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Author Topic: Library backup  (Read 1530 times)

TunaOnToast

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Library backup
« on: March 13, 2010, 12:05:39 pm »

I'm in the process of going from Windows Home Server back to Windows 2003 on my server computer. WHS use a storage pool and not drive letters as other Windows versions does. The folder structure itself will be intact but the drive letters will be changed.
If I do a library backup and restore the library again on Win2k3 will all my tags, ratings and custom library fields be restored?
I also presume that once the library is restored I can do a Rename, Move & Copy Files --> Update database.... -->Find & Replace to point to the new drive letters?

I want to be 100% sure that I don't loose any tags or such before attempting this.
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Alex B

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Re: Library backup
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2010, 05:41:03 pm »

That should work fine. Just remember to select the option to make the changes only in the database if that is what you want to do (...and naturally store the library backup file in a safe place, just in case something unexpected happens).

The only thing that may cause problems is a situation in which you restore a library backup file that points to an accessible path, which however doesn't contain the media files anymore. The "fix broken links" Auto-Import setting is always enabled by default when a library is restored. The cleaning process starts immediately after a restore and the missing files may be removed faster than you can change the setting. Offline files are fine as long as the drive is missing completely from the OS.

It is always a good idea to rehearse any big changes beforehand. Create a small test library that contains a few copied test folders and experiment with the "RM&CF" tool.

EDIT

You may also want to back up any cover art and screencrab images you may have in the default location in the application data folder and perhaps also a couple of older automatic library backup files.
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TunaOnToast

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Re: Library backup
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2010, 04:28:40 am »

The only thing that may cause problems is a situation in which you restore a library backup file that points to an accessible path, which however doesn't contain the media files anymore. The "fix broken links" Auto-Import setting is always enabled by default when a library is restored. The cleaning process starts immediately after a restore and the missing files may be removed faster than you can change the setting. Offline files are fine as long as the drive is missing completely from the OS.

This had me a tad worried, but when you say that offline files will not be affected I think it should be fine.
Should be a simple matter of not installing any of the drives other than the system drive. That way all the media will be offline and I can change the "Fix broken links" setting.
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TunaOnToast

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Re: Library backup
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2010, 08:17:58 am »

The process worked pretty well. However I have encountered a problem.
After I restored my library and updated the locations to point to the new drives the Auto-Import folders are gone. If I add these again MC seems to overwrite my library and thus I loose tag changes or some of them. Ratings are atleast gone.

Is there a way to get around this and add the Auto-Import folders again without having MC overwrite my tags?
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