The Nightmare of Windows 10 update 1903

[ritagnap]

I backup my Calibre files, but evidently that was NOT enough. I now know I needed to EXPORT them!

Windows 10 update required a clean install. So now I have two backups (mine and my husband's) of our Calibre books and the latest version of Calibre but can't get those backed up files into this newest version.

Anyone have any suggestions, besides, "Oh, well, now you know--export!"???? Maybe I'm not holding my tongue correctly!?!?

Thank you any assistance.

[JSWolf]

I've installed Windows 10 1903 on three different computers. None of the installs required a clean install. What is it you did you require a clean install?

When you backed up Calibre, did you backup the user configuration directory? Did you backup the library directory or directories? What files do you have in/for your backup?

[theducks]

Export/Import is an option on the Library icon
It will offer to do All the Libraries on the switch list as well as the settings. It creates a set of 'spanned zip' files as needed.
Import will ask you what libraries you want from that set

[dwig]

Originally Posted by ritagnap

... the latest version of Calibre but can't get those backed up files into this newest version. ...

It is generally "best practice" to restore backups into the same version of the software as was used to create the backup. After restoring the library you can then update the application, retaining the unaltered backup of course.

[ritagnap]

Thank you for your responses. To JSWolf, I used the "Save to disk" in a single directory. The First database has the file folders listed by author, alphabetically. The second file is sorted also alpha but each title has two listings such as: MBP and PRC, or AZW and MCP or MBP and MOBI, there are others but I thought this would be enough to answer your question. Oh, what I did was have a computer that would NOT download 1903 update and the only way to get it was to do a clean install! :-(

To respond to dwig, I don't remember what version I was running before the clean install. Every time I go to open Calibre, there is an update, which I appreciate, but I really don't pay attention to the version. Sorry.

To the ducks, I understand NOW I needed to EXPORT. I did not know in the past!

Any further help? Please!









Now to respond to Theducks, I know it needed to be exported NOW, but did not before!

[stumped]

if you have the books, then simply create a new empty library and use the add books function of calibre to re-populate it.
export/ Import is just one of several ways for backup.
Copy the library folder and copy it back is another.
Save all the books to Disc then re-add then is a 3rd way
they all work

[ritagnap]

Stumped,

Thank you! So simple, yet it works!!! It'll take awhile for me to get the whole data base together, but it works!! Thanks!!

[ritagnap]

I did what "stumped" recommended and retrieved all the file folders within my backed up Calibre folder, now what and how do I back up the 'loose' files?

They are listed, usually in threes, beginning with the title of the book listed three times, one as as a .AZW document, one as a .jpg, and one as an OPF document. How will I recoup these?

Can someone please tell me how. Thanks for all you efforts in helping me resolve this!!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ritagnap

I did what "stumped" recommended and retrieved all the file folders within my backed up Calibre folder, now what and how do I back up the 'loose' files?

They are listed, usually in threes, beginning with the title of the book listed three times, one as as a .AZW document, one as a .jpg, and one as an OPF document. How will I recoup these?

Can someone please tell me how. Thanks for all you efforts in helping me resolve this!!

Create a new directory. Copy all the eBook directories from your previous library. Now run Calibre and create a new library at that directory. Then right click on the library icon in the toolbar and select Library maintenance. That will rebuild the library using the backup information in the OPF files in each directory. When it's done, your library database should be rebuilt.

[stumped]

Azw files are your books , in a format ready to send to kindles. Import them if needed like you did with other book formats.. or if you already imported epub versions then calibre can make azw conversions on demand
Jpg are book cover images. Calibre can extract those from books or download new ones on request.
Opf are metadata backups. Calibre will recreate those so you can invite them

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

Azw files are your books , in a format ready to send to kindles. Import them if needed like you did with other book formats.. or if you already imported epub versions then calibre can make azw conversions on demand
Jpg are book cover images. Calibre can extract those from books or download new ones on request.
Opf are metadata backups. Calibre will recreate those so you can invite them

But by doing it the restore way, all the data will be restored and no lost. For example, series name and number.

[stumped]

Yes but op can't use Restore because he was starting from Not having made a full library backup. He is starting from a collection of saved to folder or saved to disc books, I think.
But I am a bit confused , if he used add books to get all those into a new library and selected all formats and include subfolders then he should not have "left over"azw books.

We should probably use the calibre terminology of export, import, rather than say backup, restore Or we may add to the confusion

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

Yes but op can't use Restore because he was starting from Not having made a full library backup. He is starting from a collection of saved to folder or saved to disc books, I think.
But I am a bit confused , if he used add books to get all those into a new library and selected all formats and include subfolders then he should not have "left over"azw books.

We should probably use the calibre terminology of export, import, rather than say backup, restore Or we may add to the confusion

If the library is a combination of library directories and other eBook files, then do a Library maintenance on those directories and then import the rest. That is my suggestion.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by ritagnap

I did what "stumped" recommended and retrieved all the file folders within my backed up Calibre folder, now what and how do I back up the 'loose' files?

They are listed, usually in threes, beginning with the title of the book listed three times, one as as a .AZW document, one as a .jpg, and one as an OPF document. How will I recoup these?

Can someone please tell me how. Thanks for all you efforts in helping me resolve this!!

A calibre library is a folder, you back up the whole thing (including all files and subfolders) as 1 piece. You should never manually change or move the files within the Calibre Library folder. Just treat it as one big black box for Calibre's exclusive use.

If you open the Calibre Library menu, the first option should be "Switch/Create Library." Click on that. It will open a dialogue box, and the first line will tell you where your current library is located. Make sure that entire directory is included in your backups. (I think by default, in Windows, Calibre library is created within your My Documents folder, so just about any back up program will include it by default.)

If you ever need to restore, replace that directory with the backup. Open calibre, go to the "Create/Swicth Library", Brows to the folder, and select "use previously existing library" (the default option.) It should be no problem using a newer version of Calibre.

[ritagnap]

Thanks for all your responses! I am NOT a Calibre proficient person, but am slowly forced to learn more than just put my books in and retrieve when I want one!

I am in the process of "adding" the rest of those files in the folder. Now I have found three other file folders full of books (folders under different names, of course)! The largest one is called Copy of Library and it contains more files than the Calibre Library file folder. So I'll need to get those "extras" added, also.

Is there an easy way to add those books within the other file folders without adding duplicates that undoubtedly exist or do I just use "add"? If so, then I can do that to the other two folders, just to be sure I have everything together!

I thank you all so very much for your time and efforts in helping me!!