HD crash & Lightroom backup problem

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mmahoney

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My main computer failed last night and I've put a fresh initial install of Lightroom on a backup computer. I copied all my Lightroom backup folders (catalogs) from an external HD and it has found my libraries fine, but when I go to edit in Develop I get this error message:

"The file apperas to be unsupported or damaged"

So I searched that error message here and took two suggested steps to fix:

File > Catalog Settings > Relaunch and Optimize
and
Test integrity of this catalog after CTRL on startup.

I've also tried syncronizing the folder(s), still no develop.

But still getting the error message and cannot develop or export. The previews look fine in the Library & Develop, and I can see the history (but am unable to copy the image settings)

The Lightroom version is 1.3.

Any more suggestions?
Many thanks,
Mike
 
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Where are the original files? That message would suggest that Lightroom's catalog and previews are fine, but the original file is damaged. Or if you look in Grid mode, does the thumbnail have a question mark in the corner? That would mean that the file is missing - you'd just need to reconnect it with the original.

You might want to upgrade to 1.4.1 at some point - there were a few more useful bug fixes.

And welcome to the forum - sorry it's not on a happier note!
 
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Thanks for the welcome .. in grid mode there is no question mark in the corner. But I just discovered an exclamation mark with "Error writing Metadata" message on about a third of the files.

The original RAW files are on the failed HD, and when I originally imported into LR I saved copies (and renamed) to an external drive. So those are the files I was working with in LR. But when I try to work with them on the new computer (with the same external drive) I get the error messages.

Thanks again,



Victoria Bampton said:
Where are the original files? That message would suggest that Lightroom's catalog and previews are fine, but the original file is damaged. Or if you look in Grid mode, does the thumbnail have a question mark in the corner? That would mean that the file is missing - you'd just need to reconnect it with the original.

You might want to upgrade to 1.4.1 at some point - there were a few more useful bug fixes.

And welcome to the forum - sorry it's not on a happier note!
Click to expand...
 
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mmahoney said:
The original RAW files are on the failed HD, and when I originally imported into LR I saved copies (and renamed) to an external drive. So those are the files I was working with in LR. But when I try to work with them on the new computer (with the same external drive) I get the error messages.
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Mike, ditto on the welcome.

I'm a little confused about the 'renamed' part. How, and at what point in the process were the copies renamed?

Here's where we are, I think:

1) Hard-drive with RAW files failed.
2) There is some other drive with RAW copies, with different names.
3) The LR Catalog and preview files were 'rescued', or survived the HD crash.
4) LR has been reinstalled on new PC, and Catalog and Previews transferred.

Now, we're trying to link the old catalog with the renamed RAW copies?
Is that more or less what's happened?

LR is not going to be able to deal seamlessly with renamed originals, or originals in a differently structured hierarchy/directory tree.

It's not the end of the world, I think we can get it straightened out, with just a little more history. Or perhaps, I've completely misunderstood the part about renamed files.
 
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Hi Brad .. the original RAW files were already downloaded onto an internal drive (this is the one which subsequently failed) with another downloading program, not LR.

From their location on this drive they were then imported into LR, with copies made during the import, and these copies were renamed and saved to the external drive. These are the files I worked with in LR, and also the files currently showing in the LR folder in Library module. The original RAW's are now in failed HD heaven.

You are right on all 4 of your "Here's where we are". I had copied the LR folders and information (from the "Users>Name>Pictures>Lightroom" folder to another drive before the main one failed and then copied that folder into the new location on the backup computer after I installed LR on the backup computer.

I'm beginning to think as you are here, that LR is not dealing with the change in computers.

I'm now trying to copy the saved (and renamed) files to another folder to see if I can direct LR to find them there. Also there seems to be missing metadata from the files.

Again, any help is appreciated !!





Brad Snyder said:
Mike, ditto on the welcome.

I'm a little confused about the 'renamed' part. How, and at what point in the process were the copies renamed?

Here's where we are, I think:

1) Hard-drive with RAW files failed.
2) There is some other drive with RAW copies, with different names.
3) The LR Catalog and preview files were 'rescued', or survived the HD crash.
4) LR has been reinstalled on new PC, and Catalog and Previews transferred.

Now, we're trying to link the old catalog with the renamed RAW copies?
Is that more or less what's happened?

LR is not going to be able to deal seamlessly with renamed originals, or originals in a differently structured hierarchy/directory tree.

It's not the end of the world, I think we can get it straightened out, with just a little more history. Or perhaps, I've completely misunderstood the part about renamed files.
Click to expand...
 
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So the files have the correct names that Lightroom's expecting, right? And Lightroom finds the ok, but can't open them.

Do the files open ok in another raw processor - Bridge, your camera software, something like that?
 
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Hi again .. yes, I can open the .CR2 files with the Canon DPP .. both the originals from the CF cards and the renamed files from LR.

And the (re)names are the same on the external drive as the LR Library.

Oddly enough, I cannot import the original files from the CF cards into LR, but can with DPP.
Thanks,


Victoria Bampton said:
So the files have the correct names that Lightroom's expecting, right? And Lightroom finds the ok, but can't open them.

Do the files open ok in another raw processor - Bridge, your camera software, something like that?
Click to expand...
 
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Ok, how about trying to import them into a new catalog (without moving) and see what happens. (File > New catalog...) That'll clarify whether it's a LR problem, or a catalog issue.

Ooooh, actually, Mac or PC based?
 
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I've copied some of them into a different folder and tried to import them but get the "unsupported ..." message.

PC based.
Thanks (yet again).

Victoria Bampton said:
Ok, how about trying to import them into a new catalog (without moving) and see what happens. (File > New catalog...) That'll clarify whether it's a LR problem, or a catalog issue.

Ooooh, actually, Mac or PC based?
Click to expand...
 
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Tried to import them into a different catalog and they still say unsupported? Yikes!

Ok, another thought - make sure you've got everything backed up and then upgrade to 1.4.1.

If that doesn't do the trick, drop me one of the files and I'll double check that Lightroom can read it ok here. (http://vbftp.net:8'8')

Off to bed, I'll check in first thing in the morning.
 
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