Restoring library after re-install of Windows

[dickon25]

Hi,
I've recently changed from 32 bit Windows to 64 bit - wiping the HD in the process. I backed up my Calibre library to a pendrive using Calibre's Save to Disc. Having now re-installed Calibre (64 bit version) I cannot get it to recognise the old library.
I've tried using 'import data' but get the message: No exported data found in... <filepath>
Tried 'Copy to Library'>Choose Library by path and get 'No books selected' (even though there are 1500 of them)
I've tried designating the folder to Automatic Adding under Add Books but this didn't work either.
I've tried Restore Database but all that does is restore the new Calibre database, which is empty.
I've tried Switch/Create Library but that wants me to select an empty library as a new location - not what I need at all.
Looking around on this forum it seems that the initial backup I did didn't copy the metadata.db file, which is why the new Calibre isn't reading it. But each book has its own metadata, I just need to get Calibre to read it somehow.
I'm no expert in the guts of Calibre or the command line stuff so any ideas about what else I can try would be gratefully received.

Thanks, Chris

[dwig]

Originally Posted by dickon25

...
Looking around on this forum it seems that the initial backup I did didn't copy the metadata.db file, which is why the new Calibre isn't reading it. But each book has its own metadata, I just need to get Calibre to read it somehow. ...

Calbre's "Save to Disk" does not backup the library. It merely exports each book individually. There are ways to backup the library, but "Save to Disk" is not one of them.

Since you have lost your "library" there is no "library" for the new Calibre to read. Since you do have a "pile of books" you can crreate a new empty library in your new Calibre installation, or use the default it creating when installed, and import each book individually. This will take time as Calibre will have to open each book and extract the cover and convert it to a JPEG, extract the metadata, and then add the metadata to be new library's .DB file.

You will likely want to review Calibre's options for merging books with matching titles to decide the best setting for your situation. If you exported multiple formats of the same book you may want them automatically merged, though if you kept separate book entries for different versions with matching titles you would want to avoid automatic merging.

[dickon25]

Thanks for that, I'd suspected that was the case. I've now managed to do it using Add Books from directories including sub-directories. I thought I would get only the book file doing that but it's copied all the metadata as well - Result !!

[phossler]

@dickon25

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...ter-to-another

If you right-click the main Calibre icon, you get a choice to "Export/Import all Calibre Data". Looks like it writes a few zipped files that can be imported to the new comp or O/S

LOTS faster than re-adding books

Hindsight is wonderful, but maybe next time

[eschwartz]

for using the FAQ-approved method next time.

As for your individually exported books, the reason they retained their metadata is because calibre by default Saves-to-Disk the metadata.opf used as a metadata backup, and the specific Add Books option you used respects that metadata.opf

It isn't perfect though -- it cannot add custom columns that were in the Saved-to-Disk books, but are not in the current library.

[dickon25]

Phossler: If you right-click the main Calibre icon, you get a choice to "Export/Import all Calibre Data". Looks like it writes a few zipped files that can be imported to the new comp or O/S

I tried that and got the message 'No exported data found', which I presume was because Calibre was only looking for the metadata.db file, which wasn't present. Next time........

[theducks]

Originally Posted by dickon25

Phossler: If you right-click the main Calibre icon, you get a choice to "Export/Import all Calibre Data". Looks like it writes a few zipped files that can be imported to the new comp or O/S

I tried that and got the message 'No exported data found', which I presume was because Calibre was only looking for the metadata.db file, which wasn't present. Next time........

The export tool uses the config data to locate all known (In Use on quick switch menu) Libraries to create the Spanned-Archive
The Import tool reads the archive to find out what is available, then offers a list of possibilities (and a chance to alter the restore path)