I want to run Roon from multiple locations, so I am trying to migrate the Roon library to run on my Windows Server Essentials 2012 (r1). I have moved the Roon library there and ran the RoonServer, and the RoonServer appears to be running (the “Application” folder was created in AppData\Local\RoonServer and populated by the RoonServer program).
When I try and migrate my local Roon on my laptop from a local database to the RoonServer, it never finds the RoonServer, even if I type in the ip address (in my case 192.168.0.4).
Any ideas? Does RoonServer even work on Windows Server Essentials 2012?
Hi,
That OS is not officially supported by RoonLabs however many on here have successfully install Roon on 2012r2 (not sure about r1) … after loading the media pack … try a forum search for Windows 2012 to pickup on the discussions.
@Greg_Burns – it’s a bit unclear where you’re migrating from, but all kinds of bad things are possible if you’re running the database in two places on your network at the same time.
This could be the case if your laptop was originally your Core, and you moved the database to the 2012 machine, but are still running the same database on the laptop.
If your laptop is going from being a Core to a Remote, you should do a full uninstall on the laptop, once the Core is running on the new system.
Let me know if I’m off base here, or if you’re still stuck, ok?
Hi Greg,
I run Server 2012r2 (optimised with AO). Last time I saw a user with 2012r1 they had various issues until they upgraded to 2012r2 and installed the Media Pack. It was also important to install all the Windows updates.
Your current issue sounds like a dual database problem as per Mike’s post, but just wanted to let you know the above.
Thanks for the replies. Since I don’t want to play with r2, I think I will go a different route.
I am going to create symbolic links to the folders in AppData\Local\Roon (except for Application) and link them to a location on my server. That way I can share the database. I know 2 Roons can’t run at once with this scheme.
I was thinking that a much simpler solution than RoonServer would serve me well.
If Roon had a registry key to point to the database, I could edit the registry key and point it at a location on my server that is shareable. (Database meaning everything except the Application subfolder).
To deal with multiple instances, Roon would just need to keep a file lock on some important part of the database when running. Then, a second instance would notice the file lock and refuse to start.
This would give me the sharing without all the headaches of the RoonServer app, which doesn’t seem to run on actual servers.
I don’t think that such a great idea, given that Roon highly recommend have the Roon database on a local SSD drive.
Note SSD not even HDD … so how well it will perform via symbolic links to database files on another server would concern me.
I don’t full understand your use case, could you expand on it a little for example “multiple locations” are these locations all on the same network or not. I’m asking as you seem to be wanting to run Roon Core more than once.
I am currently running Roon on a Windows 7 laptop that I use with my main music system. (I am going to move to a new Windows 10 laptop in the next couple of months…). This is an HDD laptop, so that’s what I am using now. Performance hasn’t been an issue, but my database is very small at this point.
I want access to the Roon database from my office desktop system, a Windows 8.1 machine that has SSDs and more performance. I don’t want the Roon database to reside on my office system since my main listening is with the laptop. My office computer runs a stereo setup in my office.
I have a Windows Server 2012 Essentials system for serving music and backup. This is running all the time in a room where heat isn’t an issue.
The laptop and office desktop are off/sleeping when not in use. They can’t run all the time because the rooms would get too hot during the summer. I live in air conditioning country and have a single a/c unit for the house, so heat buildup from computers is an issue.
It just seems like trying to use Roon on the second office computer is too hard.
The server being always on is the logical choice to run RoonServer … however Roon will not run on 2012r1.
Options:
Right now:
Upgrade the server to 2012r2, it’s not officially support (@Mike I think it should be for RoonServer) however many on here run Roon quite successfully on here.
Build an headless Intel NUC, Win 10, to run RoonServer.
Get a Mac Mini
I appreciate that both involve some effort / expense.
Going forwards:
There’s going to be Linux of Build, which might be more attractive than Win 10 … Personally I’d like a QNAP build, maybe one day.
Other than that I think you’re back to having Roon on one of you other devices and RoonRemote one the other one.
I see where you’re going with the symbolic links to the Rooon DB, it’s an interesting idea … no idea if or how well it would work.
Sooner or later at some point you will end up biting the built and having to upgrade 2012 … such is the nature of computer technology.