Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

Prajwal Desai
Posted by Prajwal Desai

In this post we will see the steps to move DP content using Content Library Transfer Tool. When I say DP content I am referring to the Distribution Point Content Library. This tool is a part of Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Toolkit R2 and is installed when you install this toolkit. The toolkit contains very good set of tools to help you manage and troubleshoot Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager. I am aware of this tool because I had used this tool earlier. One of the admins had installed the DP role on a new server and the content library was on C drive. When installing a Distribution Point role, if you do not specify the content locations for the content library and package share, it will be placed on the disk with the most free disk space. Now my job was to move the content from C drive to another drive.

The Content Library Transfer tool transfers content from one disk drive to another. It is designed to run on distribution point site systems. The tool is useful for the scenario when the disk drive hosting the content library becomes full. After a hard disk is installed (or identified) with sufficient space to host the content library, Content Library Transfer is used transfer content from the old filled hard disk to the new (empty) drive. Once the transfer is complete, content is now accessible to client computers from the new location without admin intervention.

This is a great tool however there are some limitations as well. Please read the below limitations and then proceed.

1) The tool must run locally on the distribution point. It cannot be run from a remote machine.

2) The tool must run only when the distribution point is not actively being accessed by client computers. If the tool is run while client computers are accessing the content, the content library on the destination drive may have incomplete data or the data transfer might fail altogether leading to an unusable content library.

3) The tool must only run when no content is being distributed to the distribution point. If the tool is run while content is being written to the distribution point, the content library on the destination drive may have incomplete data or the data transfer might fail altogether leading to an unusable content library.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

First step, download the toolkit by clicking on the link. Install the toolkit on the server running the distribution point role.Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

ContentLibraryTransfer tool must be run as using an account that has administrative permissions on the distribution point site system. Locate the folder where tools are installed. Under Server Tools folder you will find ContentLibraryTransfer tool. Copy the path where the tools are installed.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

In the below screenshot we see that E drive has got the content library. We will now move it to F drive using content transfer tool.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

Launch the command prompt (run as administrator). Change the path to the folder where tools are located. To initiate the content transfer use the below command.

Syntax:
ContentLibraryTransfer –SourceDrive <drive letter of source drive> –TargetDrive <drive letter of destination drive>

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

In the below screenshot we are running the same command as above but we are redirecting the output to a separate log file.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

If the content transfer is successful, you should find the line in the log file which reads Content Library Transfer is now complete !!. I cannot paste the complete log file as it has lot of lines, I have just pasted the last few lines of the log file.

CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting E:SMSSIG$                                                                                
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting E:SMSPKGE$                                                                               
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting E:SMSPKGSIG                                                                              
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting E:SMSPKG                                                                                 
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting E:SCCMContentLib                                                                         
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Deleting Old Content Complete                                                                      
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05                                                                                                    
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:05 Updating Virtual Directories                                                                       
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 Virtual Directories Update Complete                                                                
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 Executing Transfer: Completed Successfully                                                         
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 Verifying Transfer: Check if the transfer was successful                                           
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 Verifying Transfer: Completed Successfully                                                         
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 ***************************************************************************************************
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06                                                                                                    
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 Content Library Transfer is now complete !!                                                        
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06                                                                                                    
CLT:02/10/2016 23:09:06 ***************************************************************************************************

Once the content transfer is completed successfully, NO_SMS_ON_DRIVE.SMS file is created on the source drive. This means the ContentLibraryTransfer tool will not copy the content library to this drive.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

Also to check the current Content Library path using registry, you can navigate to HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftSMSDPContentLibraryPath.

Move DP Content using Content Library Transfer Tool

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Prajwal Desai
Posted by Prajwal Desai
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Prajwal Desai is a Microsoft MVP in Intune and SCCM. He writes articles on SCCM, Intune, Windows 365, Windows Server, Windows 11, WordPress and other topics, with the goal of providing people with useful information.
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