This plan should work. It’s not the controller which does the indexing, it’s one of the players (the Associated Product listed in the controller’s About screen). The controller is a transient entity which merely instructs the system, and in this case triggers the index scan. The index is then stored on the players, so the old iPad -- with its limited functionality -- will then be able to access it as normal. 

By the way, you could if you wish leave your friend with the system set to perform an automatic library scan. This would take place in the background on a daily basis, without needing a controller present. 

Hi ratty,

Thanks for your very helpful reply.

The bit that worries me is that before my iPad can instruct his sytem to re-index it will no doubt update his players and when that’s done, will they refuse to play music for my mate’s out of date iPad. If I do it and then he can’t play any music I’m not going to be very popular. How sure are you that will not happen?

As regards re-index in the background, I didn’t know about that thanks.

Is that too recent for my mates system to know about it or can I tell him to try it now?

Also, what happens if the devices are not switched on at the time set for the re-index? Does it just skip that particular session or does it queue the processes?

Thanks again, you’ve been very helpful.

Bob.

As I understand it his system is also a lot of updates behind. Would updating the system with a newer iPad not bring with it a risk the old iPad could not control anything Sonos anymore, since it’s too old compared to the now new software on the system?

@mightyoakbob You’d best enquire of your friend which Sonos software version he’s running. It’ll be listed in the About section of the controller. I’d simplistically assumed that he and you were both up to date on S1. You’re quite right that if your controller is up to date, and your friend’s system is not, there are going to be problems.

Also, find out which iPad he has and which version of iOS/iPadOS he’s using.

On your last question: devices that are switched off when an index scan is performed simply catch up with the rest of the system when they boot. Only one player needs to run the scan; the index is then mirrored to the other units. 

Right, I’ll email him now. May take a day ot two to get a reply.

Thanks again.

Bob.

Use SonoPad instead, it will work on very old iOS versions and will allow a re-indexing. If will not (and in fact cannot) update the players.

@mightyoakbob,

Does your friend have a PC or Mac desktop controller installed that is at the same update level as his system? If so, he can re-index using this controller. Even if they are not exactly the same old version, there is a little slack in some versions that might allow limited control and support re-indexing. Don’t attempt to freshly install a PC/Mac controller now because there will be an update demand.

If at any time there is an update demand, tread carefully.  Update demands can be aggressive and the best plan might be to force close the controller. If you cannot trust your friend to be able to do this, don’t even suggest this approach.

Overall, I’m not sure that you should risk attempting to guide your friend remotely because, if there is a question and a screen is left open, an errant touch or click could start an update while waiting for your response.

Didn’t know about this but I’ve just purchased it to give it a try. I’m not doing very well though to be honest.

It finds my sonos players just fine, it took 15 minutes to do it but it got there in the end.

Finding my music is another matter, it doesn’t appear to see that at all.

I know I shouldn’t but I always use ‘folder view’ in all music playing apps and I’m happy there but this app shows the correct path to the music but doesn’t show any.

I’m also baffled trying to find a way to re-index the library, I can’t see a way to do this. There is something called “Refresh Music Library” ????

I made a temporary change to the Library and then tried it. It went away for nearly 30 minutes at the end of which the app still had no music in folders and the Library change didn’t show up in the S1 app either.

I’m a bit baffled to be honest, can’t get it to work.

Thanks.

Bob.

I would think it very unlikely he’d have that on his PC laptop.

I wouldn’t advise him to do anything remotely, I would visit him and do it myself, thanks for the advice.

Thanks.

Bob.

Maybe @controlav could help you with this.

Yes indeed, that is my fear.

Bob.

I sent him an email yesterday but have received no reply at all.

Bob.

While I wait for my friend (Dave) to reply about his Sonos information I would like to ask about another related item. He needs his NAS swapping out. That means I need to add another path to his music and delete the existing one and then re-index.

For now I’ll assume I can re-index using the sceduled re-index ratty pointed out to me yesterday but what about adding and removing paths? is that possible in an out of date system?

Thanks for helping me.

Bob.

If you have a fully functional controller for his system, you should be able to update the library definition. An alternate approach would be to take the old NAS offline and change the new drive’s name and library folder setup to match the old.

After some digging I was able to find a 5.1 PC controller online. This suggests that it might be possible to find a controller that matches the system.

By “a fully functioning controller” I presume you mean the PC controller you mention. Can you give me any pointers as to where you found that or what you googled?

The idea of making the new nas match the old is clever. It already has the same share and layout just the music is a bit more up to date. Of course the new machine will definately have a new MAC address and probably a IP address but as you say the network name can be made the same. You don’t think the Sonos  will get upset at the device has new MAC, IP?

Thanks.

Bob.

I found a download for 5.1 PC controller at

Sonos.soft32.com but my virus protection aborted the download and said it was infected with the HTML:script-inf [susp] whatever that is.

Bob.

I’ve had a reply from Dave…

He’s on Sonos app version 10.6.2

build 54273060

His play 5 is..

Version 11.2.9

His iPad

Version 10.3.3

Model number: MD513ZP/A

Does that help?

Cheers,

Bob.

Maybe club together with a few mates and put a fiver/tenner in each and buy him an android tablet from Amazon and just tell Dave that he won it in the works raffle - isn’t that what mates do?

We used to raffle a ‘bic biro’ at work now and again to help a few people get issues sorted. We all had plenty of pens in our desks.

(…just a suggestion).

That’s an iPad 4. It hasn’t received updates from Apple for 5 years. Pretty hopeless, if you ask me. 

Ken probably has the best idea. Get a new Amazon Fire 7 tablet or a refurb HD8. Just make sure it can run Fire OS 7 or higher. It wouldn’t break the bank, and would be fully functional as a Sonos controller.

Dave will have to update his system to the latest S1, since that’ll be the controller version which installs. No bad thing, since it’ll contain the latest fixes.

I don’t disagree. However, in the thread I’ve mentioned a replacement NAS and I financed that.

Bob.

Good advice and that also serves as a fall back position, if all else fails then he still doesn’t need a new iPad.

Thanks

Bob.

To be clear SonoPad is not mine, I just recommend it highly to folks. Stefan is the author of that, but he is not on this forum, he has his own.

For an app to re-index the system it is a single UPnP call. Whether it works or not depends on the Sonos config, nothing to do with the app that asks for the re-index.

As others have said, it seems like the file share config needs updating, and that requires a current app to do.