The best way to move calibre and/or all files to an external hard drive

[Dr. Drib]

What's the best solution to move calibre over to an external drive, along with ALL attendant files?

In fact, is that the best solution: to move everything? Or only some components?

What do most users tend to do in situations like this?

I've decided to do this due to the increase in the number of ebooks I've accumulated from everywhere.

Thanks for all suggestions.




Don

[theducks]

Don
You can do it 2 ways;
1) Just move the Library (the books) and leave the program (32 or 64 bit) as is. (this is the way I normally run. I have an old (dead) Laptops HD in a USB case.)

With Calibre Shut down: Copy/Move the ENTIRE Library folder to the New location.
Now start Calibre: (if you moved the old Library, you will see a 'can't find' message, just point it to the new location.

Use Windows Disk Manager to Assign a permanent (upper range) single drive letter (L: for Library works). That way you don't change letters with a number of USB storage devices attached or a USB port change.


2) Calibre Portable (32 bit, Windows only).
the Way I did it:

a) Installed Calibre Portable to the new drive.

b.1) Shutdown Portable if it opens.

b.2) Open the folder L:\Calibre Portable\Calibre Library. delete the (3?) files/folders inside, (they will be replaced. THIS ASSUMES you have not added any books to that Library that you wish to keep. )

b.3) Copy the ENTIRE CONTENTS of you old library into L:\Calibre Portable\Calibre Library

c.1) copy the contents of your (old) Calibre Configuration Directory
into L:\Calibre Portable\Calibre Settings

Adjust your usage of the drive letter above to match your situation

[PeterT]

Do make sure that the cable that attaches the drive to your PC is good and secure

[theducks]

Make sure the drive is placed so it can not FALL (Floor is a good place ) and , as PeterT pointed out, with the cable secure (so nothing snags it out of its socket)

[Dr. Drib]

If I move just the Library (the books), what about the attendant metadata? Is that also in that location? (In other words, is everything moved except the program?)

Using this method above, I would simply open calibre on my laptop and (with the HD plugged in), calibre would be able to find those files? Too, when I connect any one of my ebook readers, the way one typically uses calibre remains the same?

Are there any disadvantages to this method?




Don

[PeterT]

The library is self contained. Just copy the entire directory structure that contrains the metadata.db and all the sub folders to the external drive.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

If I move just the Library (the books), what about the attendant metadata? Is that also in that location? (In other words, is everything moved except the program?)

Using this method above, I would simply open calibre on my laptop and (with the HD plugged in), calibre would be able to find those files? Too, when I connect any one of my ebook readers, the way one typically uses calibre remains the same?

Are there any disadvantages to this method?




Don

The only disadvantage is if you don't HARD assign the drive letter. Then the drive might a different letter, depending on other pen drives inserted and different ports used.
BTW If you forget to plug/power the drive: Calibre will either ASK 'where is the Library' or open the default (empty?) Library. All you do is plug/power the Creat/Switch 'Use Existing' (Library quick switch will probably work the second time)

I moved the drive from my Desktop (Calibre 32) to my Laptop (Calibre 64) and everything is the same. (I did copy the configuration directory to the Laptop when I first installed Calibre)

An yes, the you sideload your device the same

[Dr. Drib]

OK, here's what I've done so far:

1) Assigned a drive letter to my external HD -- ('L')
2 Copied and pasted over the ONE calibre folder from my Documents folder to the hard drive.

Is there a 3rd step?

If not, I assume I can now delete entirely the calibre folder that remains in my Documents folder on my laptop?

-- Many thanks to everyone for their help.




Don

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

OK, here's what I've done so far:

1) Assigned a drive letter to my external HD -- ('L')
2 Copied and pasted over the ONE calibre folder from my Documents folder to the hard drive.

Is there a 3rd step?

If not, I assume I can now delete entirely the calibre folder that remains in my Documents folder on my laptop?

-- Many thanks to everyone for their help.

Don

Do some TESTs

1) Change the name of you OLD Library folder (using the OS) so you know Calibre is not using that one Then start Calibre

2) Do some of you normal tasks using the new library to prove that everything works as expected. Include. sending a book to your device in the list of tests

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by theducks

Do some TESTs

1) Change the name of you OLD Library folder (using the OS) so you know Calibre is not using that one Then start Calibre

2) Do some of you normal tasks using the new library to prove that everything works as expected. Include. sending a book to your device in the list of tests

Ah, yes, I forgot to mention that I did exactly that: I changed the file name for that large file now on my external HD to something that made more sense to me.

Then, with drive L connected I added a file.

I then safely exited and disconnected the drive and then loaded up calibre and found the path to the previous file. The new ebook I added was not there.

I then exited out and again connected the 'L' drive, loaded up calibre and there was the book I added.

Everything seems to be working fine, but I'll do some more tests, etc. over the next couple of days.

Again, let me thank everyone who posted their help on this. I very much appreciate it.

I feel a whole lot better!




Don

[HarryT]

I've been running with my Calibre library on an external drive for years - works just fine. As had been said, the vital thing is to use Windows Disk Manager to assign the library drive a permanent drive letter so you can be sure that it'll never change. I use the same drive for my iTunes library, too.

[BetterRed]

Don't forget to change your backup/restore 'scripts/settings/whatever' to refer to the new location

If its a spinning disk and its in an enclosure with no fan then make sure its in a well ventilated location. You might want to consider having the drive spin down when its not used for a while - heat is your disk drives worst enemy.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Don't forget to change your backup/restore 'scripts/settings/whatever' to refer to the new location

If its a spinning disk and its in an enclosure with no fan then make sure its in a well ventilated location. You might want to consider having the drive spin down when its not used for a while - heat is your disk drives worst enemy.

BR

Liquid (Cola) is the worst enemy (the citric acid eats copper traces).
Heat is the second worse enemy