working from an external hard drive

[michbabe]

Sorry if this is a topic already discussed.. If so just direct me there and I will read all about it.
I was home sick today from my day job (don't quit your day job)
and have spent hours in this community reading all sorts of interesting and helpful things.

However...I haven't found what one item I was looking for..
I was one of the unlucky ones who lost about 253 discs/ about 3,000 so songs...Which I still have not found. I did buy the program recommended to help find these files, but it is beyond my understanding when it starts talking about changing your systems BIO settings "bla bla blaa..." Above and beyond my knowledge. (am a blond but common give me a break)
So this 89 dollar program will wait for help.

Getting back to my point (I do have one) From what I have been understanding, it is best to of course back up all files into a external hard drive. And I imagine to save space on the laptop, after moved to the external I delete them all off the laptop????

If this is correct, when I am ready to run a show, how do I pull the songs off the external hard drive into my hoster???

Maybe I shouldn't of admitted I was blond, cause maybe that's a dumb question.
New with hoster, new with an external hard drive...!!!
Help??? Just don't throw tomatoes.....

[hwheeler43]

What I do and recommend is to copy all the kma files to the external drive and keep them on your laptop drive to run the show. That way you have all the songs backed up on the external and you have all the speed and smooth running you get from accessing them on the local internal drive.

One thing to think about is that the external drive is still a hard drive and could have a failure just like any hard drive. Having your songs on both hard drives gives you confidence in that the chances of both going bad at the same time is pretty low. I actually keep my songs on 3 hard drives as I have two laptops. One of which is just for backup purposes in case my priamry goes down during a show.

I hope this answers your questions.

[admin]

Originally Posted by michbabe

1. I did buy the program recommended to help find these files, but it is beyond my understanding when it starts talking about changing your systems BIO settings "bla bla blaa..." Above and beyond my knowledge. (am a blond but common give me a break)
So this 89 dollar program will wait for help.

2. Getting back to my point (I do have one) From what I have been understanding, it is best to of course back up all files into a external hard drive. And I imagine to save space on the laptop, after moved to the external I delete them all off the laptop????

3. If this is correct, when I am ready to run a show, how do I pull the songs off the external hard drive into my hoster???

4. Maybe I shouldn't of admitted I was blond, cause maybe that's a dumb question.
New with hoster, new with an external hard drive...!!!
Help??? Just don't throw tomatoes.....

Funny Girl! We have nothing against blonds. Ya'll keep the world laughing.

1. I'm so sorry it is too technical. However, if you start importing or do anything to move or add files to the hard drive, you will have overwritten the indext tables that "knew" where your lost files were stored, and they will be lost forever. There is another free program that should be LOT easier to use recommended by Kim Kommando. It is in this Thread. Download and run it NOW!

2. The idea of "Backup" means you have TWO copies. If you want to remove them from your Laptop hard drive, you should consider a second external hard drive so you have the same KMA files on both hard drives, and your Laptop free. You will then need to have at least one of your extarnal drives with you at the shows all the time. If you have room on your Laptop for the KMAs, and still keep about 20% of that drive's space empty for Window's to do its housekeeping, then I'd keep them on the Laptop and back them up to your external... 2 copies again. Not to get commercial, but we dropped the price of our USB 500GB external drive (under Laptop section) to $159.80 this morning.

3. To use an external drive, plug it into your Laptop. Then run Hoster, then the Tools menu, then the Build Songs Database command. In the dialog you will see a large list window with Add and Delete buttons above it. Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to locate the drive letter (D:, E:, F:, ...) of your plugged in USB drive. Use the Add Folders button to locate this drive and add it to the list window, IF... it is not already in the list. Any other folders where you have KMA files that are NOT duplicates should be added to the list. Then, click the Build Songs Database button at the bottom left. It will show you the progress as it adds them. When done, you're ready to roll.

WARNING! The order you plug in your USB devices (Hard Drive, Printer, CD/DVD External USB drive, etc.) can change the drive letter the Hard Drive is assigned. If this changes from what is in the Build Songs Database list, your KMA files will not be found. Be sure to plug in your Hard Drive in the same order each time.

4. Tomatoes? Are you kidding! One pound costs more than 2 dozen eggs.

[jleekaraoke]

Originally Posted by michbabe

Sorry if this is a topic already discussed.. If so just direct me there and I will read all about it.
I was home sick today from my day job (don't quit your day job)
and have spent hours in this community reading all sorts of interesting and helpful things.

However...I haven't found what one item I was looking for..
I was one of the unlucky ones who lost about 253 discs/ about 3,000 so songs...Which I still have not found. I did buy the program recommended to help find these files, but it is beyond my understanding when it starts talking about changing your systems BIO settings "bla bla blaa..." Above and beyond my knowledge. (am a blond but common give me a break)
So this 89 dollar program will wait for help.

Getting back to my point (I do have one) From what I have been understanding, it is best to of course back up all files into a external hard drive. And I imagine to save space on the laptop, after moved to the external I delete them all off the laptop????

If this is correct, when I am ready to run a show, how do I pull the songs off the external hard drive into my hoster???

Maybe I shouldn't of admitted I was blond, cause maybe that's a dumb question.
New with hoster, new with an external hard drive...!!!
Help??? Just don't throw tomatoes.....

I DO NOT USE THE HOSTER PROGRAM I USE DOTTY & SAX WHICH BASICALLY IS SAME THING JUST A DIFFERENT PROGRAM FOR RUNNING YOUR SHOW ON COMPUTER. I RUN A MAXTOR 750 GB EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE,.. THE MUSIC IS ALL ON THERE AND AS I GET MORE MUSIC IT GETS ADDED.. THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PLUG IT IN TO YOUR COMPUTER TURN IT ON AND YOUR MUSIC IS RIGHT THERE, SO IF YOUR COMPUTER CRASHES (HOPEFULLY NOT) THEN YOU WON'T EVER LOSE THE MUSIC I ALSO HAVE ALL MY DJ MUSIC ON IT ALSO

[muzicman144]

[quote=jleekaraoke;75388]I DO NOT USE THE HOSTER PROGRAM I USE DOTTY & SAX WHICH BASICALLY IS SAME THING JUST A DIFFERENT PROGRAM FOR RUNNING YOUR SHOW ON COMPUTER.

Why would one drive a KIA (Dotty & Sax) when they can drive the Cadillac-(Hoster)
muzicman

[jleekaraoke]

[quote=muzicman144;75396]

Originally Posted by jleekaraoke

I DO NOT USE THE HOSTER PROGRAM I USE DOTTY & SAX WHICH BASICALLY IS SAME THING JUST A DIFFERENT PROGRAM FOR RUNNING YOUR SHOW ON COMPUTER.

Why would one drive a KIA (Dotty & Sax) when they can drive the Cadillac-(Hoster)
muzicman

Dotty & Sax is a great program and have updated.. I am very happy with this system and have not had any problems.. i bought the hoster program, but found i liked sax better.. I suppose it's all a matter of taste.. but thanks for the reply

www.jackieleekaraoke.com

[slsides]

There is a very easy way to make a backup of all kma, mdb and other files that support hoster/microstudio/etc.

Use a disk/folder synchronization program. I use a free one called Allway Sync for the task, and it's very easy and effective.

[a2kmike]

here's an excellent free prog to use for file sync

http://www.latshawsystems.com/Produc...chronizer.aspx

there are other programs there as well....for the KJ/DJ

Mike Summitt

[jleekaraoke]

i appreciate that, I believe my friend who set me up with this has that and it is awesome.. thanks for your reply