Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [MM2+]

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dtsig
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by dtsig »

I tried this script today because MMW moved files to a drive, using Auto-Organize, and now fails to recognize them.

When I fire up your script it says
Old drive: HD:TV Series2 and Movies (N:), ID=CA0ABC13
Old Path: N:\Movies\
Old Location: 2694 media files, 0 existing + 2694 missing files

I set New path to P:\Movies using the button

It then says
New Location: 2693 existing + 1 missing files

I then select "Update paths ... " and click Update.

Says it will not physically copy ...Are you sure? I click OK and instantly it comes back with

Update finished in 0.32 seconds. But nothing has changed in the DB. All files that were n:\movies are still n:\movies.

Thoughts on how to get this script to update the paths

Thanks
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ZvezdanD
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by ZvezdanD »

dtsig wrote:Thoughts on how to get this script to update the paths
Reading your post from another thread, it seems that your old and new drives have the same serial number. If you want to keep attached both drives in the same computer, it is highly recommended to change the serial number for one of them with some tool like VolumeID by Sysinternals.

If that doesn't help, please upload copy of your database packed with Zip to some file server like Dropbox and send me a link to it using my e-mail.
Magic Nodes 4.3.3 / 5.2 RegExp Find & Replace 4.4.9 / 5.2  Invert Selection/Select None 1.5.1  Export/Create Playlists for Child Nodes 4.1.1 / 5.4.1  Expand Child Nodes/Expand All 1.1.2  Event Logger 2.7  Filtered Statistics Report 1.6  Track Redirection & Synchronization 3.4.2  Restore/Synchronize Database 3.1.8 / 4.0.1  Find Currently Playing Track 1.3.2  Queue List 1.2.1  Add to Library on Play 1.0.1  Tree Report for Child Nodes 1.1.1  Update Location of Files in Database 1.4.5 / 2.3  Inherit Child Playlists 1.0.3  Add Currently Playing/Selected Track(s) to Playlist 1.2
dtsig
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by dtsig »

After entering the volumeid command 4 times (exactly the same) and getting the usage message each time and rebooting each time .. it finally worked. MMW can now see the drive in all facets of operation (not just moving then ignoring).

I get that using the volume id *might be* a good feature, but when a user can't just slap on another drive and have it work there needs to be some thinking about the underlying process in MMW.

Thanks ZvezdanD .. your knowledge fixed another issue ..
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Peke
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by Peke »

Please note that NTFS Partition Serial is not in format XXXX-XXXX but in XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX so changing last 8 Digits are not actually changing Serial Number just part of it XXXX-XXXX is serial for FAT32.

I would suggest http://www.partitionwizard.com/ Free/Home version of MiniTool Partition Wizard as it can change Full NTFS Serial Number.

Warning: Some Windows Services and Apps use that hidden parts of serial to verify licenses.
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Peke
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dtsig
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by dtsig »

Seems like a real good reason not to use the serial number.
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ZvezdanD
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by ZvezdanD »

There is a lot of talk about this in the Forum, but I will say it anyway. MediaMonkey is using serial number of drives to distinguish them instead of their drive letters. In that way you could attach some removable drive to the computer and MM will recognize it no matter which drive letter Windows assign to it. However, this could work only if your drives have unique serial numbers.

Speaking about NTFS:
1. MediaMonkey is storing only last 4 bytes of the NTFS partition serial numbers in its Medias table, the same 4 bytes that are displayed with the Dir command for some drive, i.e. the same 4 bytes that VolumeID could change.

2. Update Location add-on is using SerialNumber property of the FileSystemObject when comparing IDs of the old and new drives which also returns only last 4 bytes of NTFS IDs.

My suggestion was not to use VolumeID to make two drives with identical IDs, but quite opposite - to make that two different drives have different, unique serial numbers. So even if you change just one byte of that number, that would help in distinguishing the drives.

Also, I supposed that you are not using those drives as bootable for storing of Windows and other installed software, but only for data (I saw in another thread that your drive has assigned Movies as a label). So you don't need to worry if some software is using serial number of drives for licensing or whatever. It would be highly illogical if the verification of license for some software depends of the serial numbers of all partitions from all drives attached to the computer. It is only the serial number of the bootable partition that should not be changed.

I suppose that the initial problem lies in the drive backup software that you have used to make copies of partitions and its settings. IIRC, such programs change the serial number of copied partitions automatically, and I think that you have disabled that option in your program so you got two drives with the same IDs.
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Peke
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by Peke »

I totally Agree with all states made by Zvezdan.
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Lowlander
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by Lowlander »

I thought the same, the drives shouldn't have had the same serials in the first place. I think you're the first one that has done so.

The serial was chosen over drive letter as it's more flexible with portable drives. They may not always have the same drive letter when being connected/disconnected, but should always have the same serial. Internal drives shouldn't have the same serial and I'm not aware of any cases of this happening till yours and it sounds like it wasn't Windows fault either.
dtsig
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by dtsig »

ZvezdanD wrote:There is a lot of talk about this in the Forum, but I will say it anyway. MediaMonkey is using serial number of drives to distinguish them instead of their drive letters. In that way you could attach some removable drive to the computer and MM will recognize it no matter which drive letter Windows assign to it. However, this could work only if your drives have unique serial numbers.

Speaking about NTFS:
1. MediaMonkey is storing only last 4 bytes of the NTFS partition serial numbers in its Medias table, the same 4 bytes that are displayed with the Dir command for some drive, i.e. the same 4 bytes that VolumeID could change.

