Moving library to another drive

PatrickNeil · 10th July 2008, 20:40

As my music library has grown, I've found the need to move it to a drive on my computer with more space. However, before I delete the files from their original space, I want to know if there's a way I can save the media library data.

I've found plugins such as ml_org and Media Library Stat Restore, though I don't think either does exactly what I want. What I can do, is use the Library Export plugin to export an XML file, open it and change all "c:/" to "g:/". This only seems to get half of my music, but I'll work with it to see why.

What about the playlists? I know I've read before about requests for a way to re-link playlist files after they've been moved. Again, I could export the list, edit it with notepad, and re-import.

Lastly, and I'm know I'm getting greedy here, how about history? Is there a way to change all that from pointing to one drive to another? Finally, is there any logic to what I'm doing? Will clearing 40gigs from my hard drive cause any noticeable difference in speed for other programs? Would that just be offset by the slow speed it would take to access the other (external) hardrive?

Patrick

traflaz · 11th July 2008, 22:21

I agree with you. This kind of feature/plug-in would be very useful and a great time saver.

Batter Pudding · 13th July 2008, 12:51

I would also use that feature.

I have a 30,000+ collection of tunes on one of my spare PCs. So they are all indexed using UNC paths - all starting \\PCNAME\public\music\. And I have realised that I will now need to always keep the tunes on that same PC, with the same weird path, because of the library.

So YES PLEASE to a Media Library editor.

OR at least a published hack to be able to do this as a big "search and replace" action on a file.

(I have looked at the dat files with a hex editor before, and I can see all the details there... just not been brave enough to hack it yet.)

As to playing from an external hard drive: Shouldn't be a problem. I play my tunes over a 100Mbps network without any hassles. (BIG hint... buy TWO external drives. Use one as a backup, and one for "live" use... otherwise you will cry when that external drive gets knocked off your desk by the cat and kills all your tunes....

And yes - you will see a benefit of getting that 40GB of music of your main hard disk. Especially once you defrag.

10th July 2008, 20:40	#1
PatrickNeil Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 95	Moving library to another drive As my music library has grown, I've found the need to move it to a drive on my computer with more space. However, before I delete the files from their original space, I want to know if there's a way I can save the media library data. I've found plugins such as ml_org and Media Library Stat Restore, though I don't think either does exactly what I want. What I can do, is use the Library Export plugin to export an XML file, open it and change all "c:/" to "g:/". This only seems to get half of my music, but I'll work with it to see why. What about the playlists? I know I've read before about requests for a way to re-link playlist files after they've been moved. Again, I could export the list, edit it with notepad, and re-import. Lastly, and I'm know I'm getting greedy here, how about history? Is there a way to change all that from pointing to one drive to another? Finally, is there any logic to what I'm doing? Will clearing 40gigs from my hard drive cause any noticeable difference in speed for other programs? Would that just be offset by the slow speed it would take to access the other (external) hardrive? Patrick

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11th July 2008, 22:21	#2
traflaz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 45	I agree with you. This kind of feature/plug-in would be very useful and a great time saver.

13th July 2008, 12:51	#3
Batter Pudding Major Dude Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,358	I would also use that feature. I have a 30,000+ collection of tunes on one of my spare PCs. So they are all indexed using UNC paths - all starting \\PCNAME\public\music\. And I have realised that I will now need to always keep the tunes on that same PC, with the same weird path, because of the library. So YES PLEASE to a Media Library editor. OR at least a published hack to be able to do this as a big "search and replace" action on a file. (I have looked at the dat files with a hex editor before, and I can see all the details there... just not been brave enough to hack it yet.) As to playing from an external hard drive: Shouldn't be a problem. I play my tunes over a 100Mbps network without any hassles. (BIG hint... buy TWO external drives. Use one as a backup, and one for "live" use... otherwise you will cry when that external drive gets knocked off your desk by the cat and kills all your tunes.... And yes - you will see a benefit of getting that 40GB of music of your main hard disk. Especially once you defrag.