How hard it is to delete all your music files?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:32 am

Hello, I have around 50G of music files, and successfully avoided using any music management software this far. I just downloaded MediaMonkey to see if I can use it to maintain backup and travel copy on iPod.

First thing I noticed: if I choose to remove records from the "database" the program asks me if I want to remove files too, and it is just another radiobutton on the same page.

Next: MM remembers my choice. If I used it to delete files once, next time it will do the same by default.

True, it leaves removed files in Recycle Bin, but if Recycle Bin is too small (typically 10% of disk), it keeps deleting files anyway.

I tried to set read-only flag on my files. Amazingly, MediaMonkey ignored it, and deleted everything with no questions asked.

By the way, it deletes files only, leaving folders in place. You may not even notice all you files gone.

Given that MM is able to show all the tracks in one list, and select them all with single Ctrl-A, it would take only 3 steps for my 2 years old kid do delete most MP3 files no matter where they were physically located.

Even more interesting is the fact what MM is remote controllable through web-interface.

Files are not id3 tag database records. FIles deserve respect because this is what we are paying for. I want replicated and protect files, not database entries. Does anybody have similar concern and/or how do you handle this danger? I have checked with available configuration options, party mode to no avail.

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:44 am

i've noticed this since i first got media monkey all them years ago but learned to not delete files and only use the remove from playlist option.
and never gave this a second thought.

but your right it is very easy to delete all your files if you put
the check mark in the radio button to do so.

i guess that is why every one says back up on cdroms or other hard drives just in case something gets lost by mistake.?

but a safety lock of some sort on the delete from computer option would be a great idea just how you going to do that?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:14 am

Normally you declare your files read-only. It's just couple clicks. Start from the root directory, and choose to apply the change to all directories and files below. But in my case MediaMonkey silently overrode this low level protection.

Teknojnky · Post by **Teknojnky** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:29 pm

I wish remove from database and delete were 2 separate functions, myself.

Hooah · Post by **Hooah** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:58 pm

Teknojnky wrote:I wish remove from database and delete were 2 separate functions, myself.

Me too! *Hint devs*

julzcompufreek · Post by **julzcompufreek** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:17 am

I've come across the problem a number of times, but not only due to deleting the actual files themselves, but their record in the database. I have my files sorted by date added, so I have my most recent music at the top, and my oldest at the bottom.

One day I was listening to some music (as you do a lot with MediaMonkey

) and i decided to delete some files off the playlist, and either due to my haste or the fact that I was very tired, I realised that I had deleted the files from not only the playlist, but from the library and computer. It turned out that I had been deleting files from the library and computer a couple of days before, and automatically it deleted them all from the computer (even though it prompted me, i had ignored it). It wasnt the fact that I had lost the files, because I had backups and they are replaceable, but the fact that now the order of my files in the library was messed up because the next time I scan the files in, they will appear to be new, and not old where they should be.

Luckily I had a recent DB backup, and replaced that, and all was good.
THANK GOD FOR BACKUPS!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:15 pm

Well, 5 weeks after I started this topic I downloaded 3.0.0.1017 only to find it is behaving in the same way, if not worse. Now it deletes files by default, and it still overrides read-only attribute.

I don't backup my music. I keep it on RAID. This program is too scary even to try. But I understood why do they call it Monkey.

nojac · Post by **nojac** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:45 pm

Guest wrote:.. Now it deletes files by default, and it still overrides read-only attribute.

The "Default" is what you selected last time you used the function. MM will not delete files unless you specifically tell it to delete from both the Library and the Computer.

And if you should happen to make a mistake, you will find the files in the Recycle.bin If this is too small, it will ask you if you want to delete anyway.

I do not use Read-only, since I often reorganize/retag my files. But I would have expected an extra warning before deleting protected files.

I have deleted tons of music using MM. Sometimes only from the library, sometimes from the computer. But I have not lost one file during these processes.

If you downloaded 1017 (MM3 Alpha 1) after March 2. you have got the wrong version. Go to the bottom of the download thread. We've had 8 alphas and are now on Beta 2.

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:37 am

read only nojac is set by the cdrom drive when you move song files from maching to machine by data cdroms.

so it is automatic in that case.

but i don't like to use it either for the same reason you don't
still i have them as i forget to take the read only off.

thats the second person in the forums that downloaded the first alpha instead of the beta?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:38 am

nojac wrote:
Guest wrote:.. Now it deletes files by default, and it still overrides read-only attribute.
The "Default" is what you selected last time you used the function. MM will not delete files unless you specifically tell it to delete from both the Library and the Computer.

What I selected last time has nothing to do with what I need this time. There is no such habit or whatever. You delete file once, next time you get caught. Remember, you can select all your files and delete them at once

nojac wrote: And if you should happen to make a mistake, you will find the files in the Recycle.bin If this is too small, it will ask you if you want to delete anyway.

I do not use Read-only, since I often reorganize/retag my files. But I would have expected an extra warning before deleting protected files.

One word: TRY. Do it. You'll get no warning, and you files will be lost.

nojac · Post by **nojac** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:22 am

Anonymous wrote:What I selected last time has nothing to do with what I need this time. There is no such habit or whatever. You delete file once, next time you get caught. Remember, you can select all your files and delete them at once

Check the boxes in Options > Confirmations, and hopefully you won't get caught

If you don't get a warning if recycle.bin is too small, I would agree that this is a serious bug. Don't want to test it now....

I agree with Teknojnky who suggested that remove from database and delete were 2 separate functions.

MyCsPiTTa · Post by **MyCsPiTTa** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:33 pm

Yes I just realised MM could do this myself. How easy would it be to click the wrong radio button. In fact mine came up as "delete from library and computer" by default the first time I ever tried it!!!!!

Something like that is WAY too dangerous. To be honest I would prefer the iTunes approach that means the player has no power to delete files at all.
Or at the very least have it as a VERY separate function.

I was loving MM until I saw this....

Post by **Lowlander** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:12 pm

Just as a tip, the deleted songs end up in the Recycle Bin (only of enabled for the originating drive and up to the Recycle Bin's capacity).

MyCsPiTTa · Post by **MyCsPiTTa** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:07 pm

I've disabled recycle bin for my media drive (I think it was historically something to do with my folders getting thoroughly screwed if I did a System Restore) and recycle bin couldn't save you in the event you deleted your entire library. You'd hope that rarely happened but the fact it's possible scares me - and I'm the clumsy sort of person who would do this!

Post by **Peke** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:52 am

I must admit that Tools -> Options ->General -> Confirmations could be improved (There is lots of space in that Setup Sheet)