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[lepa]

As this question rises quite frequently here in the forums I decided to write instructions of one way how to do this. Similar instructions can be found in the forum already so you can also search for those. Using method like this you don't need to do any re-import and therefore you don't lose any data as MC keeps using same database as before.

Please inform about possible errors in the steps or if something is missing

Drives/Folders used in this example:
    Source drive's music root:
        C:\Users\Public\Music\
    Destination drive's music root:
        D:\Media\Music\
   
1. Use your system's file manager to move the entire music root folder (source) as it is to your new drive (destination).

2. When files are moved to destination drive, you need to update MC's database to point to this new destination location. Tool to do that is called "Rename, Move, and Copy Files" tool

3. In MC select all the (music) files which were on source drive. Press F6 to open "Rename, Move, and Copy Files" (or open it via Tools ==> Libary Tools ==> Rename, Move, and Copy Files)
  - NOTE: It might be a good idea to first select only couple of files and try with those before doing the whole database
  - NOTE 2: It is also always a good idea to backup your library before starting big operations

4. Set tool to update mode (Update database to point to new location...). As files are already moved we only need to update database's file path to match the new location

5. Check only "Find & Replace". Uncheck everything else

6. Set find and replace values. This will change the file paths in database for the selected files. You need to fill these according to YOUR source and destination folders. Below values only works in context of this example.
    Example:
        - Set "Find What":     C:\Users\Public\Music\
        - Set "Replace With": D:\Media\Music\

7. Look at the preview panel to see that destination location matches the location of files in your new destination drive. If not you need check your values set in step 6.

8. After reviewing some rows in the preview panel. Press OK to apply database changes and try to play some files to verify that operation was successful

9. If you had configured auto import to watch source directory remember to update it to destination directory

Wiki Refs:
[ Edit by JimH -- There is also a wiki topic here: Moving_Files  Thanks, lepa. ]
Auto-Import

[lepa]

reserved space

[rec head]

3. In MC select all the (music) files which were on source drive. Press F6 to open "Rename, Move, and Copy Files" (or open it via Tools ==> Libary Tools ==> Rename, Move, and Copy Files)
  - NOTE: It might be a good idea to first select only couple of files and try with those before doing the whole database

Thanks for the helpful writeup. For clarification on #3 is there a way in MC to only display only the files that "were on the source drive" so that is easier to select them?

[JimH]

Search for the drive letter.

[lepa]

Thanks,
One way I guess would be to use Drives & Devices view.

Following example paths:
1. Select "C:\Users\Public\Music" in Drives & Devices
2. Set Mode to: "Only Files in Library" and check "Show Files in Subfolders"

MC should now show all the library files under that path


There are of course other ways but tried to think something simple enough which will also show all of files because if you do search filter on some view the view itself might have filtered out some of the files from the source drive