View database (.dbs) contents offline like windows explorer

[Mustak Nazir Patel]

Is there any facility to view database (.dbs) contents offline like windows explorer or export to excel particular drive (drive c :) list from multiple drive database? we can save search results but for specific drive, there is no option.

This facility will very useful, when HDD crashes and became unusable, at that time we can determine how much valuable data on it.

My 3TB HDD has been crashed, but have .bds file and want to check HDD contents on it...

At last this is very useful and fast utility, I use every day, I have catalogued about my 15TB data and find any file in just few milliseconds or in a second

[jmj]

First be sure that the information from the drive is still in the databases. "Update database" might wipe out the drive it is included to same database with other drives and the database update is finished.

If the data is stil there, you can do searches using GUI or locate.exe. For all, you can make a list of files to a text file using "locate search terms > file.txt" command

[Mustak Nazir Patel]

First of all thanks for reply
I know that, so have not updated the same, also created another copy of DB, there are millions of files catalogued, I think it will hangout during the process, so I want to export the same step by step. Want to export some specific drives’ listings

[jmj]

Ok. Then you could use GUI for searches or use locate.exe. For GUI, it is perhaps a good idea to check "Disable updating (information from database)" option (or something like that, I don't remember exact name) in Advanced settings.

[Chris Smith]

As @jmj has stated make sure that you do NOT update the database as it may remove all your results. Also, great idea in copying off the '.dbs' file this way you can always return to the orgnl source.

For anyone else that catalogs a drive then have it crash. This may help you retrieve the file/folder list.
1. Make sure that 'Settings >> Advanced >> Results list >> Do not show deleted/renamed/moved files' is UNchecked. /* this makes sure that we get results even if the drive is not available */
2. Make sure that 'Settings >> Advanced >> Update results >> Disable updating (file information from database)' is selected. /* this makes sure we get to see dates and other info for files that are not available */
3. Make sure that 'Named:' and 'Extensions' boxes are empty.
4. Then go to 'File >> Find using databases... CTRL+ENTER'
5. Select only the database for that particular drive
6. I select 'until New Search pressed' but you can use 'only once' your choice.
7. Upon clicking 'OK' you will get a list of ALL files in that db.
8. Be prepared to wait quite a while LOL and it might crash Good Luck
9. Then go to 'File >> Save Results'
10. I created a HTML template and export results using that, I love it. It gives everything a better structure than a straight text file, but that is your choice.
11. Also make sure that you put everything back the way it was for normal operation.

Since you have a 3TB drive you might want to filter results by doing something like:
setting name to 'a*' this gets you ONLY the items starting with 'A'
or setting the 'Extensions' to 'txt' now ONLY giving me the text files
Trims down the results list quite a bit and much much faster.

Sounds like you know what you are doing and that you probably have already done your task. So I am spelling all this out so that it may help someone in the future.