2. Update Location add-on is using SerialNumber property of the FileSystemObject when comparing IDs of the old and new drives which also returns only last 4 bytes of NTFS IDs.

My suggestion was not to use VolumeID to make two drives with identical IDs, but quite opposite - to make that two different drives have different, unique serial numbers. So even if you change just one byte of that number, that would help in distinguishing the drives.

Also, I supposed that you are not using those drives as bootable for storing of Windows and other installed software, but only for data (I saw in another thread that your drive has assigned Movies as a label). So you don't need to worry if some software is using serial number of drives for licensing or whatever. It would be highly illogical if the verification of license for some software depends of the serial numbers of all partitions from all drives attached to the computer. It is only the serial number of the bootable partition that should not be changed.

I suppose that the initial problem lies in the drive backup software that you have used to make copies of partitions and its settings. IIRC, such programs change the serial number of copied partitions automatically, and I think that you have disabled that option in your program so you got two drives with the same IDs.
The problem is really the assumptions being made .. most importantly the last. I DID NOT use any " drive backup software that you have used to make copies of partitions and its settings". These were 2 NEW out of the box drives from WD. So much for that urban legend :)

The the basic is that MMW ASSUMES that no 2 serial numbers can be the same but as this shows they can .. out of the box.
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dtsig
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by dtsig »

Lowlander wrote:I thought the same, the drives shouldn't have had the same serials in the first place. I think you're the first one that has done so.

The serial was chosen over drive letter as it's more flexible with portable drives. They may not always have the same drive letter when being connected/disconnected, but should always have the same serial. Internal drives shouldn't have the same serial and I'm not aware of any cases of this happening till yours and it sounds like it wasn't Windows fault either.
Not windows fault. The problem windows had is when the drive was connected, Drive Manager apparently changed it enough so that all other window programs could access/read/write but MMW got confused. MMW DID auto-organize but then couldn't find the files. IF MMW is going to use something like this (non-standard is my bet) then I would suggest that it makes sure that it will work correctly. If it can move the file it had better be able to use it.

Thanks again ZvezdanD for the Sysinternals, VolumeID tip.
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Peke
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by Peke »

dtsig wrote:The the basic is that MMW ASSUMES that no 2 serial numbers can be the same but as this shows they can .. out of the box.
They are always same out of the box. Simply said WD uses Cloned Drive image on all drives from same series in order to speed initialization process.
In past 20 years first thing I ever do on every HDD when I get it is to Format it Even it is formatted on purchase.
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ZvezdanD
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by ZvezdanD »

dtsig wrote:The problem is really the assumptions being made .. most importantly the last.
Of course, I didn't say "I am sure", but "I suppose". With such scarce initial information from you I couldn't know what exact condition you have with your computer.
dtsig wrote:I DID NOT use any " drive backup software that you have used to make copies of partitions and its settings". These were 2 NEW out of the box drives from WD. So much for that urban legend :)
In another words, it was not you who did use drive backup software, but WD. I bet that you got some useless bloatware preinstalled on those partitions as well. If WD used just simple Windows Format, you wouldn't get two drives with the same serial numbers.
Magic Nodes 4.3.3 / 5.2 RegExp Find & Replace 4.4.9 / 5.2  Invert Selection/Select None 1.5.1  Export/Create Playlists for Child Nodes 4.1.1 / 5.4.1  Expand Child Nodes/Expand All 1.1.2  Event Logger 2.7  Filtered Statistics Report 1.6  Track Redirection & Synchronization 3.4.2  Restore/Synchronize Database 3.1.8 / 4.0.1  Find Currently Playing Track 1.3.2  Queue List 1.2.1  Add to Library on Play 1.0.1  Tree Report for Child Nodes 1.1.1  Update Location of Files in Database 1.4.5 / 2.3  Inherit Child Playlists 1.0.3  Add Currently Playing/Selected Track(s) to Playlist 1.2
chrisjj
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by chrisjj »

Thanks for this!

A wrinkle you might like to fix: If I have a drive S: containing the files, and a SUBST P: addressing that drive, the dialog offers me only P: and prevents me entering the correct path S:.

EDIT:
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(was http://i.imgur.com/xInJz6c.png )

EDIT: Workaround: delete the SUBST.
Chris
ZvezdanD
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by ZvezdanD »

chrisjj wrote:A wrinkle you might like to fix: If I have a drive S: containing the files, and a SUBST P: addressing that drive, the dialog offers me only P: and prevents me entering the correct path S:.
The Old path combo box of this add-on displays only paths/drives that are already stored in the database. You don't have "S:" in the database and hence it cannot be replaced with something else.
Magic Nodes 4.3.3 / 5.2 RegExp Find & Replace 4.4.9 / 5.2  Invert Selection/Select None 1.5.1  Export/Create Playlists for Child Nodes 4.1.1 / 5.4.1  Expand Child Nodes/Expand All 1.1.2  Event Logger 2.7  Filtered Statistics Report 1.6  Track Redirection & Synchronization 3.4.2  Restore/Synchronize Database 3.1.8 / 4.0.1  Find Currently Playing Track 1.3.2  Queue List 1.2.1  Add to Library on Play 1.0.1  Tree Report for Child Nodes 1.1.1  Update Location of Files in Database 1.4.5 / 2.3  Inherit Child Playlists 1.0.3  Add Currently Playing/Selected Track(s) to Playlist 1.2
chrisjj
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Re: Update Location of Files in Database 1.3 (2012-06-12) [M

Post by chrisjj »

ZvezdanD wrote: You don't have "S:" in the database
May I ask what indicates that?
Chris
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