Here's a quick way to back up your database that will let you quickly get all your tracks back into your library in the event that your "databaseV2" file should become corrupt. It's not very common, but it can happen sometimes due to a variety of possible causes, so we highly recommend the following steps.

If Scratch LIVE starts and finds the database file is not there, all your crate files are still loaded and the tracks in your crates are imported into a newly created database file to rebuild the library.

When this happens however, any tracks in your library that weren't in crates don't get picked up, these simple steps will keep your library just that little bit more secure and make it easier to get everything back how it was in the shortest possible time:

- Go to the "All..." crate, make sure that focus is on the track list by clicking on a track to highlight it.

- Press Ctrl-A (or Apple-A on Mac) to select all tracks in your library.

- Make a new crate and drag the selected tracks into it. A quick way to do this is to drag them straight onto the New Crate button (+) at the bottom of the screen, which automatically makes a new crate containg the selected tracks.

- Rename the new crate to "database backup" or something you'll remember later.

Now if you should ever have to move or delete your database file
this crate will ensure you don't have to waste time rebuilding your library with those tracks you don't play often enough to bother sorting into your gigging crates, but would like to keep in your library for requests etc.

You can update your backup anytime by going back to the "All..." crate, selecting all tracks and dragging them to your "database backup" crate.

Backing up this protects you against loss of your library database file, and gives you a quick way to recover without the hassle of finding your backup hard disk and copying files across, but the backup is only as secure as your other crates and audio files since it's kept in the same physical location.

As an additional precaution, you should regularly make a backup copy of all your crates and settings files and all of your audio files, a full backup could save you a lot of stress if you ever experience a hard disk failure, this only has to happen to you once for you to know what a pain it is.

Keep in mind - your import date will be reset! Even with this method. So - always backup your files!

I was try this before just to see how many files I have, However it seems that Serato pauses for a good time. Does it take long to move it to another crate? more than 2-5 minutes?

My Ext Hd is 500gb and I have about 10gb space left.

Nik is completely on point with this one - like I said, it's just a "quick way" to get your library back if your database file gets messed up or lost - and I'll say again what I always do regarding data safety:

Hard disk drives can fail completely and without any kind of warning at all - if you value your audio files and the many hours of work spent getting them organised into you crates, always make sure you have an up to date backup.



Am I reading this right? You have 490 Gig of music on your drive? In this case I'd say it would be reasonable for it to take a few minutes or more to copy all your tracks into one crate.

Andy,

400GB of that is porn downloads.

dang you caught me!
I was getting ready for the Serato Video lol

LOL

Serato video at the strip club? Uh oh... I may have something here.

Make sure you post a video for one of your gigs. Make sure you catch your video and what-is-happening-live-on-the-floor ;)

Yes this is a great idea.
Nik39 what do you mean ur date will be re-set?

Date stamp "added" column will be reset.

Ok thanks!

hey guys, okay so i'm gonna backup "All" my songs to another crate, but how do i back up my files??? sorry if this is a dumb question. but i just finally finished organizing all my tracks and crates and i don't wanna lose em... thanks

bump

Version 1.8.0 has a weekly autobackup feature that saves the state of your library and crates from your ScratchLIVE folder on each drive/partition to a backup folder. This backup is kept for a week before it is replaced, if you want to keep the backup for longer you can rename the backup folder (add the date for example) and it won't be overwritten.

You can force a new backup at any point by renaming or deleting the previous backup folder - a new backup will be made next time you start Scratch LIVE.

At this stage, you still need to back up your actual music files yourself.

How can I disable this? I already do my own backups and rather not wait for SSL to load and back-up and finish loading when I am setting up for a gig on a saturday or something.

Thanks.

Fair call, point taken... I'll see about possibly making it optional.

stupid/lazy question as i'm not with my DJ system....

what is the location of the backup folder?

ta.
b.

just copy your database to another computer or copy it to disk.....or get an ipod and set it up as an external hard drive and copy the data base to that for back up!!!

your files on a mac are located in applications/music/scratch live back up

on a pc documents/music/.......scratch live

copy all!!!

i do it quite frequently better safe than sorry!!

also anyone using a mac! put the serato start up files +(icon) right on ur external drive and it will automatically save the files (database) to ur external drive and ur mac!!!!

well it does on my lacie!!???

How do you backup for iTunes users?

We can't do backups for peoples iTunes libraries, unfortunately that's Apple software not ours...

The iTunes library files are all kept in the Music/iTunes folder however, so you could back them up by copying everything out of that folder into a backup folder on another drive and label it with the date or something... If your actual music files are located in the "iTunes Music" folder inside that, then you could keep a small backup by not copying that to the backup location but it's a good idea to have at least one backup copy of everything, including all your tracks.

People should copy their iTunes Database and their music. In today's day and age it is not hard nor expensive.

i have a question ... i swiched to macbookpro and i must transfere music and serato to mac... is possibile to copy the serato backup files from windows in mac ?? tnx in advance

Dj SoNyC I am with you I am in the same boat and feeling kinda lost this is my first mac and I am fustrated as hell thinking about how I am going to transfer my crates.... HELP!!! Anyone

Hi guys,

Post in the help forum if you need a hand - this area is for tip /tricks only :)
Just a heads up - the Scratch LIVE folder with your crates etc are the same on Mac /PC. On Mac the Scratch LIVE folder lives in the music folder, PC is simply my music.