I wonder if that may have changed permissions in some way.

I've never used my Time Machine for any sort of rescue, so not sure if that can be a useful tool in my efforts to eliminate this annoying window/error.

I hope some experienced user can share words of wisdom on this topic.

A search produced a couple of suggestions:

"Try deleting the iPod Photo Cache folder (located in your Pictures folder) and then, sync again.
Don't worry, iTunes will re-generate it the next time you sync your iPod
http://www.hackint0sh.org/tools-128/problem-cant-sync-how-resolve-error-54-a-38375.htm "

See the first post where it says "this solved the problem" in the Apple Forums at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1912814?start=0&tstart=0

Repair Permissions:
Open Disk Utility (in your Utilities Folder, which is most likely in your Applications Folder)
Once it opens, in the sidebar, most likely as the first item, you will see your hard drive with a somewhat unusual name that indicates its size and manufacturer ID. Directly below that and slightly indented is your HD volume, which might be named "Macintosh HD" (unless you renamed it). Click on it to select it.
The "Repair Disk Permissions" button should now be available below the large empty window. You may wish to check "Show Details" above that window so you can see what gets repaired, but click the "Repair Disk Permissions" button.

If none of the above suggestions solve your problem, report back with specifics.

One last thought: are you NOT logged in as "guest"? Restart and see if things change.

Thanks.

Presently, the problem is not there. That is, my iTunes is working fine. However, I will sync later with the iPod and see if that generates the problem again.

The iPod is used by my daughter who takes many, many photos. I have had her delete many of the duplicates and of course, the photos are already in iPhoto from previous syncs.

I did look for info on deleting the i Photo Cache. The steps were spelled out in Apple TS1314 (actually have to use a control click to open the contents).

Your directions for Repair Permissions is straightforward. However, I remain a bit timid about this. I had the impression that the repair process could require me to use the original install discs (I have my Snow Leopard discs). I am using Lion which I installed with a USB from Apple. I hesitate to do the repair permissions process as I don't feel comfortable with the prospect of having some sort of errors get created.

> I had the impression that the repair process could require me to use the original install discs (I have my Snow Leopard discs).

Unless you're still running the version of OS X with which your Mac originally shipped, "Repair Permissions" should be run from Disk Utility as described by Ira, the reason being that permissions are updated with each OS X update, and your original discs are unaware of the changes. And, under any circumstances, working from your boot volume is easier and considerably faster than re-booting from your disc.

That said, "RP" has never, to my knowledge, anyhow, created any problems for anybody, while it has been known to inexplicably solve all sorts of arcane ones.

You should be aware, though, that the repair process will likely tell you stuff you don't need to know about that's of absolutely no consequence (and why Apple insists on reporting it is one of the great OS X mysteries). If you do run "RP" and are bothered by its output, you can either search or post at FTM to satisfy yourself that all is, hopefully, OK.

Thanks. So using RP is a simple [process where the permissions are "repaired" and there is no further instruction such as "whoops, permissions could not be repaired and you need to contact Apple for service"?

When I first learned to drive a standard (stick) shift car, my instructor could not understand why I would start in first, shift to second, bit never went to third gear. I explained that he had told me third gear was for the roads outside the city.

I just want to be clear that RP will not surprise me with some sort of follow-on instruction which I can't undo.

> I just want to be clear that RP will not surprise me with some sort of follow-on instruction which I can't undo.

I've never heard of anything like that happening.

"Repair Permissions" compares permissions, other than those within your home folder, with those in a "correct permissions database;" if it finds a difference...it repairs it.

Edit: Sorry...I didn't clarify earlier that there are things that RP will "repair" time after time after time, but they are likely of no consequence.