Backup B2 and re-import to another B2

[Thomas Seidel]

Dear All,

Due to HDD space limitation I changed my 500 GB to a new 2.000 GB B2. 

First step before setting up the new B2 was to run a back up (export to C) on a brand-new external HardDrive (500 GB); 437 GB of music (about 42.000 mp3 tracks, no FLAC, WAV or anything else) was transferred without any problems (running time about 12 hours).

I cross-checked the content and everything seemed to be on the external Drive.

The next step was to import the back_up_files to my new B2. 

After plugging in the HD, the B2 started to check the Drive and told me "2.000 files, 271 GB and about 27.000 mp3 tracks available). I didn't mind and thought there might be a limitation to display more than 2.000 tracks on an external drive. 

Subsequently I started the import to C, which seemed to work. 

The result was: 2.321 albums, 29.974 tracks, 271 GB 

The next step was to figure out what was left behind: I didn't find any clue or system, why some albums were transferred, others not. There is no alphabetical or chronological problem, albums are missing from every period and alphabetical character, nor are special characters (' § $ " : !) used. 

My question is: what is supposed to happen if I run the "import to C" once more ?

Will the already imported tracks be doubled ?

One way might be to copy the missing albums on USB and tansfer via import to C, but that's sounds painful for about 12.000 tracks.

Thanks or any ideas or clues,

kind regards from Austria

Thomas

[Daniel Taylor]

The Import command is not incremental, so it will copy all tracks again.  But you will not get double copies - the second try will overwrite the first.  It is a waste of time, but possibly preferrable to creating a new Import disk with just what was left out.

It's a puzzlement why the files are missing, either from the initial Export or fromt he final Import.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Thomas,

I have plugged the figures that you have posted here into my 'Brennan Estimator Spreadsheet' and have noticed some issues which need to be looked at.  First though in answer to your questions about the 'Import from C'.

1.  If you run the 'Import' again on the new B2, then the folders and files that are already on the new B2 will be overwritten by the folders and files on the external HDD.

2.  The already imported folders and files will not be doubled, just overwritten.

So you can run the 'Import' again and this will not cause any problems.  However please read my note below before you think about a re-run.

Here are my observations.

1.  It looks like the 'Export' has not worked correctly.  When the external HDD was plugged into the new B2, it reported '2,000 files, 271GB, 27,000 mp3 tracks'.  This indicates that the 'Export' is incomplete as this is a report of the folder and file count of the USB HDD device.

2.  For a complete 'Export' of 437GB this should take about 17 hours to run, your 'Export' completed in 12 hours, again this makes me think that the problem is in the 'Export'.

Can you plug the USB HDD into a PC and use 'Explorer' --> 'Properties' to obtain the exact statistics for the folders and files count as well as the size of the 'Music' folder.

Also if you post the 'Settings & Status' details of each B2 here; Software version, exact count of # tracks, # albums, # artists, Disk used, then I can refine the figures in my spreadsheet for you so that we can figure out what has happened.

Regards,

Peter.

[Thomas Seidel]

Hi Peter,

thanks for your quick response; in the meantime I'd run a new complete export from the old B2 to a another external HardDrive; I deleted the complete music on the new B2 and repeated the import to C process. It's still running, but I'm very positive that all the music will be found on the HDD tomorrow morning. If not, I will come back to you.

Most likely the old HardDrive caused the problem. 

I'm sorry for keeping you busy, 

kind regards

Thomas 

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Thomas,

No problem, I enjoy the process of problem investigation and resolution!  Keep us posted on your progress.

Regards and good luck.

Peter.