Spotify offline cache issues

[stefann]

I've been a Spotify premium user for well over a year now, and in recent months I've had countless issues syncing my Windows desktop client, to the point I've considered it's probably more efficient to simply stream everything and cancel my subscription.

I've had two issues, both of which keep recurring repeatedly

1) I use a SSD for my OS so I put my Spotify cache on a secondary disk. Occasionally after I've worked on the machine, it will boot up without this disk connected. Spotify then autostarts, notices the cache disk is missing, reassigns it back to the SSD, and starts filling up my SSD with the new cache. When I reboot with the disk back and change the cache folder back to the desired disk, Spotify nukes the existing cache and starts again.

2) Although I only have 3 devices on my Spotify account (PC, phone & tablet), I have been told my "offline access has been withdrawn" several times now, most recently today, resulting in my offline playlists all being reset, the cache folder emptied, and have to be redownloaded.  Though I do have a backup of the cache folder structure, it doesn't work if I simply copy it back.

My current Spotify profile lists my phone, and two win32 devices, one unused for 10 days. Did a Spotify upgrade cause this perhaps? Why would my desktop be withdrawn if it's the most recently used client, and it still shows in my account? My tablet is notably missing from the list, and as this is my primary jukebox in the lounge with 15~20gb offline, would be incredibly frustrated if this now gets wiped as well.

I'm in Australia where we don't have unlimited quotas, and with a 15-20gb cache on two devices, it does start adding up quickly.

Is there a way these issues can be addressed, either by myself or Spotfiy devs, or should I concede defeat and just stream everything?

[Peter__]

Spotify requires that cache to function, so anytime it is not available and Spotify is running it will have to create a new one. As you noted, because Spotify has protection to stop people getting around the 3,333 offline track limit with multiple caches, once a new cache has been created the old one becomes essentially useless. Also Spotify counts each "cache" as an offline device if it contains offline playlists, so you have probably duplicated your devices each time this happens, and since you can only have 3 that is why you are hitting issues with content being undownloaded.