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[This2ShallPass]

I've set my Id Classic to hold my library backups. I've had an MC25 on a WinPC install knock out my library. Can I library backup files from an Id to a home network drive/WinPC on the same network, and restore that library on MC 25 on my PC? I don't know linux.

[JimH]

Linux libraries won't restore cleanly in Windows.

If you lost  your Windows library, try searching for backups (*.zip files).  MC makes them automatically.

You can also restore a backup from a previous version of MC.

[This2ShallPass]

Yep. None of my backups have files in them. 

[RoderickGI]

Hunt around and bit and see if you can find backups in another location. MC keeps using a location until you change it, and doesn't move it from say a MC24 sub-directory to a MC25 sub-directory during the upgrade.

The backups that you found, are they dated recently? The easiest way to see where the where automatic backups would happen now is to start a manual Library Backup, and see where it would put the backup. It should be as per the setting in "Options > File Location", which if you haven't updated it, could be under a MC18 sub-directory!

Unless you had a catastrophic failure, there should be recent backups around somewhere. I get a new automatic backup every two to five days.

[This2ShallPass]

Ah, you are all so hopeful and enthusiastic. Alas, this is all I have (see attached). And none of them yields my files. Boy, re-importing is reaallllllyyyy gonna hurt. Not sure I can do this again. I've had so many issues over the years...

[RoderickGI]

  We have to be optimistic!

At least you will know to make sure you have a good backup this time, after the import process finishes. Plus maybe check your backups every now and then, to see that they are still being made. My backups are backed up to a separate drive by backup software. Can't be too sure!

PS: Sorry about the pain. Starting almost from scratch would suck.

[This2ShallPass]

And after tons of thought, I think I need to think again about trying to restore from Linux, no matter how dirty. The real pain of recreating is Playlists. With my issues over the years, I've got a steady set of fewer Playlists, but to me, this is the beauty and personal joy of a music library.

In fact, I'm surprised how few posts there seem to be about Playlists.

JimH... can you help a brother out? I just can't let go...

[RoderickGI]

The Id is still working, correct? It has the playlists in it, correct?

Export the playlists from the Id and Import them into the Windows library. That functionality should work fine.

[This2ShallPass]

Great, I'll give it a whirl, once I learn how to read network paths in linux (I don't know how to navigate in the Id interface to save the m3u files on my network where I can see them from my Win desktop).

Assuming, BTW, that I re-import all my music first, so that the playlists can pick up the songs?

[RoderickGI]

Assuming, BTW, that I re-import all my music first, so that the playlists can pick up the songs?

That would be a good assumption, as Playlists in MC are really just tags on the files they refer to. They can't exist without the referenced files, unlike external Playlist files such as mpl and m3u playlists. The file locations would have to match as well. If not, you would need to edit the playlists before import to point them to the correct folder structure and file locations.

It would probably be best to use mpl playlist files for this exercise. I think.

[This2ShallPass]

Really appreciate your engagement on this, RoderickGI.

Yes, familiar with the whole tag + file necessity.

BTW, MPL playlist files are not an option for export from the Id. Only M3U or M3U8. Your selection sir?

[RoderickGI]

M3U8 is supposed to be better. But I think the contents are identical unless there are some special characters in the names etc.

Is there an M3U Extended option? That adds a little bit of metadata, which when used with compilation albums (Multiple Artists), might work better.

[This2ShallPass]

This is all I see.

[RoderickGI]

I guess it is M3U8 then.

I have never had an Id, or even played with Linux for quite some time. I don't have the desire to do so anymore actually. But the Id is a good device for sharing audio in a MC environment, by all reports.