Hard drive question

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drybones

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I am running Sonar 3.1.1 on Windows XP Home and recently installed an additional hard drive for my audio data.

Would it be preferable to simply move the global audio data folder to the new drive while leaving Sonar on the system drive, or to back up all the audio data to CD ROM and do a re-install of Sonar while specifying that the audio data be written to the new drive? The manual states to move the global audio file " only when absolutely necessary," so I'm a little nervous about doing this without doing a complete re-install. Then again, I'd rather not go through the reinstall unless it is really necessary.
 
drybones said:
I am running Sonar 3.1.1 on Windows XP Home and recently installed an additional hard drive for my audio data.

Would it be preferable to simply move the global audio data folder to the new drive while leaving Sonar on the system drive, or to back up all the audio data to CD ROM and do a re-install of Sonar while specifying that the audio data be written to the new drive? The manual states to move the global audio file " only when absolutely necessary," so I'm a little nervous about doing this without doing a complete re-install. Then again, I'd rather not go through the reinstall unless it is really necessary.

Here is what I would do. (You should not need to reinstall Sonar.)

1. Change your settings to "per project" folders in Options > Global.

2. Open one of your projects and resave it as a bundle file (.bun) and close it.

3. Reopen the bundle file. Sonar should prompt you to give it a name, and to specify the file location for the Project location and audio path. Make sure to point these to your new hard drive. For example:
D:\song1\
D:\song1\audio
(assuming D: is your new hard drive)

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the rest of your projects.

5. Delete the global audio folder from your original hard drive. (You can also delete the bundle files as well, unless you wish to keep them for backup purposes - which is not a bad idea).

Sonar should remain on your OS drive, as should your Picture cache. You only want the project file and related audio on the audio drive.
 
hey dachay2tnr,

While I've always kept Sonar system files on my OS drive and audio on another, I've never retained the picture cache file on my OS drive. I've also kept my project files on my OS drive within the Sonar program file structure.

Are there specific advantages of the file separation you recommend? Just wondering.

Regards.
Mountaineer
 
I use Pro Audio 9, but Sonar must surely have the same options. I have moved or copied the Audio folder and its contents among drives several times, and it's as easy as a) copying the files and directory, and b) changing the "Audio folder" value in Global Options. What's the point of making a bunch of bundle files?
 
Forgot to say: Just copy the directory to start with, until you verify that you have no problems. Then delete if you wish. I always keep a backup of the WaveData directory on a different drive.

As for the TakeVault [contains the *.wrk files] directory, I treat it in a similar manner.
 
AGCurry said:
I use Pro Audio 9, but Sonar must surely have the same options. I have moved or copied the Audio folder and its contents among drives several times, and it's as easy as a) copying the files and directory, and b) changing the "Audio folder" value in Global Options. What's the point of making a bunch of bundle files?
Sure, it works either way.
I came from PA8 and still make my own primary and backup project/song directories from explorer on the two drives. Customized houes keeping as it were. :p Never went to the 'per project' feature.
:D
 
Mountaineer said:
hey dachay2tnr,

While I've always kept Sonar system files on my OS drive and audio on another, I've never retained the picture cache file on my OS drive.

That is the way it is recommended by Cakewalk. I assume the reason is that you do not want ANY activity on the audio drive, except for streaming audio. Wov files (wave pictures), OS files, Sonar files, can all potentially have disk writing occur simultaneously while recording.

I use Pro Audio 9, but Sonar must surely have the same options. I have moved or copied the Audio folder and its contents among drives several times, and it's as easy as a) copying the files and directory, and b) changing the "Audio folder" value in Global Options. What's the point of making a bunch of bundle files?

PA9 does not offer the "per project" storage option that Sonar does. So the comparison is not entirely valid. I was trying to help Drybones convert from a single folder filing system (the one used in PA9) to the per project file option, while also moving his files from C: to D:. The method I described seemed the most straightforward to me. And yes, there are other approaches that would have worked as well. However, not knowing Drybones' familiarity with the Windows file system, this approach seemed to require the least explanation. YMMV.

BTW, how did you make out, Drybones?
 
BTW, how did you make out, Drybones?[/QUOTE]

I made out just fine. Thanks again for the help.
 
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