duplicating every file in library

[sp000n]

During my searches for a solution, I've noted some earlier posts that had the same/similar problems but ended without resolution. They've helped me identify a couple of factors but I'm still here with the following issue:

Every time I start MediaMonkey Gold, it sets to work duplicating every file in my directory. The option to detect duplicates is enabled but my directories still end up as below. Note that even the file properties are copied so the last modified date appears to be 9 November 2010 but it was actually this week for the duplicates. I've manually cleared directories with as many as four copies before coming here in frustration.

It does seem to have something to do with automated library organizing as the process really got underway once I registered to Gold and set up my preferences with renaming and the like.

Please help. My library is rapidly becoming unusable.

Code: Select all

 Directory of x:\Music\Duke Ellington\Jazz Party

2010-11-09  06:04        23,768,176 Jazz Party - 01  - Malletoba Spank - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05       130,310,973 Jazz Party - 02  - Toot Suite- Red Garter-Red Sho - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        13,782,714 Jazz Party - 03  - Satin Doll - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        28,193,242 Jazz Party - 04  - U.M.M.G. - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        13,416,815 Jazz Party - 05  - All Of Me - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        24,150,895 Jazz Party - 06  - Tymperturbably Blue - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        16,780,629 Jazz Party - 07  - Fillie Trillie - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:05        52,266,325 Jazz Party - 08  - Hello Little Girl - Duke Ellington.flac
2010-11-09  06:04        23,768,176 Jazz Party - 01  - Malletoba Spank - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05       130,310,973 Jazz Party - 02  - Toot Suite- Red Garter-Red Sho - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        13,782,714 Jazz Party - 03  - Satin Doll - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        28,193,242 Jazz Party - 04  - U.M.M.G. - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        13,416,815 Jazz Party - 05  - All Of Me - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        24,150,895 Jazz Party - 06  - Tymperturbably Blue - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        16,780,629 Jazz Party - 07  - Fillie Trillie - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2010-11-09  06:05        52,266,325 Jazz Party - 08  - Hello Little Girl - Duke Ellington (2).flac
2015-08-22  12:36               135 temp.txt
              17 File(s)    605,339,673 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  761,283,428,352 bytes free

[MMFrLife]

Every time I start MediaMonkey Gold, it sets to work duplicating every file in my directory.

What do you mean? You start up MM and it just starts scanning/duplicating in an obvious way?
If so, what does what you're seeing look like?

[sp000n]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, what I see is MM begin its monitoring check of my folders. A progress bar on the bottom starts reporting "Monitoring yyy of xxx" and they continue to grow. All the while, files and folders are duplicating within the library.

[MMFrLife]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, what I see is MM begin its monitoring check of my folders. A progress bar on the bottom starts reporting "Monitoring yyy of xxx" and they continue to grow. All the while, files and folders are duplicating within the library.

What are your Folder Monitor settings. Scan at startup?

[Lowlander]

Which version of MediaMonkey? Is the drive a local internal drive or some other location?

[sp000n]

Yes. Any ideas?

Also, the option "Analyze files for duplicates (takes extra time)" is enabled yet the duplicates are created & remain.

[Lowlander]

the option "Analyze files for duplicates (takes extra time)" is enabled

This is an analyze tool that creates a fingerprint of each file. This then can be used with Files to Edit > Duplicate Content in the Media Tree. It doesn't delete anything on its own.

[sp000n]

OIC. Good tip, thanks. I'll give that a try next.

Further strangeness, however. I let MM run its scan to completion (which nearly consumed my HD space). What's going on in this directory of duplicates shown in Artist & Album view?

Code: Select all

path\filename(2).flac
path\filename(3).flac
path\filename.flac
path\filename.flac

Within the ablum directory itself, the (2) copy doesn't even exist (and is greyed out in MM when I try to play it) and, of course, there is only one copy of the filename.flac file. This is so wierd.

Appreciate you guys looking into this with me.

[sp000n]

the option "Analyze files for duplicates (takes extra time)" is enabled

This is an analyze tool that creates a fingerprint of each file. This then can be used with Files to Edit > Duplicate Content in the Media Tree. It doesn't delete anything on its own.

K. Found it. Just so I don't screw this up... where is the command that will actually process it down to one file. Is there even such a thing or is it manual from here? MM has created tens of thousands of duplicates for me :/

[Lowlander]

There isn't, it's a manual process: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... ate-tracks

If files show in the Library, but don't exist you can find them in the Files to Edit > Dead Links node in the affected Collection and remove them from there.

MediaMonkey doesn't create duplicate files, the only reason I can see would be setting up sync to the same drive (Tools > Options > Portable Device Sync), but that would be something you did.

[sp000n]

You made me look, I admit it, but the drive isn't set up as its own sync device. It started duplicated when I enabled library sorting upon upgrading to Gold. I'm also not the first. As I said during the problem statement, there have been a few threads with the same problem over the years.

I estimate that it created roughly 28,000 duplicates in my current library.

[sp000n]

Files to Edit -> Dead Link. Very nice. Thanks, Lowlander.

[sp000n]

So, thanks to your suggestion, I have improved my situation to the following. The dead link is removed AND "Advanced Duplicate Find & Fix" ably detects the other 3 files. Therein lies my remaining problem, however, as there are only two remaining files. Why would the one file be appearing twice? Since it does, it shows both in the tool's Keep and Delete suggestions. The net result is that it removes ALL files from the directory

Code: Select all

path\filename(3).flac
path\filename.flac
path\filename.flac

EDIT: I see a past problem where a location might be scanning twice to have files double listed but that ought not be my problem The two locations being scanned are:
c:\users\username\Music (empty)
x:\Music (everything)

[Lowlander]

MediaMonkey only scans what you tell it to. So somewhere along the way you scanned it. You can remove drives or folders from the Library using the Location node in the Media Tree (right click and Remove).

[sp000n]

MediaMonkey only scans what you tell it to. So somewhere along the way you scanned it. You can remove drives or folders from the Library using the Location node in the Media Tree (right click and Remove).

No. Your statements fly in the face of observed data.

Anyways, I was also able to recreate the way MM duplicated links to the same file. With a large existing library, I added a sorting rule. While sorting, MM became unresponsive overnight and through the next workday ~ 20+ hours. I killed the process and restarted and, viola, duplicate links to single files.

Moving on by clearing the entire database, however, and adding everything from scratch with sorting rules in place from the beginning presented a nice, clean database. From there, the Advanced Duplicate Find & Fix tool that you recommended worked flawlessly.

Thanks!