Best way to Install Existing OML to NEW Laptop via External HD

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 16, 2012, 04:30:14 PM

:blusha:I'm DJ with new laptop. Just installed OtsAV DJ Pro 1.85 on new laptop yesterday. I'm not a techy kind of guy.

I don't think that I downloaded the Upgrades; however, that is a different topic.

Last night, I copied all of the files in E:\Music to a new folder that I created called E:\Music Transfer...took about 5 hours. I had been thinking of copying from the External HD (E:\Music Transfer) to the new laptop. Keep in mind that the new laptop has absolutely nothing in the OML.

Decided this morning to begin copying from the External HD to new Laptop by Folder, which may not be the best way to do this.

When I connected the Ext HD it came up as G: which was OK because I've been through that drill previously in another thread.

At this point I was unsure what would happen if I went to "Import/Refresh Operations" screeen and used "Import/Refresh Files" and selected only one album (20 tracks) from the G:\Music\Various Artists\Prime Cuts\HP201220. BTW all files are in MP3 format. The 20 tracks were imported into ML "Uncatagorized". Then I had a brainy idea, maybe not so good, to go into "Catagories" and create a folder "Prime Cuts". Then I moved the 20 tracks to "Prime Cuts." So then I went back to "G:\Music\Various Artists\Prime Cuts" and Imported the entire "Prime Cuts" folder of files into the OML and moved them to Category "Prime Cuts". And that is where I am at this moment in time.

NOW...I'm having second thoughts about what I just did. Because I really want to mirror the entire "G:\Music" (approximately 153 GB). Question: What feature of "Import/Refresh Operations" would best accomplish the new goal? Will the categories that were created on the OLD Laptop be "imported" too, so that all files will be in the same locations? Sure sounds crazy to me at this point.

Since I have too many "Categories" already in the OLD laptop OML, some that I don't need, perhaps the best bet would be to "Import" by Folder from the Ext. HD which is now showing as "G:\Music into the New laptop and into newly created folders.

Need advice quickly as the OLD Laptop could "croak" at anytime now. Hence, the reason for the New Laptop.

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Topic 2: External Sound Card -- Gigaport AG

Old laptop is running XP operating system. The version I have was good through XP, and I assume may not work with Windows 7 Home Premium. The Gigaport AG is the only external sound card I have. Should it work with Win 7 operating system? Grandfathered?

Looking for quick guidance as time is of the essence.

milky · May 16, 2012, 09:46:33 PM

Do you still have the original oml file on the old PC? Essentially, this contains all of the information you need, but it is "pointing" to the old hard drive location.
The correct procedure when migrating is to :-
1) Run an "EasyScan" on the old PC. This "sets" the data pointer in the oml.
2) Install Ots on the new PC. This will create a default oml file (usually in C:\OtsLabs\Data) which will be empty.
3) Copy the original oml file from the old PC (C:\OtsLabs\Data\OtsAVxx.oml, where "xx" is the version DJ, RD, TV etc) to the new PC in the same location. Replace the default oml created when Ots was newly installed.
4) Now, IF you copy the music to exactly the same folder structure on the new PC, everything should work perfectly, because the oml will point to the same drive/folder as before.
5) However, if you have changed the drive letter or folder name, you will need to run a "Relink Unavailable Album Files" and browse to the start of the new folder structure. This will scan the new folders and change the pointers in the oml.

Try this, and get back to us if you are still having difficulties.

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 16, 2012, 10:09:21 PM

Milky, thanks for the quick response.

Can't do the process using the OLD laptop because it keeps shutting down about half-way through the process of doing any kind of full blown scan. However, all of the music is on the External HD I've been talking about, initial posting.

Any other ideas? May just have to "Import/Refresh" from the External HD and place in folders created as I go. Yes...No?

When finished I would then have all data in the NEW laptop OML and can then do one of the procedures listed on the "Import/Refresh Options".

Jammin' Adam · May 16, 2012, 10:30:37 PM

Can you at least keep it running long enough to copy the OML file you have to a thumb drive or the external to move it over to the new machine? If so it's better than totally starting over importing and categorizing.

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 16, 2012, 11:16:21 PM

Quote from: Jammin' Adam on May 16, 2012, 10:30:37 PM
Can you at least keep it running long enough to copy the OML file you have to a thumb drive or the external to move it over to the new machine? If so it's better than totally starting over importing and categorizing.

I have a thumb drive with a couple at least 2 GB. Where will I find this particular file you are talking about...OML file? I'm not that tech savy...old dog learning new tricks.

Sure would save time. How many bytes would the OML normally be? Where to find? OTS files on the OLD laptop C:/?

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 16, 2012, 11:41:53 PM

I think I found the file...OML (21,681 KB). When I clicked on it while in old laptop the program came up and shows 23,176(T) [All Items]. Is this the one? Properties shows that it was last accessed .

I copied the OML file to thumbdrive.

