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Author Topic: media library points to the wrong location  (Read 2126 times)

Vinylista

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media library points to the wrong location
« on: July 14, 2011, 04:02:31 pm »

Hi together,

I'm using MC since version 13 and quite happy with the sonic abilities. But I'm an analog old school boy who prefer to set and forget it. So please be patient if my actual problem is only a problem with my restricted knowledge...

Today I came back from a journey and hooked up my Dell Mini back in my music rig. (I had it with me to check my mails from abroad)
After launching MC I've got several error informations about failed tagging and wrong direction of the library.

So I checked in tools>options>file locations: ét voila C:\ was the point instead of D:\ where my music library located.

Changed to 'D' but the same error just appears.

Finally I checked the library as shown in MC and found that all my music was named: E:\...
I neither have a HD called 'E' nor had one in the past !

So what's going wrong here ?

Thanks,
Martin

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fitbrit

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2011, 07:13:41 pm »

Just rename the E:\ drive back to what it was before. In Control Panels Items: Administrative tools: Computer management: Storage: Disk management
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Vinylista

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2011, 01:30:51 am »

thanks - but just to clarify: my HD is named 'D' as it should. It is in the library where all my files named 'E' and so couldn't be found.
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fitbrit

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2011, 06:14:54 am »

thanks - but just to clarify: my HD is named 'D' as it should. It is in the library where all my files named 'E' and so couldn't be found.

Strange! Select every file in your library. Go to options and choose Move, copy, rename files. Make sure you choose the option "update library.  Do not copy or move." or whatever the most silmilar option (and last) is at the top left drop down menu. Then check Find text and replace option. Make sure it's the only one if the three checked.  Enter E:\ under find, and D:\ under replace. Hit ok/enter.

Try thus on a few files first. Check that it works, then do the rest of the library. Some of the terminology I used will be approximate because I'm still in. Bed and typing on my iPhone.   
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Alex B

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2011, 09:41:07 am »

If you do like fitbrit advised, it will fix the paths easily, however:

Finally I checked the library as shown in MC and found that all my music was named: E:\...

I don't think the filenames inside the library (aka database) can change from D:\... to E:\... without a reason. Some odd error situation, for example, database corruption caused by a crash at a very unfortunate moment or caused by disk errors, would not systematically change the filename field values.

Is the "D:" drive external? Could it be possible that you have used the computer with some device that would have temporarily reserved the "D:" letter and the external drive would then have got the "E:" letter? The auto-importer could then have removed the files that point to "D:" and imported new library entries from "E:". You may want to check the "Date Imported" field values to see if they all have a recent date value. Also the "Number Plays" and "Last Played" field values would be reset in this case. The standard "static" playlists (i.e. not smartlists) would also be empty if they previously contained files from the "D:" drive.

If the "Date Imported" values indeed show a recent date, one possible cure would be to restore a library backup file that precedes this date. MC creates automatic library backup files periodically. By default they are stored in C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 16\Library Backups\ (Vista and Windows 7) or C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\J River\Media Center 16\Library Backups\ (XP).
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Alex B

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2011, 10:13:56 am »

Some of the terminology I used will be approximate ...

Here is a link that leads to my past instructions (which are at least intended to be terminologically correct):
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=59513.msg402867#msg402867  

A quote from one of those replies:
Quote
Fix the library to point to this new base path, for example, change C:\Music\ to E:\Media\ :

   - Select all files and open the Rename, Move & Copy Files tool.
   - Select the Update database point to new location (no file rename, move or copy) option
   - Tick only the Find & Replace option
   - Find what: C:\Music\
   - Replace with: E:\Media\

If you use this method take care that you have the correct amount of backslashes in both directory path strings. Both strings should either end with a backslash or end without a backslash. Check carefully the included filename preview area before proceeding.
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Vinylista

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2011, 12:22:23 pm »

Thanks for your advice !

I have already changed the name of my HDD to 'E' that seems to be the easiest way according to my IT knowledge...
Now everything works fine !
By the way, the same thing happened some time ago with MC 14 and I also had to changed the name of the HDD to another name.

To your questions: Yes it is a external HD and yes I moved the netbook away from my music rig. But I'm sure to close MC correctly before. And no, I didn't used any USB storage in the meantime. Only a UMTS surf stick if this is of interest.

Anyway, it works but it's just a miracle for me...

Thanks again for your help,
Martin
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Alex B

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Re: media library points to the wrong location
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2011, 12:32:32 pm »

My UMTS/3G/HSPA+ USB modem stick shows up as a CD drive (the installer files) and a flash memory card reader (it has a slot for a memory card). These may reserve drive letters.
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