Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MNP500]

Before I get too far into ripping my 1000 CDs on my desktop computer, I suppose I should ask this question now rather than later.  I want to move the external HD to my laptop which will be in my stereo cabinet. Will the new install of MC be able to import everything and preserve all my tag changes, cover art, and program modifications (like new views etc)??

[jtwrace]

Yes.  Make sure you backup your library and you'll be fine.  

File > Library > Backup Library

**NOTE**
This does NOT backup your music files, it will only backup the JRiver Library.  Make sure you have a backup of your data.  Actually, make sure you have more than one backup.  

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Backup_Library

[MrHaugen]

Remember to check the box for backup of settings as well, and the new installation will be a breeze.

[MNP500]

Thanks! So the tags and field descriptions e.g. album name, are stored in the MC library, and not with the data (FLAC files) ?

[MrHaugen]

It's mainly stored in the library. But meta data can also be written to sidecar files if tagging is not supported. Most video files have sidecar files. Most music files does not.

[csimon]

Thanks! So the tags and field descriptions e.g. album name, are stored in the MC library, and not with the data (FLAC files) ?

MC works from the data in its library but it will use metadata in the files themselves to populate it when you import and, under your control, it will also write tags back to the file when you make changes. This is a setting on each tag in Tools/Options/Library & Folders/Manage Library Fields. But anyway, as long as you've got a backup, restoring it will restore all of the tags to the library.

[MNP500]

Remember to check the box for backup of settings as well, and the new installation will be a breeze.

I'm doing this now but don't see any check box for backing up settings..??

[elderavelas]

What if the files will be in a drive with a different letter or in a different folder?
I've already tried to importing a library backup to a second computer (trying to mirror MC of the main computer to a notebook) using an external drive with the same letter of the original drive and with the files stored in a folder with the same name of the original one. It worked but some cover art were missing. This happened to albums with a single ape or flac file and a cue file.

[crisnee]

Did you import the files on the new computer? If not, do that. Since you tried to duplicate the exact circumstances of your other setup, you might actually not have to import because you "fooled" MC to thinking it's in the original place. (This is just speculation on my part and could be completely off).

However, if you didn't fool it perfectly....

Anyway, if import doesn't/didn't work, it may be some kind of glitch to do with single file albums or folders.

-Chris

[csimon]

I'm doing this now but don't see any check box for backing up settings..??

Actually, there's no option ont he backup, it automatically backs up everything. The option is on the restore so you can choose whether to restore library or settings or both.

[MNP500]

I just installed MC on my laptop and restored the library that I've been building on my desktop. So now on my laptop it lists all my albums etc, but of course can't play anything yet.  I also made a copy of my music and cover art, and that too resides on the ext drive attached to my laptop. So now, I'm a little confused: Do I import all those files.. or do I somehow have MC point to those files that I copied?? Obviously, I don't want MC to look for cover art because I have all the cover art already in place and some of it is custom.  Thanks

[csimon]

For this to work, the files need to be in the same place on the laptop as they were on the desktop, i.e. if they were in D:\Media\Music on the desktop, then they must reside on D:\Media\Music from the laptop's point of view, as this is the path that is stored in the library that you have just restored.  If the path to the files is now different and you can't rename the drive letter assigned to the ext drive for example, then you can use the Find/Replace liubrary tool to change the path of all media items in the library.  See http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Library_Tools

[MNP500]

I changed the drive letter and it worked!  thanks!