Storage Location Offline and Added Music Folder Disappears from Settings

[Julius_Wong]

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)
Core is on Synology NAS.
Clients on Mac and iOS.
All running the latest Roon 1.7.

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)
Core and music folder on the same NAS, which is connected to UniFi system through ethernet. Mac and iOS devices using WiFi.

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)
Bridge running on a Raspberry Pi, connected to a USB DAC.

Description Of Issue
Hi everyone,

I’m new to Roon and only tested it for a couple of weeks. I run Roon Core on my Synology NAS and added only one music folder from the same NAS, which includes about 700 albums.

This evening I opened Roon and it said my storage location could be offline, so nothing showed in my library. I went to settings and found out that there was no folder in the Storage tab.

I added the same folder again and went out. When I came back home all albums showed but a few moments later the storage location problem occurred again, no folder in the Storage tab. I can access my music folder all the time.

Could anyone give me some advice about how to solve this problem? When you open Roon and try to enjoy some music but find an empty library, that is disappointing…

Thank you!

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

One explanation might be that you have a bad Ethernet cable.

Easy and quick enough to check.

Worse case is that your NAS or a drive is failing.

The fact that Roon does, however briefly, find your music makes me think it’s a hardware problem of some sort.

[Julius_Wong]

Thank you for your reply. If the ethernet connection is broken, will the music folder disappear from the settings?

I checked my NAS drives yesterday and all reports said they are OK. I kept copying files to my NAS, and no error occurred.

I haven’t found any connection problem except this Roon one. The same setup worked fine for two weeks until today.

[Julius_Wong]

I broke the music folder (root folder on my NAS) into some subfolders, and added these subfolders instead of a large single folder to see if this is a problem with too many files in one folder. If the problem happens again I can see if the folders added will disappear all together.

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

Ethernet cables do go bad and that would explain the intermittent nature of Settings==>Storage.

If you couldn’t get a connection at all, then I would say that you set the connection up incorrectly.

@Julius_Wong

if this is a problem with too many files in one folder.

Unless you have an enormous music collection, I can guarantee that number of files in a folder isn’t the problem.

Edit: I see you only have 700 albums. There are people in this forum that have 700,000 tracks.

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

Since you just started and probably haven’t done much curation, then on the outside chance that your Roon database is corrupted, you could try starting from scratch by following the instructions given here -

Error while loading database - Roon shows when starting

You could rename the roon or roonserver database folder and it should recreate it

[Julius_Wong]

If this happens again I will try to change a new cable to see if the library comes back. But now I don’t think the connection is bad. While Roon was experiencing this problem I was able to access my NAS. The copying task didn’t go wrong.

I have about 10,000 tracks but I have a two-slot NAS with no SSD. Sometimes when other tasks on NAS consume resources Roon will act weird.

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

@Julius_Wong

Core and music folder on the same NAS

@xxx

Ethernet cables do go bad and that would explain the intermittent nature of Settings==>Storage.

My apologies, I didn’t read close enough to see that your Core was on the NAS. Don’t know why I didn’t see that, it’s plastered all over your post. (too morning early?)

With the exception of the Ethernet cable being bad, my advice still holds.

@Julius_Wong

have about 10,000 tracks but I have a two-slot NAS with no SSD. Sometimes when other tasks on NAS consume resources Roon will act weird.

Roon and it’s database should, for best performance, be on an SSD, but I don’t think being on an HDD would manifest as the problem you are having.

IMO, a NAS is not the best place to run Core. What model Synology do you have?

[Julius_Wong]

I have a Synology DS218+ with two 4TB HDDs installed. I was considering buying an Intel NUC to run ROCK but I try not to have too many devices. I’m happy with my setup now (Roon on NAS, Moode Audio on RPi connected to Sennheiser HDV820) but the NAS performance could be a problem. When I copy large music files from my Mac (WiFi connection) to NAS, it takes longer for Roon to connect. I will try replacing the ethernet cable to see if the performance improves. Thank you!

[Julius_Wong]

Do you suggest buying a NUC? If so, do you prefer store music in internal HDD or in a NAS?

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

@Julius_Wong

Do you suggest buying a NUC?

A NUC is a fool proof and, in my opinion, a cost effective way to go. You can buy them fully configured or, if you’re handy, put one together more cheaply. If you just want to run Roon, then a NUC with the ROCK OS installed is the way many people go.

@Julius_Wong

do you prefer store music in internal HDD or in a NAS?

Many people use a NAS only to backup their music files. I keep my music on an HDD in my Core machine. Another alternative, if you don’t mind the extra box, is an external USB drive. As far as Roon operation is concerned there is no difference between the two.

Have fun. It’s just a hobby.

[Julius_Wong]

Hi, I replaced my old ethernet cable with my hand-made one, and updated all my UniFi firmwares. The problem didn’t occur any more, and Roon responds more quickly. Thank you for your help!