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Library module External hard drive issue

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dairtreephoto

New Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
13
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Lightroom Version
Cloud Service
Lightroom Version Number
Classic, 10.1.1
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
Please help. I use windows 10. Catalog is on internal hard drive. Photos saved on external hard drive. After removing hard drive, closing LR , computer shut down, restart, LR open, LR shows photos missing. Plug in hard drive still no joy. So start everything with ext. HD plugged in and LR still doesnt reconnect files. Try find missing photos, it gives me a message about merging, result is 3 photo out of 1500+. Originally garden drive connect to a L: drive, now in m: drive slot. L: drive slot not assigned anymore! How can I gain access to files and edits? Total mystery!
 

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Originally garden drive connect to a L: drive, now in m: drive slot
This makes the path to access the file change and that's why LR says the file are missing. To fix that, in LR, righ click on the top level folder, select "find missing folder", then bowse to the folder in the EHD to reconnect.

You said that you tried to recoonect the photos and it failed. How did you do that ? What happened ? Did you get an error message ?

If Windows assigned the letter M when you plugged in the EHD, it's normally because the letter L was not available. It's strange since the letter L is far away in the alphabet and there is few probability that Windows used it for an other external storage.

An other way to connect an EHD is to mount it in a folder, so you're not dependant of an assigned letter. But however assigning a letter far away in the alphabet as you did should be enough to always get the same path.
 
This makes the path to access the file change and that's why LR says the file are missing. To fix that, in LR, righ click on the top level folder, select "find missing folder", then bowse to the folder in the EHD to reconnect.

You said that you tried to recoonect the photos and it failed. How did you do that ? What happened ? Did you get an error message ?

If Windows assigned the letter M when you plugged in the EHD, it's normally because the letter L was not available. It's strange since the letter L is far away in the alphabet and there is few probability that Windows used it for an other external storage.

An other way to connect an EHD is to mount it in a folder, so you're not dependant of an assigned letter. But however assigning a letter far away in the alphabet as you did should be enough to always get the same path.
Thanks for the reply. I had tried that before but did it again. Photos attached. Got the merge message. No joy. Still only 3 photos.
 

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My recommendation would be to reassign L: to the drive and then re-open LR. This can be done by opening the windows icon and typing Computer Mangement. When the app opens, select Disk Management under Storage. Select the drive in question and right click on it. Choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Change M: to L:. Then close the app when the change is complete and re-open LR. If LR is still believes the drive is L:, it should recognize the drive. Letters sometimes get re-assigned and this is a simple way to correct the change.

Good luck,

--Ken
 
My recommendation would be to reassign L: to the drive and then re-open LR. This can be done by opening the windows icon and typing Computer Mangement. When the app opens, select Disk Management under Storage. Select the drive in question and right click on it. Choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Change M: to L:. Then close the app when the change is complete and re-open LR. If LR is still believes the drive is L:, it should recognize the drive. Letters sometimes get re-assigned and this is a simple way to correct the change.

Good luck,

--Ken
Ken has good advice here, and I'd like to add that it is possible that Drive L: in this case is already assigned to some other device. You can free up Drive L: by assigning that device to a free drive letter, let's say N: or O: Once that is done, you can assign you photo drive to L:

This is a very frequent problem with Windows, which has a very archaic way of managing external drives.

Keep us posted.

Phil
 
I did has suggested with unfortunately only a little success. As you can see, LR seems to be recognising the drive (photo deposit L: )and folders but when folders are selected it says there are no photos YET when you click on, catalog all photos, the photos are shown! No filters applied. LR updated.
 

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Can you see the files /images when using File Explorer ???

Lr will remember all the images previously imported and what folders they were imported from.... it will display this file structure..... but if it cannot find the actual files or folders then you will get exclamation marks etc..
 
I did has suggested with unfortunately only a little success. As you can see, LR seems to be recognising the drive (photo deposit L:)and folders but when folders are selected it says there are no photos YET when you click on, catalog all photos, the photos are shown! Files are visible in explorer!
 
I did has suggested with unfortunately only a little success. As you can see, LR seems to be recognising the drive (photo deposit L:)and folders but when folders are selected it says there are no photos YET when you click on, catalog all photos, the photos are shown! Files are visible in explorer!
Photo deposit L: )*
 
Files visible in explorer. No exclamation marks just the message saying, no files!
 
Files visible in explorer. No exclamation marks just the message saying, no files!
Are the paths identical in Explorer and what is showing in LR? If there has been any change in the path, LR will not be able to see the file. Also, do you have a backup of the catalog prior to you trying to resolve this issue?

--Ken
 
Paths are identical. When I click, show in explorer, it brings me to the correct folder on ehd. LR is recognising that photos are there, hence the numbers in folders section but just cant 'see' the photos! Unsure on backup. Wouldn't even know where to look. Photos appear when selected in collection, but not folders and publish services not working either.
 

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What would happen if I use the synchronize folder in this instance? Will I lose anything?
 
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