Lost Library after download to new version of Calibre

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi, really need some help here! I have just upgraded to latest version (6.3) of the Calibre software - download went fine, rebooted PC opened Calbre - only to find my entire library is missing. Seven years of uploading books into the Calibre library - all gone! It is almost as though it was a clean install of the program rather than an update. Can someone please help me?

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Hi, really need some help here! I have just upgraded to latest version (6.3) of the Calibre software - download went fine, rebooted PC opened Calbre - only to find my entire library is missing. Seven years of uploading books into the Calibre library - all gone! It is almost as though it was a clean install of the program rather than an update. Can someone please help me?

Is that library on a local storage? (on a local HDD/SSD, I mean)

[kovidgoyal]

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...libre-is-blank

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi Comfy.n

The library was on a HDD (not C: drive) but I had set pointers from the C: drive to the HDD library.

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi Kovid,

I do support Calibre - every couple of years I support, is that relevant?

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi Comfy.n & Kovid - Thanks for your replies. Kovid sorry I misread your message. Finally realised you had put in a link to the relevant help section.

I had been skimming through Help and the forums looking for an answer. You pinpointing me to the relevant section allowed me to resolve the issue. Database is back.

And before either of you asks, yes I do have backups stored elsewhere off my PC. Also have copies of all of my books backed up in several locations - just in case.

Just the though of inputting 4 000+ books again made me break out.

[Capricorn]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Just the though of inputting 4 000+ books again made me break out.

There is no need to individually inputting 4000+ books. If you have done a PROPER backup of your database, you only need to copy it back in the proper folder, and you are done.

I have done this when changing to another computer, when installing from scratch,...etc and it always works. There are plenty of posts on this forum about backups.

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi Capricorn not quite sure I know what you mean by a "PROPER" backup and don't understand why that had to be shouted at me.

I do backups of my computer every 3-6 months to ensure any loss would be minimal so I knew I would not have to individually input my library. As is often the case in written text some will not understand when a comment is meant to be read with an undertone of irony.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Hi Capricorn not quite sure I know what you mean by a "PROPER" backup and don't understand why that had to be shouted at me.

I do backups of my computer every 3-6 months to ensure any loss would be minimal so I knew I would not have to individually input my library. As is often the case in written text some will not understand when a comment is meant to be read with an undertone of irony.

Give that you are using Windows, my suggestion is to use FreeFileSync to backup your Calibre libraries every time you've made significant enough changes or after so long. This means you only copy what's changed.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Hi Kovid,

I do support Calibre - every couple of years I support, is that relevant?

You missed the line above his SIG (that has the heart)

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi JSWolf & theducks - thank you for your comments.
JSWolf I will look into your software suggestion, though I don't mind the time it takes to do a backup as I "cull" files no longer needed or duplicates before doing the backup.
theducks - yes I did miss the link above Kovid's signature. Thought it was something else (not used to forums & the format of the messaging) that is why I apologised to Kovid in my follow up post. Would like to know how to insert the emojis into a post tho' - to indicate statement intent.

[Deb-Ellen]

Okay so used the advanced button instead of the Quick response mode to get the emojis - learning.

[pjmpjm]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Hi, really need some help here! I have just upgraded to latest version (6.3) of the Calibre software - download went fine, rebooted PC opened Calbre - only to find my entire library is missing. Seven years of uploading books into the Calibre library - all gone! It is almost as though it was a clean install of the program rather than an update. Can someone please help me?

Deb-Ellen, I doubt very much that your 4000 books are really missing. When you upgrade your Calibre version, the folder where your books are stored is untouched. The new version of Calibre simply finds that original folder and uses it. So you need to tell your new v6.3 Calibre where the folder is located. Perhaps someone more skilled than myself can give you more detailed advice. But I'm quite sure that your books aren't gone and that you won't need to retrieve them from your backup.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Deb-Ellen

Hi Comfy.n

The library was on a HDD (not C: drive) but I had set pointers from the C: drive to the HDD library.

What were these 'pointers'?

There's no such thing in Windows or its NTFS system.

There are Windows shortcuts (.lnk files), and NTFS symbolic links, mount points, and junctions.

Is the HDD external, and is it sometimes not powered up?

BR

[Deb-Ellen]

Hi pjmpjm - you are quite right the library was still there just a matter of finding it. The new update had created a new folder - hence the "missing library". Kovid sent me a link to the excact help section I needed to find the original library. Once I had the path for the original library I was able to link the path back into Calibre.

Thank you for your response.