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I'm new to Apple and having problems transferring LR CC Classic photographs and catalog from a Windows PC to a Mac

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newmoon

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Premium Cloud Member
Joined
May 16, 2011
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81
Lightroom Version Number
11.4
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
  2. macOS 12 Monterey
Please can someone help!
I've got the photograph files copied from the Windows PC to a Samsung T5 portable drive and have also copied the Catalog onto the T5.
I've eventually (after 90 minutes and the help of a YouTube video) got the Samsung T5 to open on the Mac (security settings needed changing) and now want to get the raw files (some of them, not all) onto the Mac hard drive.
I've got the catalog onto the Mac, though a message came up saying there was a conflict with Drive D (where I kept the photograph files on the Windows PC). I'm not sure at this stage if this will resolve itself.
How do I get the photograph files across please?
From my research, it's probably through a Library tab, but that is elusive, I can't find it!
After achieving this I'm wanting to transfer the remaining photograph files onto a Sandisk drive, which will be my 'permanent' external drive with the Mac. I'll then use the Samsung for backup but have Backblaze also.
How can I transfer the files from the Samsung to the Sandisk drive and get Lightroom to recognise them please?
Thanks for any help, I feel completely lost!
 
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Apple provides a Migration Assistant app for Windows, I initially used that to transfer my user data from Windows to the Mac many years ago. An exFAT formatted external hard disk that can be used by both Windows and the Mac is IMO a necessary intermediate piece of hardware to hold your data. You run Migration Assistant on the Windows computer to copt the data to the EHD and Migration Assistant on the Mac to copy this data files to your Mac. You will need to install the Mac apps that are the equivalent to your Windows apps And this includes Lightroom Classic. Once everything is transferred to the Mac, click on the master catalog file (*.lrcat) to open it in Lightroom. The Windows use of the catalog has added Drive letters to the absolutePath field locating the folders containing the images. This "drive Letter" concept is not understood by any OS but Windows. So you will need to update (correct) the location of the now missing (?) folders in the Folder panel.
 
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clee01l said:
Apple provides a Migration Assistant app for Windows, I initially used that to transfer my user data from Windows to the Mac many years ago. An exFAT formatted external hard disk that can be used by both Windows and the Mac is IMO a necessary intermediate piece of hardware to hold your data. You run Migration Assistant on the Windows computer to copt the data to the EHD and Migration Assistant on the Mac to copy this data files to your Mac. You will need to install the Mac apps that are the equivalent to your Windows apps And this includes Lightroom Classic. Once everything is transferred to the Mac, click on the master catalog file (*.lrcat) to open it in Lightroom. The Windows use of the catalog has added Drive letters to the absolutePath field locating the folders containing the images. This "drive Letter" concept is not understood by any OS but Windows. So you will need to update (correct) the location of the now missing (?) folders in the Folder panel.
Click to expand...
Clee01|
Thank you. I'm passed the stage of using Windows Migration now and have LR Classic installed and the Catalog on the Mac hard drive. I can see all my file hierarchy but no photograph previews and nothing there when I click on a file.
I'm pretty sure it's down to the D drive conflict and I just can't work out how to resolve this, I've been at this stage for hours and getting nowhere.

Where do I go to get rid of the Drive letter please?

In Lightroom Classic The Missing FAQ page 115 is says I've got to find the parent folder - I think I must have found this as right clicking does not give the option 'Show Parent Folder' but then again this option might have changed in a system update so I can't be sure (I'm not sure of anything).
I really cannot see anywhere either in LR or in the Mac Library where I can see the D Drive mentioned, so can't progress further too change it.

Please could you explain exactly where I'm supposed to be looking and how I can get there?

I apologise for sounding useless with this, I can usually figure things out, but this has me confounded.
 
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newmoon said:
Where do I go to get rid of the Drive letter please?
Click to expand...
Go to the Folder panel in LrC. Right click on the highest level folder showing a (?). this will expose the context menu with a menu item "Find Missing Folder..." In the Filesystem window that opens navigate to the volume containing that folder, select the folder to set the new (correct)path in the catalog. Repeat for any remaining folders in the folder panel that show the (?)
 
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If in doubt, grab us a screenshot of the Folders panel and we can give you really specific steps. Don't worry, it's way easier than it sounds.
 
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clee01l said:
Go to the Folder panel in LrC. Right click on the highest level folder showing a (?). this will expose the context menu with a menu item "Find Missing Folder..." In the Filesystem window that opens navigate to the volume containing that folder, select the folder to set the new (correct)path in the catalog. Repeat for any remaining folders in the folder panel that show the (?)
Click to expand...
Cletus - thank you! I think that has worked, had to press Synchronize afterwards but there are definitely photographs to view. I
Your reply also covers what to do when I transfer my more recent years to the Mac Hard Drive. Can I ask one more question - when I do this is the usual place to put them in /Users.Davidevans/Pictures ? The Catalog in /Users/DavidEvans/Pictures/Lightroom.
 
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newmoon said:
Cletus - thank you! I think that has worked, had to press Synchronize afterwards but there are definitely photographs to view. I
Your reply also covers what to do when I transfer my more recent years to the Mac Hard Drive. Can I ask one more question - when I do this is the usual place to put them in /Users.Davidevans/Pictures ? The Catalog in /Users/DavidEvans/Pictures/Lightroom.
Click to expand...

Those paths ( /Users/DavidEvans/Pictures and /Users/DavidEvans/Pictures/Lightroom) are the default paths for catalog file and images files. In practice, you can choose to store the catalog anywhere on a locally attached drive. And the image files can be on any volume that can be mounted to MacOS including a network volume. Performance is best if the catalog file is located on the primary disk (MacIntosh HD)


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