How can I change the file path for the WMP playlists I had modified.

[fredrok46]

My external drive just died. Unfortunately, I had all my music playlists stored on it so now of course WMP can't find them. I have backups in other locations so that is not a problem. My question is, do I have to manually type and repoint every playlist individually to my new location? It seems I should be able to simply change the drive letter in the old file path to a new one? The Windows Music Library Locations folder (WMP/File/Manage Libraries/Music) does not offer that option on the context menu. It shows the file path to my playlists on the dead external drive but won't let me rename it. There must be an easier way to make the change but I can't figure it out.

 

[ThrashZone]

You can add this alternative location as a New library and add this new library to wmplayer.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/114791-windows-media-player-rebuild-corrupted-libraries.html

 

[Worker]

Fredrock;

I hope this is worth a mention: although I've never had a complete fail that resulted in losing my playlists (usually stored under the standard My Documents/My Music setup) or my media files (usually on an external USB drive), but I have needed to migrate said music files more than a few times (general upkeep, or obtaining a new piece of equipment more suited to the job) and I find that with both WMP and Winamp (M3U) playlists, you can open them (or at least the ones I've done it with) in a text editor (I use the 'purple Notepad', called Metapad) and do a mass replace of the directory's location (as a piece of text) with the new directory, as in:

Path to be replaced: "D:\My Music"
Path to replace it with: "F:\My Music"

I use the "" quotes to delineate the path 'name'; it's unnecessary to use them in the process of doing that. Metapad will change every instance of the original path 'name' and replace it with the new one. You can even set it to be really picky about upper/lower case letters, or to replace one instance at a time. I've done this at least a half dozen times, and as long as you can pull a given playlist into a text editor with the paths clearly visible, it'll work (and for me has worked).

Cheers!

-Worker.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

My2 cents wroth if you want to try it - personally I have used it on many occasions on "dead" drives.


BOOTABLE UBUNTU

Make a bootable Ubuntu disk http://www.ubuntu.com/download

Set the BIOS to boot from the optical when the machine boots it will show you a screen with TRY or INSTALL> select TRY

When it is finished - it takes very little time you will get a screen like in the pic .

Open the drive you want > User and dig down until you get to the WLM settings you may be able to copy / paste the material you want doing this.

I am not sure if it will but I have recovered tons of data etc using this method both on "dead" or just plain drives that you cannot get data from using Windows.
PS I did this for a WLM but same applies to getting any data for any source your libraries should be a breeze.

 

[gapwheat]

Worker's method worked perfectly on all of my wpl files.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hmm forgot this too for an alternative to Ubuntu though I still think Ubuntu is easier

This Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS