Can I set Itunes to prevent purchased media from ever being deleted?

If it didn’t say that, then it isn’t deleting the song from your hard drive, you can import songs from say a CD you ripped onto your computer, however this file is saved elsewhere, and when you hit delete, it just removed it from your playlist, not your actual computer.

However, if itunes re-formats it into say AAC or something else because it can’t (or an ipod can’t) read that format, it will save it into %users\%user\Music\iTunes\iTunes Music, and it will ask you if you want to send the song to your recycle bin, if you select yes, it will send that downloaded via itunes store song, or reformatted song to the bin.

Remember though, itunes store keeps a track of all the songs you buy, so if you accidentally delete a song you bought (unless its free of the week), you can redownload it.

hope this helps :)

they are still in your trash can / recycling bin. If they are not there they are in your iTunes folder.

If you emptied the trash can contact apple. Let them know you made an error and they will let you download them again for free. This will only work once.