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[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

I keep my music stored on an external hard drive. I also have an identical hard drive that I also download the exact same music to just in case my external drive goes down. 

So my drive stated today that is is corrupt and won't open.  So I was grateful for my back up.  I plugged the back up in and had to import the files as mc stated there were 0 files.  I have over 2 tb of music so it took a good half hour to import.

So all is well except that any designations I made in mc seem to be lost. Example: playlists I made while using the original hard drive (the one that went down) were missing, and if I made a change to the genre (which I do to track high resolution files easily) were also not available. 

Is there a way to match the track designations/playlists that were made in the original external hard drive to the identically stored music in the back up external hard drive I now am using mc to play?  Designating the high resolution files will take some time!!!   Or at the very least is there a way to ensure I can keep those designations moving forward if the hard drive goes down again (which I guess they all do eventually).

OK, I'm out the door to pick up another external hard drive so I can make a new back up.

Thank you!

Bob

[JimH]

Try the topic called Moving Files on the wiki. 

[wer]

You shot yourself in the foot a bit doing that import.

JRiver makes automatic backups of its database.

Starting over will let your recover your info. Here's what you should do:

1. Disable auto import, set fix broken links = OFF and leave it this way in the future to prevent future suffering.

2. Find the most recent MC library backup from prior to when you launched MC after the disaster.  Restore it.  IMMEDIATELY repeat step #1

3. Mount your backup drive so the files are accessible to MC, preferably with the same drive letter as the original.

4. If your files are at the same path on the backup drive, MC should see them and you're done.  If not, use Rename Move and Copy Files tool to fix the paths, using the "update database to point to new location" option.

That will get everything back to normal.  In future, you should consider writing all your tag changes to the media files themselves, and doing more regular backups of the media files to preserve those tag updates.

Good luck...

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

Thank you for your help!

And also,  I accidentally posted here on the MAC location when I am using Windows.

I tried to follow your instructions as best I could but I got mixed results. I ended up with many "albums" havinbg two sets of songs, one that was not connected to a music file, and the other was.  Most albums did not have the art work.  The playsists were reduced in the number of tracks.

But it worked well enough that I ahve some hope that there is a way to do this.  I wonder if the instructions for MAC and Windows is different for this?

Also, I am not sure I did everything correctly. So let me ask the following:

You said I should disable auto import.  I could couldn't see anything that directly said "disable auto import".  So what I did was go to the library tab and when to the area that is used to set up the auto import (see pic attached).  I opened that and removed the two pathways to my external hard drive that were identified there. That was also where I set the broken link to "off".  And then I saved that.

I then found the most recent back up and resotred it.

I then went back and again removed the pathways to the external hard drive as well as.

I then wasn't exactly sure what you meant by "mount your back up drive so the files were accessible to MC".  So what I did is go back to that same window and browsed for my external hard drive in the confirgure auto import area.  I did hit the run auto import, I just closed it. At that point the program began populating MC and that is where I am now.

So it seems like there is a way to fix it but I'm not sure I am doing it correctly........or if this are the instructions for a MAC but not windows?

Thanks again for your help. It is much appreciated!

Bob

Thoughts?

You shot yourself in the foot a bit doing that import.

JRiver makes automatic backups of its database.

Starting over will let your recover your info. Here's what you should do:

1. Disable auto import, set fix broken links = OFF and leave it this way in the future to prevent future suffering.

2. Find the most recent MC library backup from prior to when you launched MC after the disaster.  Restore it.  IMMEDIATELY repeat step #1

3. Mount your backup drive so the files are accessible to MC, preferably with the same drive letter as the original.

4. If your files are at the same path on the backup drive, MC should see them and you're done.  If not, use Rename Move and Copy Files tool to fix the paths, using the "update database to point to new location" option.

That will get everything back to normal.  In future, you should consider writing all your tag changes to the media files themselves, and doing more regular backups of the media files to preserve those tag updates.

Good luck...

[wer]

You ended up with multiple entries because you didn't disable auto import.

Read this article:
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Auto-Import

It tells you that in Options-Library &Folders there is an option "Run auto import in background"

That's what you have to uncheck to disable auto import.

With it turned on, it is constantly making changes to your library while you are trying to fix things.

Suggest you try again, disabling auto import this time.

Using UNC paths instead of a drive letter makes your job harder in this case as you can't trick windows by using the same drive letter.

Try following the instructions carefully from the beginning. If you restore the correct backup, you should only see one entry for each file.

[whataboutbob1]

You ended up with multiple entries because you didn't disable auto import.

Read this article:
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Auto-Import

It tells you that in Options-Library &Folders there is an option "Run auto import in background"

That's what you have to uncheck to disable auto import.

