INTERACT FORUM

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Moving music library from failing NAS drive  (Read 4657 times)

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« on: November 04, 2016, 11:14:54 am »

Hi,

My entire music library is residing on an ailing NAS that is on its last legs.  I'd like to be able to move the entire music library over to the new one.  I can copy the music files themselves easily enough but am not sure how to, or if I can, copy the data that Media Center has regarding the music especially the custom tagging of DSD/DFF files that I'd really not to lose in the transition but am not sure exactly what commands I need to either save or export that information when I create the new library that resides on the new network drive.

Can anyone please assist me in this?  Thank you!
Logged

mwillems

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 5233
  • "Linux Merit Badge" Recipient
Re: Trying to avert a disaster! Please help!
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2016, 11:25:35 am »

Hi,

My entire music library is residing on an ailing NAS that is on its last legs.  I'd like to be able to move the entire music library over to the new one.  I can copy the music files themselves easily enough but am not sure how to, or if I can, copy the data that Media Center has regarding the music especially the custom tagging of DSD/DFF files that I'd really not to lose in the transition but am not sure exactly what commands I need to either save or export that information when I create the new library that resides on the new network drive.

Can anyone please assist me in this?  Thank you!

In the JRiver interface choose File-->Library-->Backup library.  If you make sure both boxes are checked, this will save the mediacenter database and your settings to a location of your choosing. It won't do anything with the actual music files, but it will save the database info (i.e. custom tags, etc.).
Logged

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: Trying to avert a disaster! Please help!
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2016, 11:34:14 am »

Thanks much!  That will be a lifesaver!
Logged

blgentry

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8014
Re: Trying to avert a disaster! Please help!
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2016, 01:49:39 pm »

MC is installed on a PC right?  It's just your data files that are moving from one NAS to another NAS?  If so, you don't need to recreate your library.  In fact, doing so will only be an extra step.

DO MAKE A LIBRARY BACKUP before you start this.  That will be your insurance.

Then, after you copy the files to the new NAS, you just need to tell MC that the files have moved.  You do this using the Rename, Move, and Copy files tool in UPDATE mode.  You probably want to use the Find & Replace Template section of the Rename, Move, and Copy files tool.

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Find_and_Replace_Template

Essentially, you want to tell MC, "I've moved these files from the M: drive to the P: drive".  Or whatever your drive letters are.

Brian.
Logged

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: Trying to avert a disaster! Please help!
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2016, 05:34:49 pm »

Hi Brian.  Your understanding of what I want to do is correct.  I'll check out the wiki you mentioned to "bone up" on things.  Thanks for the help!
Logged

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: Trying to avert a disaster! Please help!
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2016, 06:43:00 am »

Bummer!  The first time I tried it, it put all the files, without subdirectories, into the root directory of the new drive.  More research on my part needed.  At least I was able to back up the original library  ;D
Logged

blgentry

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8014
Re: Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2016, 06:56:00 am »

^ If you need a tool to help you make an exact copy from one NAS to another, you might try free file sync:

http://www.freefilesync.org/

It's worked well for me in the past.

Brian.
Logged

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2016, 08:34:20 am »

Thanks for the tip.  I was able to copy all the music files from NAS drive Y:\ (music files in directory order by artist) to the new drive which is local D:\.  When I try to do any sort of manipulation selecting files currently in the library and moving them from Y:\ to the local "D" drive, MC doesn't restore the original directory structure but, rather, places all 20k+ files in the root directory of that drive.

I am doing something wrong or MC is not capable of reconstructing the original directory structure on the new drive.  I'll keep hacking away  ;D to see if I can get it done.
Logged

blgentry

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8014
Re: Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2016, 08:49:47 am »

Thanks for the tip.  I was able to copy all the music files from NAS drive Y:\ (music files in directory order by artist) to the new drive which is local D:\.

OK, so the files themselves have been copied successfully to the right place?  If so, great.

Quote
When I try to do any sort of manipulation selecting files currently in the library and moving them from Y:\ to the local "D" drive, MC doesn't restore the original directory structure but, rather, places all 20k+ files in the root directory of that drive.

I assume you're just trying to update MC and not use MC to actually copy or move files.  Because the files are already copied right?  If so, we need to use RM&C in UPDATE mode.  That's at the top of the RM&C tool.

Next, uncheck Directories and Filename.  Do CHECK Find & Replace.  Then, in the find and replace section:

Find What: Y:\
Replace with: D:\

That will replace the drive letter with the new one.  If the leading path has changed, you can alter the find and replace values so the correct directory is used. 

Notice that there's a preview window off to the right that shows what's going to happen.  Look at the preview and make sure it looks correct before you press OK.  If it's not correct, change values until it is.

Brian.
Logged

Sky King

  • Galactic Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 298
Re: Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2016, 09:35:07 am »

Thanks again for the help Brian!  I apologize for being "thick headed".  The files (subdirectories and their children), arranged by artist, are in the root of "Y".  I copied those same data files (directory structure intact) onto the new, local drive "D" and have them all located in D:\LUMIN (the name of my streamer).  I'll give what you recommend a try and get back to you.  I'll also be careful to watch in the preview window for anything unexpected or unwanted.

Success!  Thank you so much Brian!  You made me a happy camper!
Logged

blgentry

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8014
Re: Moving music library from failing NAS drive
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2016, 10:05:55 am »

Awesome.  Glad to hear it worked out.  :)

Take care,

Brian.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up