Convert Video Directory from Mapped Drives to UNC

[Steve20A]

Is there a specific process to follow to convert from mapped drives to UNC drives?

I have searched the forums, but cannot find a definitive answer to my question. I have been running mapped drives for many years and Sage, running as a service, has never had a problem. But since Windows 10 has changed my control over when the machine reboots, I have seen the situation where a reboot has taken place and no one was there to logon the userid used for the mapped drives. Sage will not see its recording directories under that circumstance, so I intend to convert to UNC addresses.

I understand the creation of UNC addresses (I think), but I am not sure how to move from mapped to UNC. Under Video Recording Directories, should I just create UNC addresses and delete the mapped drives and restart Sage? I have a vague recollection of reading that something bad happens when Sage cannot find the original path for a recording (of which I have maybe 100). Is there a waiting period when both mapped and UNC should be active, then delete the mapped?

Any instruction appreciated.

Thanks.

Steve

Windows 10 Home Creators Edition (1703), OpenDCT (4.49), Sage 9.1.2.662, Java 8.131.

[Fuzzy]

Just add the new location, and remove the old. Then unmap the shares (so that sage doesn't still 'see' the old location.

Do an import scan, and it will find the file at the new path.

[Steve20A]

Thanks, Fuzzy. I appreciate the response.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Just add the new location, and remove the old. Then unmap the shares (so that sage doesn't still 'see' the old location.

Do an import scan, and it will find the file at the new path.

In the very likely case that I actually know less than I think I do, allow me to ask some additional questions.

I am changing Video Directories. The documentation implies that a scan will import from the Media Center Import Directories, of which I have none defined. You are saying that the Video Directories are also scanned at that time. Yes?

Also, you say to unmap the existing drives so Sage will not see them. Is this only for the duration of the scan? May I assume I can remap them after the scan? (They are mapped for backup processes that are outside of Sage.)

And, finally, the drives are separate physical hard drives with drive letters assigned, not mapped. Does this matter?

Am I over-analyzing this whole thing? It's really easier than I'm thinking?

Thanks again. I really appreciate the guidance.

Steve

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Steve20A

Thanks, Fuzzy. I appreciate the response.



In the very likely case that I actually know less than I think I do, allow me to ask some additional questions.

I am changing Video Directories. The documentation implies that a scan will import from the Media Center Import Directories, of which I have none defined. You are saying that the Video Directories are also scanned at that time. Yes?

Also, you say to unmap the existing drives so Sage will not see them. Is this only for the duration of the scan? May I assume I can remap them after the scan? (They are mapped for backup processes that are outside of Sage.)

And, finally, the drives are separate physical hard drives with drive letters assigned, not mapped. Does this matter?

Am I over-analyzing this whole thing? It's really easier than I'm thinking?

Thanks again. I really appreciate the guidance.

Steve

In most ways, Sage treats Import folders and Recordings folders the same. The only significant difference is that it will record to Recordings folders. A media scan will scan all of them, in fact, you can add videos to a recordings folder and they'd be treated as video imports just like if they were in an import folder.

I said to unmap the drives, because sage may still 'see' them in the old location, so instead of modifying the record to look at the new location, it may actually add a duplicate, so you'll have 2 entries for what equates to the same file. If you unmap them, you can do the scan, and it will definitely see they are not longer in the old location, and you can be sure that it simply changes the path to the file in the existing database entry for that recording. You can add the mapping back later if desired, as long as the folder is no longer in sage's configuration.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

In most ways, Sage treats Import folders and Recordings folders the same. The only significant difference is that it will record to Recordings folders. A media scan will scan all of them, in fact, you can add videos to a recordings folder and they'd be treated as video imports just like if they were in an import folder.

I said to unmap the drives, because sage may still 'see' them in the old location, so instead of modifying the record to look at the new location, it may actually add a duplicate, so you'll have 2 entries for what equates to the same file. If you unmap them, you can do the scan, and it will definitely see they are not longer in the old location, and you can be sure that it simply changes the path to the file in the existing database entry for that recording. You can add the mapping back later if desired, as long as the folder is no longer in sage's configuration.

@Fuzzy, I think you have that backwards. If you unmap the drive before Sage sees that the files have moved, then you will get duplicates. Sage will think that the unmapped drive is just temporarily disconnected and keep the references to the missing files in case you reconnect the drive later.

[UgaData]

My apologies this isn't what your asking about, however,

It is possible to have Windows automatically sign-on after a reboot. Windows will kind of complain but it can be done.

type "NETPLWIZ" (with out the quotes) into the RUN field (Windows Key +R)

Click on the Advanced Tab

uncheck the "Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete" under secure Logon section.

Click on the Users Tab and select the user name you want to have sign-0n automatically.

I understand this may not be what you want to do but just in case. I have seen other posts where someone wasn't aware of the auto logon options.

[Steve20A]

Fuzzy, Tiki, UgaData - Thanks for responding.

Since Tiki and Fuzzy have conflicting statements, I will wait for another round of comments.

