Extra icons on my desktop
I downloaded the latest executable, ran it in SQDATA as required. For some reason there is an icon on my desktop for the program (along with setup.exe and the CSDS cabinet). If I click on that, it gives me a fatal error and is looking for userinfo.dat in a place I never asked it to be. If I go to the PROGRAMS area and run it from there, it just brings up the old version of CSDS again.

Delete the setup.exe and CSDS.cab files from your desktop.

Move file csdszip.exe into folder c:\sqdata (or whereever you installed CSDS). Use the file explorer to go into c:\sqdata then double-click on csdszip.exe to run it. It should bring up a DOS window, and prompt you whether or not to overwrite csds.exe.

Folder should contain fewer characters
This year I tried again to upgrade CSDS2 to the new version 2.33. I followed the list down on this side until step 6. Then an error occures: "Folder should contain fewer characters (less than or equal to 50 characters)". I select the folder for Csds2 data files. The error occures again. What can I do?

Please select a different folder name, such as C:\CsdsData

PKZIPFIX error
Your new release did not self extract. The message was that I needed to use pkzipfix, but that doesn't work either. Other suggestions?

To solve the problem, re-download the file from the web and try again.

Reformatting my drive
I need to reformat my drive. I do not want to lose the records I have added to the databases. Can I download and install the latest version of CSDS and then use my databases by replacing the ones in the download or should I export them to a disk before I reformat and then import them to the program after I install it?

1. Make a backup copy of the CSDS installation folder (usually C:\SQDATA).
2. Reformat the disk.
3. Copy the CSDS installation folder back to the computer.
4. Install the latest version of CSDS.

Installing CSDS over an existing version does not wipe out any of your databases. It simply "updates" the information that I have modified, and it does not touch any information that you have updated or added. Database records have a "user ID" field, which allows the update process to know who created the record. Hence, the update process only changes the records that have "Vic Ceder" in that field. Your data will not be affected.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your music files located outside of the CSDS installation folder will also need to be copied to a backup before reformatting the disk or they will be lost as well!

Upgrading CSDS2
Where should I look for a way to update to the latest version? The link at the bottom of the csds main page "Download the latest version of CSDS" takes me to a page discussing upgrading to Csds2 which I have already done. ????

1. Make sure you're connected to the web;
2. Run CSDS2;
3. From the main menu, select 'System | Upgrade program from web'.

--------------------------------------- <> If for some reason you don't connect your CSDS2 computer to the web, or have other issues, you can try the following steps:

1. Get CSDS2 version 2.28 here...
   https://www.ceder.net/csds2/csds2_2.28.exe

You need to replace your current csds2.exe file with the one above:

2. Run CSDS2;
3. Select 'Help | About Csds2';
4. Press the 'Open EXE Folder' button;
5. Close CSDS2;
6. In the file explorer window opened by step 4 above, rename csds2.exe to something else, just in case this rocedure fails. e.g., csds2old2.27.exe;
7. Open web browser, and go to https://www.ceder.net/csds2/csds2_2.28.exe;
8. Save the file to the opened folder. Make sure to save the file as csds2.exe, not csds2_2.28.exe;
9. Right-click on the downloaded file, and select 'Properties'. Make sure 'Read-only' is not checked. Additionally, there might be some other attribute such as 'downloaded from web' or something like that. I forget the exact name. You should also turn that bit off. I think there's a button or something to do that nearby.
10. Double-click on the csds2.exe file to run it. You should now have version 2.28. If a virus scanner or such pops-up, you may need to tell it that the file is okay.

---------------------------------------

If you still have issues, you will have to uninstall the version you have, then re-install a later version.

The latest FULL version of CSDS2 is always located somewhere on this page: https://www.ceder.net/csds2/

E.g., the current FULL version is csds2publish225.zip You would be expected to download, unzip it, install it, run it, then proceed as given in the first set of instructions above. I.e., 'System | Upgrade program from web'

User Key - never asked for it
I downloaded the latest version this morning and it seems to have installed okay; However it never asked me for my user key. Does it search automatically and verify this or can anyone download free?

The user key is stored in the Windows system registry. It only needs to be entered once. You are only prompted to enter the user key if any of the following are true:

1. The User Key entry in the registry does not exist.
2. The User Key entry in the registry is invalid.
3. The CSDS.INI file does not exists.

CSDS only requires a user key when you upgrade to a new version, or install the program on a new computer. After you enter the key, it is saved in the system registry and you are not prompted for it again.

Version number didn't change
After doing an upgrade from the internet - should the CSDS show the latest version as it appears on the screen?

For a successful upgrade, it's important to exactly follow the steps listed on the download page.

For the executable only release,

1. Download csdszip.exe to C:\SQDATA. It must be downloaded into this folder, and it must be named csdszip.exe
2. Run csdszip.exe. Assuming you haven't renamed your current version of csds.exe for a backup, running csdszip.exe prompts whether or not to overwrite csds.exe. If you don't get this prompt, and if you don't reply 'y', you won't successfully complete the upgrade.

For the complete release,

1. Download complete.exe to any folder other than C:\SQDATA. Using folder C:\TEMP is a good choice.
2. Run complete.exe. This will unpack 3 files into the current folder.
3. Run setup.exe to install CSDS.
4. Run CSDS to verify that the version number has changed.
5. Delete the files from C:\TEMP.

Winamp, Windows 7
I am having nothing but trouble getting winamp, CSDS, or itunes to work on my new computer with windows 7. Changing over the address worked but it still says over 100 songs are not attached....addresses are correct and they play from the folder but CSDS does not recognize them.

When switching computers, the problem is usually with the folder portion of the file pathname (e.g., "D:\" instead of "C:\"). Also, the default folder for music files in Windows 7 is in a different place than previous versions of windows.

First, make sure the CSDS music files folder is properly set:

1. Start CSDS;
2. Select 'System | Settings';
3. Select the 'Folders' tab;
4. Set the 'Music files' folder to the folder where most of your music resides.

Then, find 'bad' files within the music database,

1. Start CSDS;
2. Select 'Music | Edit Music Database';
3. Select 'Tools | File pathnames | Find non-existent files';
4. A dialog box entitled 'Find non-existent files' appear. Do not check any checkboxes. Press the 'OK' button.

   CSDS seaches then displays a results list of non-existent files. These are the music database items that need to be corrected. Look at the file pathnames, determine what's wrong and fix them.

This morning I fixed a bug concerning the Windows 7 interface between CSDS and Winamp. The fix will appear in the next version of CSDS, 1.32.00, which hopefully will be released within a week.

If you still encounter problems (before uploading the fix in CSDS 1.32.00), change the CSDS music player to 'Windows API' or 'Direct Show'.

Wiping out my database
I downloaded the latest version and it wiped out my database.

You probably either installed CSDS into a different folder, or you explicitly deleted the CSDS folder.

CSDS is generally installed in C:\SQDATA. If you've changed that to a different folder, then each time you upgrade, you must make sure to use the changed folder instead of C:\SQDATA.

Try searching your computer for the file 'music.dat'. If you have more than one of these files, you probably installed CSDS into a different folder.