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[jmone]

I've got two PCs:
1) WinXP (main HTPC) - MC on C: Drive - all media on D: Drive
2) Vista (main Home PC) - MC on C: Drive - COPY of HTPC's media on a local D: Drive (for back up and playing while I am working)

Can I take a "Back Up" of my HTPC library and use it to "Restore Library" on my Vista box without it doing anything weird (I want to keep my tags etc the same between the two boxs)

Thanks
Nathan

[Alex B]

I do that all the time. If the file links are correct on both PCs a restored library is not different from an "original".

If you want to restore the other way around too (from the PC2 to the PC1) you may want to disable the Auto-Importer or at least the "Fix broken links" and "Update for external changes" import options on both PCs so that an occasional mistake with the media files backup process wouldn't automatically change the library.

The only slight problem is with the thumbnails. MC resets the cached thumbnails on each library restore. Personally, I have avoided this by copying the library files and the thumbnail cache files outside MC. This can work only if the library and thumbnail cache are from the same "snapshot" so both MC instances must be closed when the files are copied.

[AoXoMoXoA]

The only slight problem is with the thumbnails. MC resets the cached thumbnails on each library restore.

This has been my main issue with using this method.

Personally, I have avoided this by copying the library files and the thumbnail cache files outside MC. This can work only if the library and thumbnail cache are from the same "snapshot" so both MC instances must be closed when the files are copied.

Are there any other 'terms & conditions' which must be met for this to work? (Directory structure naming for example)

[jmone]

Thanks - I'd like to aviod rebulding thumbs - so I like the off line file / folder copyin method you suggest.  What are the specific "Library Files" & "Cache Files" that need to be copied?
Nathan

[Alex B]

Thanks - I'd like to aviod rebulding thumbs - so I like the off line file / folder copyin method you suggest.  What are the specific "Library Files" & "Cache Files" that need to be copied?

Library

Copy the .jmd library files from the first library location to the second. The folder name doesn't matter. It is enough that this particular library is active. The default location on XP is C:\Document & Settings\[your user name]\Application Data\J River\Media Center 12\Library\... , but you can make things easier by creating a new library to an easier path. (I use C:\[replace this with a very short folder name]\ )

The library folder usually contains also some view scheme sorting related files under the Cache\File List Sort subfolder. These are not necessary, but you can copy them as well (include the subfolder structure).

Thumbnails

It is essential that the thumbnail .jmd files are copied to the correct folder.
The default location on XP is: C:\Documents and Settings\[your user name]\Application Data\J River\Media Center 12\Thumbnails\[an essential code that is a library identifier]\Normal (v3)\

You can change the default location if you are familiar with registry editing. You should not try to do that if you are not sure about what you are doing. This thread has more info: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?PHPSESSID=cccfb4c2911490c63a06cf846293e565&topic=35990.0

You may want to create a small test library and experiment with it first. Also, as always, it is good to backup everything before proceeding.

[jmone]

Thanks Alex - having a play now - the locations are a bit differnt on the Vista Box but I see I have multiple "[an essential code that is a library identifier]\Normal (v3)\" in the Thumbnail directory on both systems".  I take it that only ONE of these is the current one and that this one folder needs to contain the .jmd files.
Thanks
Nathan

[jmone]

Thanks - I've think I've got it going just fine!  As I only use the one Library I "assume" that it is OK to remove the other / old "[an essential code that is a library identifier]\Normal (v3)\" directories in the Thumbnail directory
Nathan

[Alex B]

Thanks - I've think I've got it going just fine!  As I only use the one Library I "assume" that it is OK to remove the other / old "[an essential code that is a library identifier]\Normal (v3)\" directories in the Thumbnail directory

Each library has its own identifier code and a separate thumbnail folder. If you delete these folders the worst thing that can happen is that you lose the thumbnails and MC recreates the folders and the thumbnails.

Since you use only one library you should be able to easily find out which folder contains the most recent thumbnail files.

[jmone]

Since you use only one library you should be able to easily find out which folder contains the most recent thumbnail files.

Yup they have old last modified dates - all gone now! FYI the Vista Path is "C:\Users\[your user name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\....."

I also see that the View Schemes & T'View settings did not copy across so I presume they are in another file or directory (no a biggie as I just made the change manually)?

Thanks
Nathan

[Mastiff]

View Schemes should copy perfectly. But I have seen this happen in a few instances, and I found the resaon quite soon. You sure you don't have two different versions of MC12? If you export from a newer beta than the one you import to, you may loose stuff like that.

[glynor]

I didn't read this entire thread (I know, I'm bad), but...

I do this, and I've posted my scripts to automate the process here:  http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=35978.0

[jmone]

View Schemes should copy perfectly. But I have seen this happen in a few instances, and I found the resaon quite soon. You sure you don't have two different versions of MC12? If you export from a newer beta than the one you import to, you may loose stuff like that.

That could be it! - I've quite often got different beta versions on the two PC (the Wife/Kids want to watch stuff on the HTPC not play around with all the cool new features - weird I know!)

[jmone]

I didn't read this entire thread (I know, I'm bad), but...

I do this, and I've posted my scripts to automate the process here:  http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=35978.0

Thanks Glynor - I'll have a play and see how I go!

[Mastiff]

(the Wife/Kids want to watch stuff on the HTPC not play around with all the cool new features - weird I know!)

No, that's not weird. Women and children don't know their own good. What I find weird is that you give them a choice! I just install stuff...

[jmone]

No, that's not weird. Women and children don't know their own good. What I find weird is that you give them a choice! I just install stuff...

Yeah but I've been banned from hacking / upgrading all sorts of stuff (like the sons PS3, PSP etc) as apparantly it leaves me in a bad mood and the familly without a working device!

[Mastiff]

Ah! I forgot that you live in the politically correct world (in other words everywhere there aren't still vikings, like in Norway and parts of Sweden, Denmark and Finland). You're supposed to be angry for a few hours and then use an axe or similar device to get it all working again. No pain, no gain. That's what shows that you're a real man!

[glynor]

What I find weird is that you give them a choice! I just install stuff...

Ha ha ha ha!!   

If you don't ask, they can't say no.