How to deal with losing your calibre library - Page 2

Cactus Chef · 10-06-2025, 03:11 PM

That would be my suggestion, then. As long as the drive itself is still okay...a Rescue Drive is probably their best bet:

https://www.howtogeek.com/how-i-crea...ve-for-my-pcs/
https://www.system-rescue.org/Instal...-memory-stick/

etc. I'm not recommending any specific distro or solution, either, there are plenty.

Renate · 10-15-2025, 01:46 PM

It's also important not to use the disk once it gets flakey.
First, because it might continue to make things worse.
Second because it might reuse blocks that it thinks are not in use but had your old data.

So don't run an OS on a flakey disk.
The best is if you can put it into a system that does not mount it.
Then use a raw copy utility to either a big file (if you have space) or another device.

If you've lived virtuously, most of your files are in contiguous blocks.
Still, even getting the file names back could be a mammoth task.

I'm fairly anxious so I do periodic on-disk archiving, DVD, flash drive, remote server...

theducks · 10-15-2025, 02:27 PM

@renate has a great point.
Running any intensive operation (booting the OS is one) on a dying disk is like having a heart attack patient run up hill to the doctor.

The first thing I would do is clone the drive (I like Clonzilla. It is a bootable app).
A USB cloneing hardware kit is cheap. It allows the replacement drive to temporarily be attached.
I have an earlier version of this
https://www.amazon.com/Enclosure-External-Compatible-Seagate-Toshiba/dp/B09V7ZRF65/ref=sr_1_11?
crid=1Q2BZ0SNYUQU1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Q8KhDtm0tytGpr M8Ul5tEefNzXu3wXjjVwLIOnEbA-yFu88el3mzbT9TKQ-Qw7t1PDbmkbGKu3lRhWB5_flU8ySZZR7m1DWMSS_tYI82v2H69 hD4dVaysVIq5ao7AEBcV6ZaHz1_aWd3ZzISWn_FVO-eBVAtSFL5Fzg2O5UY1-h2YNrNkC_EnWD24ENtEPrbapfkm8URK58ZrO90z05fD8Lxz_kR wdUwip9QHVMv9w8.c16bzNMleycD3joM_o4d07OD3rm7DC7m9h 6HE4cqzAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=3-in-1+usb+c+to+sata+%26+ide+adapter+with+hard+drive+cl oning&qid=1760548813&sprefix=usb+drive+clon%2Caps% 2C149&sr=8-11

It is also handy for just checking what is on any loose drive you had on a shelf.
(The cloneing does ONE read on the failing drive)

Once the CLONE is installed, then you run the file repair.
Clonezilla is my fav because it handled dual boot drives, allows the clone to also grow (the partition gets more space)

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10-06-2025, 03:11 PM	#16
Cactus Chef Guru Posts: 686 Karma: 8196132 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: East Coast, United States Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	That would be my suggestion, then. As long as the drive itself is still okay...a Rescue Drive is probably their best bet: https://www.howtogeek.com/how-i-crea...ve-for-my-pcs/ https://www.system-rescue.org/Instal...-memory-stick/ etc. I'm not recommending any specific distro or solution, either, there are plenty.

10-15-2025, 01:46 PM	#17
Renate Onyx-maniac Posts: 4,157 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Nook NST, Glow2, 3, 4, '21, Kobo Aura2, Poke3, Poke5, Go6	It's also important not to use the disk once it gets flakey. First, because it might continue to make things worse. Second because it might reuse blocks that it thinks are not in use but had your old data. So don't run an OS on a flakey disk. The best is if you can put it into a system that does not mount it. Then use a raw copy utility to either a big file (if you have space) or another device. If you've lived virtuously, most of your files are in contiguous blocks. Still, even getting the file names back could be a mammoth task. I'm fairly anxious so I do periodic on-disk archiving, DVD, flash drive, remote server...

10-15-2025, 02:27 PM	#18
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,315 Karma: 62025226 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	@renate has a great point. Running any intensive operation (booting the OS is one) on a dying disk is like having a heart attack patient run up hill to the doctor. The first thing I would do is clone the drive (I like Clonzilla. It is a bootable app). A USB cloneing hardware kit is cheap. It allows the replacement drive to temporarily be attached. I have an earlier version of this https://www.amazon.com/Enclosure-External-Compatible-Seagate-Toshiba/dp/B09V7ZRF65/ref=sr_1_11? crid=1Q2BZ0SNYUQU1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Q8KhDtm0tytGpr M8Ul5tEefNzXu3wXjjVwLIOnEbA-yFu88el3mzbT9TKQ-Qw7t1PDbmkbGKu3lRhWB5_flU8ySZZR7m1DWMSS_tYI82v2H69 hD4dVaysVIq5ao7AEBcV6ZaHz1_aWd3ZzISWn_FVO-eBVAtSFL5Fzg2O5UY1-h2YNrNkC_EnWD24ENtEPrbapfkm8URK58ZrO90z05fD8Lxz_kR wdUwip9QHVMv9w8.c16bzNMleycD3joM_o4d07OD3rm7DC7m9h 6HE4cqzAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=3-in-1+usb+c+to+sata+%26+ide+adapter+with+hard+drive+cl oning&qid=1760548813&sprefix=usb+drive+clon%2Caps% 2C149&sr=8-11 It is also handy for just checking what is on any loose drive you had on a shelf. (The cloneing does ONE read on the failing drive) Once the CLONE is installed, then you run the file repair. Clonezilla is my fav because it handled dual boot drives, allows the clone to also grow (the partition gets more space)

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