UgaData - I was vaguely aware that automatic sign-on was possible, but I am not familiar with the details. After I execute <<Click on the Users Tab and select the user name you want to have sign-on automatically.>> what do I do? There does not appear to be a "sign-on automatically" field to select. I can uncheck the "Users must enter a userid and password to use this computer" but that does not say the ID will be signed on automatically, only that I would not need a pw. Can you elaborate?

Thanks.

[graywolf]

Yes. With the user you want to automatically sign in when you restart Windows or reboot the PC highligted, uncheck that box

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by Tiki

@Fuzzy, I think you have that backwards. If you unmap the drive before Sage sees that the files have moved, then you will get duplicates. Sage will think that the unmapped drive is just temporarily disconnected and keep the references to the missing files in case you reconnect the drive later.

I'm thinking this is a lot like what I just dealt with for my issue with photos. Ultimately Sage will end up removing everything from wiz.bin pointing at the mapped drive and create new records pointing at the UNC share. I don't think it can change the path within the old records in wiz.bin but I'm not sure.

Whether there are duplicates for a little while probably isn't a big deal. So if you add the UNC path to the import directories list it will "find" all of the files and create new records for them. Then after it's done, you need to point the old mapped drive letter to a drive that has the same folders but are empty so Sage will purge the old records. You can accomplish both by changing a folder name (seen by Sage) and then adding the new path as a UNC path.


For example, if you have:

F:\recordings

Rename that to F:\tv_recordings.
Use \\machine\tv_recordings and use that as an import path.
After refreshing media, create a new, empty F:\recordings directory and refresh again.

WARNING: I have not tested any of this but just basing it upon how I believe it to work. Jeff will hopefully chime in with the best way to do this.

Regardless, quit SageTV and BACKUP wiz.bin before attempting any of this.

[UgaData]

Originally Posted by UgaData

type "NETPLWIZ" (with out the quotes) into the RUN field (Windows Key +R)

Click on the Advanced Tab

uncheck the "Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete" under secure Logon section.

Click on the Users Tab and select the user name you want to have sign-0n automatically.

After selecting/highlighting the User, You won't get any confirmation until you leave the dialog box by clicking "OK".
You should then be presented with an Enter Password dialog box (which is the confirmation).

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by wnjj

I'm thinking this is a lot like what I just dealt with for my issue with photos. Ultimately Sage will end up removing everything from wiz.bin pointing at the mapped drive and create new records pointing at the UNC share. I don't think it can change the path within the old records in wiz.bin but I'm not sure.

Whether there are duplicates for a little while probably isn't a big deal. So if you add the UNC path to the import directories list it will "find" all of the files and create new records for them. Then after it's done, you need to point the old mapped drive letter to a drive that has the same folders but are empty so Sage will purge the old records. You can accomplish both by changing a folder name (seen by Sage) and then adding the new path as a UNC path.


For example, if you have:

F:\recordings

Rename that to F:\tv_recordings.
Use \\machine\tv_recordings and use that as an import path.
After refreshing media, create a new, empty F:\recordings directory and refresh again.

WARNING: I have not tested any of this but just basing it upon how I believe it to work. Jeff will hopefully chime in with the best way to do this.

Regardless, quit SageTV and BACKUP wiz.bin before attempting any of this.

Actually doesn't matter about the folder names being the same - it only matters that you have the same mount point (drive letter or root path).

If your recording directory is called f:/Sage/recordings and Sage can't find an f: drive, it will assume the drive was just temporarily disconnected and could come back in the future, so it will keep all the info in wiz.bin and it will still show the missing recordings in the Recordings screen (but you will get an error if you try to play them, unless the drive is reattached).

If Sage can find the f: drive, but can't find some/all of the recordings that were supposed to be there, it will assume they were deleted by some external process and it will purge them from wiz.bin so they are no longer shown in the Recordings screen.

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Actually doesn't matter about the folder names being the same - it only matters that you have the same mount point (drive letter or root path).

If your recording directory is called f:/Sage/recordings and Sage can't find an f: drive, it will assume the drive was just temporarily disconnected and could come back in the future, so it will keep all the info in wiz.bin and it will still show the missing recordings in the Recordings screen (but you will get an error if you try to play them, unless the drive is reattached).

If Sage can find the f: drive, but can't find some/all of the recordings that were supposed to be there, it will assume they were deleted by some external process and it will purge them from wiz.bin so they are no longer shown in the Recordings screen.

I agree and understand that it's all because Sage assumes it's a removable disk that may come back. I guess that means creating the empty "recordings" directory isn't needed. Renaming before sharing by UNC would still be needed, though to make the original files "look deleted" on the still available F: drive. Do you agree?

[Steve20A]

I understand that if a recording directory becomes unavailable, Sage will keep the info in Wiz.bin in case the directory returns, but...

if I delete the old mapped recording directories from Video Directory and add new directories using UNC paths (by the way pointing to the same physical directories as the mapped drives)

will the scan process erase the old mapped data and populate with new UNC data? In other words, if I do a scan, do I still have to show Sage an empty old (mapped) directory or does the scan delete all data and assume a blank slate?