Won't Update Music Library, Part 2

Maybe remove the hyphen from the netbios name (RJB-MEDIADRIVE) or replace it with a (static) IP address and see if that first resolves the issue.

I would also strongly consider removing the spaces and shortening the name of the library folder ‘Seattle Music Folder’ as the path/track total characters may possibly be exceeding the Sonos track/path limit of 100 characters (IIRC🤔?)

Hope that resolves your issue.

Of course, that means losing mapping on other things. And I’ll lose all my Playlists if I change the name, right?

What stymies me is, that still doesn’t explain how it’s pulling down names and album art, and occasionally plays music… Even as it says it can’t connect. So how does a bad naming convention explain that it can get some information but not other from the files?

If album is shown, the file names are likely correct. I’d suspect some sort of networking issue. SONOS is impatient. If something is slowing down the file fetch, SONOS will simply give up.

How are you storing album art? Is it embedded in the music files or stored as “folder.jpg”? If you PING a few files, are the times reasonable?

Check a few of the ‘bad’ files to see if they break the 100 character limit.

The point is it doesn’t update unless I remove and reinstall the whole library. So it’s not just one suspect file, it’s the whole dang thing.

Album art is almost entirely embedded in the files, and almost every album is in its own subdirectory with an folder.jpg or index.jpg. Sometimes hidden, sometimes not.

While not exactly your symptoms, I wasn’t paying enough attention to notice that a NAS was failing. I had odd issue reports. Finally, there was a full failure that captured my attention. Actually, there were warning drive lights, but the drive was out of sight.

I just installed a new router.

In the spirit of “your path is too long”, I changed it to \\rjbmusic\g\seamusic

(Well the router changed “sda1” to “g”)

I can access the drive from all Windows devices, in Windows Explorer. But I instantly get the “not connected” message.

I am so, so, so, so tired and dispirited over the many failings of this system and all the money I have spent.

Why can’t I get a straight answer on why this won’t work?

Likely, your drive is case sensitive.

Do you perhaps need the routers IP address (or Netbios name) at the start of your path to the shared USB drive/music library? (Assuming you have connected it to the new router?) Perhaps see if this thread might assist you…

Interesting idea.

On my router, the media/server name is “RJBMUSIC” - All Caps.

When it shows up in Explorer Network, it’s “\\rjbmusic” - all lower.

So I tried both, I renamed the destination folder to all lower, and still, nothing. (Well it spins for a few seconds, then tells me otherwise.)

I’ll have to play with that in the morning. I had hoped that FTP’ing could work, but Sonos doesn’t let that go.

Prior to reading that post (I want to slap the guy who’s in love with his system), I had tried:

//192.168.0.1/g/seamusic

\\192.168.0.1\g\seamusic

Which HAD worked on the previous router, but not this time.

I’ve also tried with my PC plugged directly into the router via CAT-5. I couldn’t imagine it would make a difference, and it didn’t.

Two Other Things

Thing One: Adding the Library from the A: Drive

I have the entire USB drive mapped on my PC as the A: drive. Just for giggles, I tried to add the Library using the middle “Another folder or drive...” option. It spun just long enough to get my hopes up, and then returned:

And, before you can say “Firewall!”:

I presume that, even if I get this mounted, it’s only going to work when my PC is up on the network and has that drive actively mapped.

Thing Two: Choosing the Network

This may be something.

When I’ve been trying to add the Library through the “Networked device (ex. NAS drive)” option, I have been manually typing the address. (e.g., “\\rjbmusic\g\seamusic”).

Today I’ve been trying to add it by hitting the “Browse” button, and selecting “Network”:

• When I click the click-to-expand triangle next to “Network”, the triangle disappears. Nothing drops down.
• When I click on “Network”, it spins for six cycles, then stops spinning. Nothing else. None of my networked devices show up. (In Explorer, all of my Sonos devices, other PCs on the network, my Samsung TV, all show up.)
  • UPDATE: In the ten minutes since I posted this, my own PC showed up in the drop-down under “Network”, but no other devices did.

Could resolving that get us closer to a solution?

Oh, please, for the love of all that is holy, please help me solve this.