With it turned on, it is constantly making changes to your library while you are trying to fix things.

Suggest you try again, disabling auto import this time.

Using UNC paths instead of a drive letter makes your job harder in this case as you can't trick windows by using the same drive letter.

Try following the instructions carefully from the beginning. If you restore the correct backup, you should only see one entry for each file.

Hi,

Thanks again for your help. It seems I'm getting closer to having this fixed. 

I re-read and followed the instructions as best I could.  The info you provided to help find where I disable the auto improt was right on target. Thanks!

I did everything to the best of my ability. When I was done everything was repaired except for one thing.  The genre did not hold the original settings from the back up. 

The one instruction I kind of got lost on (and maybe the reason it didn't fix completely) was where you mention  to "mount your back up drive so the files are accessible to MC".  What I did to try to accomplish that was in the section where you configure the auto import. I browsed to find the external hard drive where my music files are stored and hit "finish". (see new attachment) That was the best I could figure out.  Was that what you meant by "mount your back up drive"?

Thanks again!

Bob

[wer]

Not exactly. By mount I meant the process by which you attach the drive (I didn't know your were talking about a network drive) and give it a drive letter.

But you were using a network drive with a UNC path. As I said before, you can't fake out MC if the UNC path is different.

Not sure why you retained everything except the Genre.

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

On the computer I am trying to get back in order I am actually using an external hard drive and not the NAS. The screen shot is from another computer I use MC with. 

So it sounds like I remover the external hard drive before I start the steps to fix?  And don't re-mount it until step 3? (I have been doing the steps with the external hard drive attached)  And if so, do I then browse to find the external hard drive in the "configure auto import section?  Or just use the letter of what the drive is?  So in the new example attached I would type in "C:"  ?   And do I then run auto import at that point, or just let alow it do do whatever comes next?

Thanks,

Bob

[wer]

Re-read the steps I gave you before more carefully.

You NEVER run auto import, or any other import.

Attach the backup drive (during step 3 is fine) so it has the same drive letter as the original drive, preferably.

[DJLegba]

Not sure why you retained everything except the Genre.

Perhaps this box was not checked:

[wer]

Won't matter, if the library is preserved. He's restoring a library backup.

[whataboutbob1]

Re-read the steps I gave you before more carefully.

You NEVER run auto import, or any other import.

Attach the backup drive (during step 3 is fine) so it has the same drive letter as the original drive, preferably.

Hi,

I have followed eerything to the letter (I hope) up through step 3.  At this point the art work is not there and when I click on a song it says the file isn't foun.  So I tried step 4.  Initially nothing happened.  So I was about to try the following (see attached screen shots)

[whataboutbob1]

I had to start by not going to "update data point to the new location but click on "move all files and then go to "update database to point to new location".  I haven't pressesd OK yet beause I'm not sure this is correct.

[wer]

No.

Try reading ALL the options on that drop down.

One of them says "Update database to point to new location (no rename move or copy)".

THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT.  Not the one you picked, that starts with the word COPY.

Do not check that box that says move all files...

BUT:

You only have do step 4 if your files are not at the same location they originally were.  If you don't know how to put your backup files where your originals were, you have to use the tool in step 4 to change the paths for all the files. Since your screenshot shows no change to the file name in the Rename Move & Copy Files dialog, I'm guessing that you do not know how to use this dialog, and have never used it before?  You could learn about it by googling "jriver rename move copy files".

It's beginning to seem you will require much more explicit step by step instructions with screenshots than I am at liberty to provide, since I'm away from home and don't have a copy of MC.  You might need someone on-site to help you. 

Perhaps if you provide comprehensive screenshots of your MC screen showing the missing files, that also shows the filename column so we can see where they used to be, and and a screenshot of your windows explorer screen showing where the files are now, someone will come along to give you a step-by-step screenshot to tell you exactly what you have to do to fix it.  I tried to make my instructions as straightforward as possible, but I'm sorry they weren't what was needed to see you through.

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

First, I want to thank you for your time and effort. It is much appreciated.

Second, I think I have this fixed.  By following your instruction, and then doing a little improvising at the end, it looks like all areas are working as if nothing ever happened.  A huge relief!

The final piece of the puzzle came to me earlier today.  I needed to rename the external hard drive folder to match the exact title in the backup I was restoring from.  By doing that I am guessing the back up version I restored now thinks it is using the exact hard drive that crashed?

Finally, thank you one more time for your help!!!

And if you celebrate the holidays....... Merry Christmas and Happy New years!!!!

Bob

[wer]

Great! That's what I was saying in step 4: if the path to the file is exactly the same, MC will find them and think nothing happened, and you're done.

I'm glad you're all sorted out.  Good job.