relocating archive--while adding new folders in IMatch?

[jma]

Move to external drive: While I plan to keep my IMatch database located in its current location (on my PC's fastest drive), I am running out of space to store my image archive and plan to move it to an external hard drive.  If I understand it correctly, I then use the RELOCATE command to point to the new external drive.

Adding new directories and files while migrating to external drive:  While I am moving my image archive to the external hard drive---"drive#1", I would also like to add NEW/additional files and directories (not yet indexed in IMatch) to the existing database---so that I can keep the same directory structure ("year>month>date structure>file type) logically and physically consistent on the drive. 
Since I have several hundred new folders I'm looking for a simpler solution--rather than copying/dragging & dropping each via Windows Explorer. I'm wondering if I can then simply "rescan" all folders and have IMatch add these new files to the my current IMatch database.  Would this rescanning process also identify and include these new folders (and their contents) which I recently added?

Making a backup:  I would also like to create a backup of my external hard drive ("drive#1") on second external hard drive("drive#2").  Since you mention that "IMatch records the unique disk id with each folder in your database," would I simply be able to copy the contents of drive#1 to drive#2 and (in the event of a drive failure) simply use the RELOCATE command in IMatch to the second drive to restore the contents?

Your thoughts/recommendations?

Thanks as always!
---John

[Mario]

1. You can move the folder in IMatch to its new disk. This automatically updates the database.
Or do it in a tool of your choice (while IMatch is not running!) and use relocate afterwards. See Off-line Folders and Files in the IMatch Help System.

I'm not sure that I understand this...

rather than copying/dragging & dropping each via Windows Explorer.

Have you created hundreds of new folders on the same level? Without a parent folder?

Note that you can select multiple folders in Windows Explorer and drag them to IMatch.
You can also Commands menu > Add new Folders... command to add multiple folders at once.
Do not add new folders while you are moving folders using an external software to another disk in the background. This may cause issues with Windows file system messages.

Just mirror your drive (or copy individual folders if you must). If disk #1 dies, either change the serial number of the new disk (there are tools for that) or use relocate in IMatch.

Note: Sometimes users make their life extra hard by managing dozens or even hundreds of folders on the root level of a disk.
It is always better to create something like c:\images or c:\data or c:\data\images and then create all folders below that root folder. This makes relocating, backup etc. much easier.

[jma]

Thanks once again, Mario!