How Do I import my Calibre Libraries from back up to new install?

[bluesjunior]

I have just installed a new SSD and reinstalled the Windows 7 OS onto my PC. Prior to this I sent my Calibre Libraries and their content to my external hard drive as back ups. Now I have got my PC going again with the new SSD and I have installed all my programs etc. I installed Calibre and opened it but cannot figure out how to import my libraries from the external drive to the new calibre install on the SSD. I have 5 libraries, each with a different genre of book and would like to keep them separate as they were before. I have done a search here but nothing pertinent to me came up. I would really appreciate it if someone more knowledgeable on Calibre could either give me a heads up or a link to how to do this?.

[BetterRed]

@bluesjunior - use the Switch/Create Library option (click Library icon), browse to library location, then select the Use existing library at this location radio button and hit OK

Repeat for the other 4 libraries.

Also see How do I backup calibre? and How do I move my calibre library from one computer to another?

if you can access the old system drive you could copy the old configuration data

BR

[itimpi]

If you want the libraries on the local hard disk of your new system, then simply copy the library folders from the external disk to where you want them and then start up Calibre and use the Switch/Create library option to point at where they are (needs repeating for each library).

If you want to run with them on the external disk then you can omit the copy phase.

[bluesjunior]

Thanks for the replies. I want to keep the SSD as stripped as possible and store the libraries on another drive so thanks Itimpi for that solution.

[bluesjunior]

Just a heads up in case someone does a search on similar lines in the future. I tried the switch libraries solution but could not do it as it told me the library files were corrupt. I thought at first that something must have happened when I transferred them from the old HDD to the external back up and swore a little bit.

This morning on opening Calibre 64bit I got the usual pop up saying an update was available and so downloaded it. That was when I noticed that my browser was high lighted with a green perimeter which immediately reminded me that was a sign that Comodo Firewall had sandboxed it. I also saw that the Calibre GUI was also highlighted in green. After checking out my Comodo Firewall rules I realised what had happened. On installing Calibre onto the new SSD I had got the pop up from Comodo saying it had isolated the installation which I had then gone into Application rules and set as an allowed program, what I didn't realise until today was that yesterday I should also have emptied the sandbox as well. As these files were still in the sandbox even though I had set Calibre as Allowed it ignored that rule as they were still sandboxed.

I emptied the sandbox, installed the update and hey presto green border gone and libraries all swapped in less than five minutes. Just to let anyone else that's interested know.

[Cobra]

Hello. I am a new member to the forum.
I had a HDD failure on my laptop and have reinstalled Calibre to another computer.
I had a backup of the Calibre Library folder that I have tried moving to the new computer. I put it in the documents folder where the empty Calibre Library folder was created by the installation. I have tried the above routine several times and the program will not show any of the titles in the folder. Obviously doing something wrong. Any ideas?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Hello. I am a new member to the forum.
I had a HDD failure on my laptop and have reinstalled Calibre to another computer.
I had a backup of the Calibre Library folder that I have tried moving to the new computer. I put it in the documents folder where the empty Calibre Library folder was created by the installation. I have tried the above routine several times and the program will not show any of the titles in the folder. Obviously doing something wrong. Any ideas?

Did you REPLACE the ENTIRE contents of that folder?

If you pasted the folder (Calibre Library) into documents. Did it end up alongside the original (from the installer)?

FWIW I have done this so many times. Over 3 versions of Windows and Linux.
Copying Libraries between Linux <> Windows is the only time I have seen problems. And the Metadata not showing WAS NOT one of them

[Cobra]

I copied the entire folder from the backup drive into the Documents folder of the new computer, removing the original Calibre Library folder.
No luck.
I can change to another Calibre Library folder that I created by loading a few books into. When I switch to it, the books appear. When I switch back to the folder from the backup, no luck.

[eschwartz]

On the bottom it should say "___ of ___ books", how many books do you have listed there?
You may have a Virtual Library set.
That is the only reason I can think of for it to appear as though no books are there.

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

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I had a backup of the Calibre Library folder that I have tried moving to the new computer.

@Cobra - if your backup is a true copy (i.e. same folder structure, not packed into an archive, whatever) of the original library on removable media, try accessing it on that media via Library->Switch/Create.

If it works then it indicates that your problem is probably in the copying procedure.

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I copied the entire folder from the backup drive into the Documents folder of the new computer, removing the original Calibre Library folder.
No luck.
I can change to another Calibre Library folder that I created by loading a few books into. When I switch to it, the books appear. When I switch back to the folder from the backup, no luck.

You might try re-linking the Library if the bottom line does not show any of xxx.
It might just be pointing to a subtle name difference folder