Just a question...

When you say "the played tracks", do you mean that those tracks successfully play (all the way through) before they disappear? Or does iTunes attempt to play the track, fail, and then remove the track?

If that's the case, then perhaps that "particular" CD just a little dirty, or scratched?

I don't use iTunes though, so don't know if that's the way it behaves. Sorry.

I wasn't clear enough. The tracks were all fine and would have played thru had I let them. However, I interrupted them by going to another track and then another after I listened enough to each one to satisfy my interest. While I was doing this, I soon realized that the tracks were disappearing as I clicked on the next selected track. This effect appeared to only happen with this album and in fact when I just now attempted to replicate more track loss, the remaining tracks would not disappear on this album either. Just before my initial post I had just checked that some random albums' tracks seemed to be complete and wouldn't disappear either. The lost tracks only occurred in one or two sessions with that one album.

There is an extra issue. I have several cd albums that are listed under 'various' because the lead singer shared singing with some of her well known singing friends. This album is one of those, BUT I haven't lost tracks from a couple other 'various' albums I just checked (and had similarly scanned). If anyone knows where 'various' tracks go if they loose their association, they could be there I suppose.

As usual, I hadn't thought to Google this issue until I posted. I found a 37 page active chat about this and similar track loss that began in 2009 and continues to the present. I suppose this could be a random general problem. I can always re-rip the cd but I was (and am) afraid that the problem will repeat. I am still wondering if I accidently clicked on some setting that hid the tracks so they wouldn't repeat and now should change a setting that will un-hide them.

Well, I still don't know what I or i-tunes did to create the track manipulations I have described, but I have an update. I generally view my albums with the 'albums' setting in i-tunes. It generally shows a rectangular layout of albums (4 album covers wide) in artist (first name) alpha order. The missing tracks are from an album named 'Downtown Church' by Patty Griffin. I believe, but am not certain that the album was in the 'P' area But Just Now I see that I now have TWO copies of the album cover. One is in the 'p' area with an artist of Patty Griffin, and the other is under 'v' with an artist of 'various artists' . All of the tracks I briefly listened to, moved to the various artist album while the other tracks remained in the original album (ALL tracks, both albums, have multiple singers). I now have a Second Update. I played part of a track from the moved album just to be sure they played and to confirm they were the listened to tracks. Surprise, that track immediately disappeared and I found it back in the original Patty Griffin album!!! I just checked if any other albums listed under 'various' or 'various artists' also had duplicates and missing tracks, but they didn't.

Verr-ry In-ter-est-ing?

There are forums for everything and most certainly the ones for Apple "products" are numerous and enormous. Go to the right Apple support community and you'll find or be flooded with answers to your questions.

While many Apple users will respond to "how do you..." questions by saying "you just do it", I find much of Apple's stuff VERY unintuitive and difficult to use. I know I'm in the minority, most people indeed simply "just do it".