winamp 5.2pro: "error initializing database"

[lourdess777]

SSSOOOO...just made the jump to pro so I could burn faster before a concert I'm heading to (today...arg)

Just after I rip the last song to burn, it (Winamp) shuts my computer down! Restarts it, should I say. After the reboot, I open the winamp 5.2 pro to find and assign a destination for the last song before the burn, only to find the message "error initializing database"! I've defragged my system, ran a disk clean up, and restarted to find no difference...I promised this CD to a freind and it's really important to me that I get it to them...HELP?!

OS: Windows XP home SP2 (i think)
sound card: ?
vid: ?
512RAM
Winamp 5.2pro

p.s.
Am afraid to un and reinstall as I just got it, and don't know what process to get my pro back without having to pay again..PLUS, I spent ALL night ripping and downloading tunes that I don't have time to redo today as I am preparing for a 10 hour road trip...I hope I've given you enough info; if not let me know what else you need and I'll do m best to get it for you (not a techie type person...just love my net and music :} ) Thank You.

[siebe83]

Your problem is most likely caused by a corrupt Media Library database.

Try deleting the file main.dat in C:\Program Files\Winamp\Plugins\ml while Winamp is closed.
This will clear the ML database: all ratings/playcounts will be lost. Tips on backing up ratings can be found here (if that's still possible).

If that doesn't help, delete the entire folder ml and if that doesn't help, also the file gen_ml.ini (both in C:\Program Files\Winamp\Plugins). All views and playlists in the ML will be deleted. If you want you can backup the ML playlists. They are in the ml folder and are called plf****.m3u. Just copy them to another location.

If you don't want to lose data again in the future:

winamp.ini, studio.xnf, gen_ml.ini, reg entries, backups etc
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=158332
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=209601

Note: if you've chosen (during install) to keep separate settings for each user, settings are stored here instead:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Winamp

[lourdess777]

I have no ML folder in there! I have a couple of pages that are labled ml_("")...but no folders with anything about ML and I've opened every one. No main.dat that I can find either...how do I reinstall it without having to pay again?...or do they have me registered somewhere?...arg!

[siebe83]

Mmh, that's weird... Are you entirely sure?
(Btw, ml_*.dll files are Media Library plugins)

Did you install Winamp to C:\Program Files\Winamp?
Did you tell the Winamp installer to keep separate settings for each user? (and if so, did you look in the application data folder instead?)


You do have the registration key somewhere, I assume?
I don't have the Pro version myself, not sure how that all works. If you forgot the key, see here:
http://store.winamp.com/dr/v2/ec_mai...=10343&pn=1#q5

Also, by doing a clean install you won't lose tracks you downloaded/ripped before, as long as you didn't store the tracks in your Winamp folder.


But I suggest you look for that ml folder first; it really should be there... Maybe the folder got hidden somehow. In that case you will need to configure Windows to show hidden files and folders. In Windows Explorer:
menu Tools > Folder Options > View tab > select 'Show hidden files and folders'

A screenshot of the Winamp plugins folder may be useful as well...

[Dave South445]

Originally posted by siebe83
Your problem is most likely caused by a corrupt Media Library database.

Try deleting the file main.dat in C:\Program Files\Winamp\Plugins\ml while Winamp is closed.
This will clear the ML database: all ratings/playcounts will be lost. Tips on backing up ratings can be found here (if that's still possible).



>>>I'm using XP---deleted file main.dat.
>>>and emptied the media library
>>>Related: I think now I am going to use
>>>Documents and Settings as the watch folder,
>>>and the library should function better that way.

>>>Thanks

If that doesn't help, delete the entire folder ml and if that doesn't help, also the file gen_ml.ini (both in C:\Program Files\Winamp\Plugins). All views and playlists in the ML will be deleted. If you want you can backup the ML playlists. They are in the ml folder and are called plf****.m3u. Just copy them to another location.

If you don't want to lose data again in the future:

winamp.ini, studio.xnf, gen_ml.ini, reg entries, backups etc
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=158332
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=209601

Note: if you've chosen (during install) to keep separate settings for each user, settings are stored here instead:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Winamp

I'm using XP---deleted main. Works now.