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FLAC file updates - there’s got to be an easier way...


Daddyjt

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A little background -

 

I listen almost exclusively to FLAC files from a 2tb portable HDD, using the Oppo 105 as server/DAC (currently about 1.6tb of files).  My son also has a copy of the files on a 2tb drive that he uses on a modest system in his room, and I have two backups that I keep in the gun safe, for a total of four (4) drives. 

 

When I buy a new CD, I rip in to FLAC on the PC, creating an album file, and store that album file in a file I labeled “Temp FLAC”.  Now comes the “there’s got to be an easier way” part.  I have to plug each of the four drives in (one at a time), and depending on how much new music I have, go to each “artist file” on that drive, open it, then add the new “album file” to that artist file. If it’s a new artist to me, then I create a new “artist file” for that artist, but you get the idea.  All this on four separate drives....

 

i suppose i could just update one drive with the new music, then over write the other 3, but that seems like a lot of unnecessary writing. Any of you computer experts point me in the write (pun) direction?

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Mark, if you use a Mac, it has a version or rsync. Here's a step by step from techradar.

 

If you're using a Windows computer, here's a link to a less powerful, but possibly still useful Windows utility, robocopy.

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2 hours ago, Sk1Bum said:

If you're using a Windows computer, here's a link to a less powerful, but possibly still useful Windows utility, robocopy.

There is also the CygWin method of getting Unix-like functionality on a Windows laptop/desktop device. When corporate world was Windows-only, this was used extensively to talk to the rest of U*ix variants, including X11R6 X-Windows system. 

 

Just being a Mac person, rsync/cron just came up first in my head. ?

Edited by loner_t
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Download EAC. It's the ONLY WAY TO GO... It has a web database so all your Artist and Track info is automaticly propagated when you rip the CD.
http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

As far as making 4 backup copies of the new files, you need to learn about RAID systems, and setup and small NAS with 1 master HD and 3 backup RAID drives. Drag and drop 1 copy to the Master drive, and the RAID system handles the other 3 backup copies.
I little light reading...  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID#Standard_levels

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I agree with the rest of the folks - there are numerous options that provide for syncing files, that make complete sense in this case.  In your case, I wouldn't suggest running the sync constantly, so that you can decide when it's save to update - just in case you have a faux pas and need to bring things back.  Yes, the copy stored away gives you that backup, but it's really easy to make a mistake and have it automatically updated as soon as it gets plugged in.

 

Looking at what you wrote, you also have another problem, coming soon to an audio system near you - at 1.6tb, you're headed for needing more space real soon now.  Using a sync mechanism can allow you to duplicate multiple drives, or you can choose to go with a way to combine multiple physical drives int one logical drive.  More points of possible failure, but you are one of the few who understands what a backup, means, no no worry there.

 

Good luck, and have fun with it.

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I do the same RoboCopy is the way to go:

 

Robocopy <Source folder <Destination folder> /e /s /r:1 /w:1 /purge

 

So to copy all the songs (or just update) in C:\mymusic to the USB drive on "G\MyMusic" it would be:

 

  Robocopy c:\mymusic   g:\mymusic /e /s /r:10 /w:1 /purge

 

/e = Include empty folders.

/s = Include all sub folders

/r =  Only do 10 retrys (Default 1 million!!)

/w = Only wait 1 second between retries

/Purge..  Careful with this one.. Using Purge will delete any files on the USB drive that do not exist on the C drive.  So the two folders will be a mirror image in the end.  If you do not use Purge then anything you delete from the source folder will still exist on the USB drive.  Think about that for a sec before using.

 

You can then make a CMD file that includes multiple robocopy lines for the multiple drives:

 

Robocopy c:\mymusic   g:\mymusic /e /s /r:1 /w:1 /purge

Robocopy c:\mymusic   h:\mymusic /e /s /r:1 /w:1 /purge

Robocopy c:\mymusic   I:\mymusic /e /s /r:1 /w:1 /purge

Robocopy c:\mymusic   j:\mymusic /e /s /r:1 /w:1 /purge

 

Robocopy has other features such as logging, but for now that's enough out of me :)

 

Edited by NickT
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I also use EAC since grad school in the late 1990s.  It works well, it’s free, if you like it donate!   More and more download sites are offering flac options! 

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