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Topic: Retrieve music library index? (Read 2343 times) previous topic - next topic
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Retrieve music library index?

I recently had my hard drive with all my music die.  I could rebuild my collection if I could remember everything I had.  Is there a way to pull the previously indexed library as a text file so I can see the folder tree and file names?

Retrieve music library index?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: radoslav on
I recently had my hard drive with all my music die.  I could rebuild my collection if I could remember everything I had.  Is there a way to pull the previously indexed library as a text file so I can see the folder tree and file names?


The critical file is "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\foobar2000\database.dat," where 'yourusername' is your actual username for Windows.

Assuming the database is not corrupted, you can copy that file into the correct path, install foobar2000 on a good drive, and run foobar2000. The media library will contain all of your music.

Depending on how your new setup compares to the old setup, the paths may (likely) be wrong. There is a utility that can search for and restore tracks that have changed paths. I believe it's called foo_revive. You can search for it.

All of this assumes you have access to the music files. If you don't, I recommend Recuva. It's coded by the same folks who wrote CrapCleaner (aka CCleaner). I've been able to recover many files using it. I recommend a Deep Scan. This can take a long time, depending on the size of the drive.
That's so plausible, I can't believe it.

Retrieve music library index?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: DustMagnet on
The critical file is "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\foobar2000\database.dat," where 'yourusername' is your actual username for Windows.


that's only true if using v1.2.9 or older. v1.3 and newer use randomly named files inside C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\foobar2000\library

Retrieve music library index?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: marc2003 on
Quote from: DustMagnet on
The critical file is "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\foobar2000\database.dat," where 'yourusername' is your actual username for Windows.


that's only true if using v1.2.9 or older. v1.3 and newer use randomly named files inside C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\foobar2000\library


Ah, interesting. I quoted the path on my PC. I'm running v1.3.9b2, but I've updated step by step through all the versions since the very early days, so I've clearly inherited the pre-v1.3 file structure.

IOW ... oops. 

Edit: I see that my database.dat was last written to late 2013, so it is in fact just debris from an older version.
That's so plausible, I can't believe it.
 

Retrieve music library index?

Reply #4 –
I found a folder with random numbers and characters as the name within the "library" folders in AppData.  Inside was a file named "tree."  I opened it in notepad, and it has an index of all the files in a completely different drive and folder than where my music library was.  I'm pretty confused as to how that could happen.  I don't find any file within the "foobar2000" folder that contains information about my library.