A theory on why these songs don't load in iTunes
 

After having downloaded a few mp3 songs, only to have them not launch in iTunes (nor QuickTime), I remember noticing at the time they were downloading that these specific mp3 files did not have a BIT RATE listed. Other songs in the same search had bit rates in addition to name of song, type, speed, etc., but there were a good deal of listings that didn't have a Bit Rate.

Those without the bit rates were the ones I happened to be downloading. They also were listed as having download speeds of "T3 or higher."

And each of one of them failed to load in iTunes.

When I would try to open the song in QuickTime or MPEG Streamclip or other programs, the programs refused to open the song. QuickTime said it was not a valid file.

I think then that those songs WITHOUT A BIT RATE listed are some sort of virus or spyware, probably designed for Windows users since the "songs" don't really do anything on Mac OS X. Someone out there is deliberately uploading these files with a bogus "mp3" extension on it. It could very well be an "exe" extension, which of course will not launch on Macs.

Again, just a theory...

I assume one would one need to delete the current version of itunes before installing the old one & backing up your music somewhere would probably be necessary, correct?

Phony mp3 extensions?
 

You are dead on; my experience was identical including the BIT rate aspect of it. I tried every player I could find including VLC by VideoLAN, apps. that assert they'll play anything, exotic codecs about which I know little, all "unplayable." Diabolical. Thanks

Probably correct. There are viruses out there posing as mp3's. And of course they will not load on Mac OSX. I have been personally arranging my search results in different ways to block out the spammers. One is to arrange by bit rate so those search results that show zero bit rate are at bottom of list. I then ban those ip's (control click that file in search result). Problem of course is spammers are generally on very large networks, and they change their ip's. They might even change their ip multiple times a day, surmising there though. Their ip's often tend to come from similar area in USA (via same isp.) Another issue is the more popular a search is, the more the spammers target it. Need to be very careful about banning ip's however. Including the network ones such as 10.x.xx or 192.xxx ;)

I also check for program listings in search results which are obviously duplicating the search title when searching for music (using audio or general search type).

Probably correct. There are viruses out there posing as mp3's. And of course they will not load on Mac OSX. I have been personally arranging my search results in different ways to block out the spammers. One is to arrange by bit rate so those search results that show zero bit rate are at bottom of list. I then ban those ip's (control click that file in search result). Problem of course is spammers are generally on very large networks, and they change their ip's. They might even change their ip multiple times a day, surmising there though. Their ip's often tend to come from similar area in USA (via same isp.) Another issue is the more popular a search is, the more the spammers target it. Need to be very careful about banning ip's however. Including the network ones such as 10.x.xx or 192.xxx ;)

I also check for program listings in search results which are obviously duplicating the search title when searching for music (using audio or general search type).

Oh ... certain file sizes too. The obvious ones which are under 1,000 KB, but also there's been reported a couple new sizes around a few MB in size which are spammed. I can't recall the sizes, I think one is around 3 MB, the other 5 MB. Check forums, I know the sizes have been reported here. :)

BTW I'm not so sure iTunes for OSX allows you to go backward in version without iTunes coming up with a message that it refuses to load the older library. It apparently has worked for Windows users who used only earlier v. 7 iTunes versions. So in that case if you really wished to use an earlier version of iTunes, it'd be best to back it up, remove the present one or delete it. Then re-add the older files (can do it by drag drop of folders onto iTunes Library icon.) Unless someone has a better idea. ;)

Bitzi/Bitcollider Utility as a Resource?
 

I "rediscovered" Bitzi today; doing a ctrl Click on the LimeWire "Quality" icon in the left column of the download window (tiny letter sheet w/a check mark) I chose "Advanced" in the drop menu, which item is: "Lookup File with Bitzi."
Landing on the Bitzi web page I saw dozens of Bitzi-processed files, many LW, titled "BOOBYTRAPPED, SPAM, KILLER, TROJAN HORSE, etc., and, many curse words embedded in the operator notations recommending various fiery hells for the human sacks responsible for adding phony extensions (mp3 e.g.) to infected/malicious/virus-laden downloadable files, the very files we are struggling to open/play/convert in LW, FW and others. A ctrl Click on the "Rating Stars", >"Advanced" creates the same path to Bitzi.
You all know this right? I didn't. There is no question as to where these files come from and it is quite deliberate; Bitzi operators are furious and despairing both, the "bomb-throwing" Hosts change their IPs multiple times per day.
Apparently, the "Bitcollider Utility" Bitzi offers free, will scan and identify a file's true file-type. One of my dirty LW files, "Bitzied" is below (with the identifying alpha-numeric sequence "greeked").

(Bitzi Unknown Bitprint

Thanks.

That all may be true but it is not the cause of the itunes/LW imcompatibility

I tried that but the itunes library locked out all but the new version even after being uninstalled. Apple is really doing people wrong. I will NEVER purchase a song from them. I will only continue to snag the freebies that are worth a listen.

There is a trick to downgrading .. but I haven't tried it personally (deleting the library file that stores the library information). It would also mean losing some information along the way. The post below this one has links to description as to how to do: Alternate Audio Players & support plug-ins