Windows Media Center & Libraries

[DaLarry]

I have a system running Win 7 Pro x86 on a P4 3,06Ghz, 4GB memory. It is primarily a server for my media with a 1TB drive dedicated to all my music files and a different 1TB drive devoted to my movie collection. I have added both locations to their respective libraries as well as told WMC repeatedly to index them. It says it is doing it in the background but it never does and never burps up an error.

Anyone have any idea what's going on?

 

[chev65]

It will work better if you add those files to the User folders instead, as in "User name, My music, My video's etc. Moving files and folders using libraries needs to be done using the menu to the left rather then using the copy and paste method or problems will result.

You can usually copy paste single folders using Libraries but the problems seem to start when you attempt to move large files or folders into Libraries. You have to remember that Libraries are only picture icons of files that are stored in your User folders.

 

[DaLarry]

Hi Chevy 65:

Thanx for replying but I'm not sure I understand what you mean. The "User Folders" are on my C:\ drive and my music files are on the J:\ drive. I don't want to move the music files to the "My Music" folder on my C:\ drive. Or are you saying I should put a link to the J:\ drive in my C:\ User Folders? Not to be an ungrateful, whiny wimp, but why can't it be made to work like it says it's supposed to?

 

[mikinho]

Sound like you have a corrupt WMP library. Try deleting it and starting fresh. To delete it, delete all the *.wmdb files found under %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Media Player\

You'll need to stop a service if you've had Media Center running or reboot and then delete before running Media Center.

From there make sure you do NOT add the music folder in multiple locations or via the WMP\WMC GUI at all. Just open Windows Explorer, under Libraries right click Music -> Properties -> Include a folder. You can do the same for Videos but that will only show under the Video Library in WMC. For the Movie Library you need to do it via WMC itself or the registry.

 

[DaLarry]

Hey Mikinho:

Thanx for responding. I had stumbled across a similar suggestion somewhere else, tried it, but it didn't work. Your suggestion was a little different in that you suggested I stay away from adding my music folder from within WMC. Actually, I had already added my Music drive to the Music Library. Unfortunately, that didn't work either. In each case I let it sit and stew for 30 - 45 minutes after which I check to see what WMC has done. It says it is searching in the background but it is clearly doing nothing. I'm pretty much ready to give up; the software clearly has major flaws and at this point I'm not sure it's worth the time invested. I already own J. River Media Center 14 it and has no problem finding and importing my music collection. I also dual boot on this machine into Linux Mint. On the Linux side my preferred media handler is Banshee. Both do a good job. I think I'm going to just go back to my favorite to date; J. River Media Center 14.

 

[DaLarry]

I regret to announce my total capitulation. WMC has defeated me. I've expended an inordinate amount of time trying to get it to do something it says it is doing, should be able to do easily, but clearly does not. Maybe I'll try it again when Windows 8 is released.

 

[mikinho]

Nothing wrong with that. J. River Media Center is a good product and one of the better DLNA servers around. (He also added support for Yammm metadata =) )