What do I do now?...at the new computer?

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 16, 2012, 11:55:09 PM

Jammin Adam--

I successfully copied the OML file to the new laptop in the OtsLabs/data file. I chose NOT to overwrite the existing OML (the one I created earlier today with 74 items (Category - Prime Cuts).

What do I do next? I'm one for taking risks...in some ways, but I hate to muck it up too badly.

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 17, 2012, 01:02:35 AM

Quote from: DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) on May 16, 2012, 11:55:09 PM
Jammin Adam-- I successfully copied the OML file to the new laptop in the OtsLabs/data file. I chose NOT to overwrite the existing OML (the one I created earlier today with 74 items (Category - Prime Cuts).

What do I do next? I'm one for taking risks...in some ways, but I hate to muck it up too badly.

Well...I messed up somewhat because I ended up with two of the same OML (the one I created earlier today). So, I but the thumbdrive in and copied the OML from old laptop again. I now have only one OML on the new laptop with all the "categories" as before (23,176(T) [All Items]). I'm going to attach the External HD that I know will end up being G:\ versus E:\. I'll let you know what happens.

milky · May 17, 2012, 01:24:48 AM

My instructions above still hold true. I told you to copy the old oml and transfer it. I also told you where it would be located.

If the USB drive used to be drive E, it would be much simpler if you could make it drive E on the new PC and move all the other letters down. That way, Ots is already pointing to the correct drive. If you really want to change it to drive G:, then you will have to relink as per my original post.

To change the E: drive to something else, click on orb at LH of task bar, right click on "computer" and select "Manage". Click on "Management" under "Storage" on LHS of dialogue that opens. Find the drive currently designated as E:, right click on it and select "Change Drive Letter". Selct F (or something else further down the list). Now plug your USB drive in. It should select drive E by default.

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 17, 2012, 01:33:54 AM

Remember, computer stuff is a little bit trying for me. Thanks for the extra clarification of Drive E vs. Drive G. I'm going to attempt to change the drives on the new laptop; currently E: is Printer and G: is Ext HD.

Thanks. working....

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 17, 2012, 02:49:17 AM

Milky and Adam, you guys were a tremendous help. Thank you so much. New computer is playing from the Ext. HD with the exception of 2460 items.

These items were apparently "copied" by me to E:\Music prior to realizing that they should have been "moved" instead of "copied." I always knew that I could play them from the Laptop without the Ext HD, but didn't realize that the OML followed the path back to C:\Documents and Setups\HP\My Documents\My Music\....

What must I do so that the Ots on the New computer will be able to read them from G:\Music (Ext HD)?

"Move" the 2460 mp3 files from C:\.....My Music and paste over those on E:\Music?

As you all can tell I didn't do a very good job the first time around.

I've got a gig on Friday and I need to be able to access those 2460 files (not all, but you know what I mean) from the New Computer, but also the Old Computer.

I can't do a re-link or action in the old laptop using "import/export operations" because the laptop shutsdown on me after a certain amount of time (memory problem/RAM ?). Suggestions.

Again, thanks for your help. And, I hope that if others are reading this thread who are as "ignorant" as me will have learned something from my errors...and you guys fantastic help.

milky · May 17, 2012, 04:57:33 AM

Do those tracks show on the new PC in the media library, but with the ots guy greyed out? If this is the case, you just need to move/copy them from where they are to their original location on the external E drive. You may then have to do a relink (4th option). This is because the pointer in the OML is still pointing to the original location. If they are not showing at all in the Media Library, they may have been erased from the ML. You can still re-link to get them back on, but you will then have to select all "Uncat" and re-categorise them.

DJArt (Baby Boomer DJ) · May 17, 2012, 01:20:56 PM

Quote from: milky on May 17, 2012, 04:57:33 AM
Do those tracks show on the new PC in the media library Yes, but with the ots guy greyed No (Red w/blue letters "mp3"out? If this is the case, you just need to move/copy them from where they are to their original location on the external E drive. You may then have to do a relink (4th option). This is because the pointer in the OML is still pointing to the original location. If they are not showing at all in the Media Library, they may have been erased from the ML. You can still re-link to get them back on, but you will then have to select all "Uncat" and re-categorise them.

FYI, when the new laptop was being setup I copied the files from my old laptop (C:\My Music) to the new laptop. The path IS different as I had created in the new laptop a folder "Old Documents" to which I copied those files. When I click on the "properties" of any of the folders it shows the path and further clicking...shows that the song w/mp3 symbol. So, it would appear that the songs are there but the path needs to be changed. How do I change the path within the new laptop for that folder?

With regard to the OLD laptop and the same files that reside in "c:\....\My Music", I'm afraid to "move" them to the External HD. Why? Because I have gigs Fri and Sat and a big one on Sat next week and the OLD laptop may shut down in the re-linking process...or any process that takes lots of memory (my assumption). Further help would definitely be appreciated.