Register Guidelines E-Books Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book Software > Calibre > Library Management

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-08-2015, 01:10 PM   #1
Beanxx
Junior Member
Beanxx began at the beginning.
 
Posts: 8
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2015
Device: PC & Android apps
Import an old Calibre library with corrupted database

I recently managed to recover off of an old, crashed hard drive most of my old Calibre library. It appears that the folder structure and format files are (mainly) intact, but the database is hopelessly corrupted.

Both my old library and my new one contain about 1200 books, with an overlap of (very roughly) 800. I would like to import the old library into the new one without having to manually do it folder by folder. Ideally the import process would not copy duplicates, but I'm willing to do de-duplicating as a separate step if need be.

If never tried to import anything this complicated, and I am afraid of messing up my current library in the process. Can anyone tell me a safe, and not too laborious, way of achieving this?

Thanks! Beanxx
Beanxx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2015, 02:59 PM   #2
eschwartz
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
eschwartz's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
If the folder structure and ebooks are intact, you can open the corrupted library, right-click on the Library icon (toolbar) and select Library Maintenance ==> Restore database.
calibre will attempt to recreate your library based on the folder structure and the backup metadata.opf files.

As for importing into the new library, try the [GUI Plugin] Find Duplicates. It can compare across libraries to help you deduplicate. Weed out the duplicates in the old library, then once you have cleaned up, you can simply right-click on the leftover books and select Copy to library.

You might want to make a backup of the old library folder before deleting things.
eschwartz is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 05-08-2015, 04:03 PM   #3
Beanxx
Junior Member
Beanxx began at the beginning.
 
Posts: 8
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2015
Device: PC & Android apps
Gosh! That doesn't sound nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

Let me just make sure that I actually understand what you are saying.

1. Back up my new library, and the old one if I choose move instead of copy in step 4 below.

2. I start by hitting the library button. I select "Switch/create library, and type the path for my old library in the box, with the radio button set at "Use the previously existing library at the new location", then hit OK. This should take me to my old library.

There are no other decisions to make up to this point.

3. Then I hit the library button again, but this time choose "Library Maintenance" from the pull-down menue, and then "Restore database" from the library maintenance sub-menu. This should rebuild my old library database, in my old library folder, as much as it can be reconstructed.

4. Once the database has been rebuilt, select all the books. Right-click on the selection, choose "Copy to library", then the sub-menu item "Choose library by path". Then I type in the path to my current library, and choose copy or move. The result should be that all the books from my old library that Calibre can find will be copied to my new library, producing extra copies of any duplicates.

There are no other decisions to make up to this point.

5. Then I run FindDuplicates (which I already have installed). Then I'm done!

Do you see any egregious errors in these steps? Have I correctly captured your advice?
Beanxx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2015, 04:12 PM   #4
eschwartz
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.eschwartz ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
eschwartz's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
Move step five to before step four -- Find Duplicates can compare two calibre libraries. That way, you don't have to commit to changing the new library at all (and you don't *have to* back it up).
Also, in step four, you will probably see your new library already listed, since calibre remembers it from when you first opened that library.

Other than that, you got it.
Tell us if you have any problems, or report back on your success.
eschwartz is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
corrupted, database corrupted, import library

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Moving library, database corrupted YYZ2112 Library Management 11 12-11-2013 11:09 AM
[Old Thread] Calibre database keeps getting corrupted on Win 7 - help!?! jer989 Calibre 17 01-01-2013 03:36 PM
[Old Thread] Corrupted library database smarties86 Calibre 2 09-02-2012 06:30 AM
Calibre Mac & Windows (Corrupted Database) ciscoswitch Calibre 4 09-08-2010 01:29 PM
Calibre keeps saying database of books is corrupted. Media.xml file seajewel Calibre 8 02-26-2010 09:35 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:58 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.