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Is it possible?

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Coloradonewbie

New Member
Premium Classic Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
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7
Lightroom Version Number
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
I have an unusual problem. and am trying to recover images that are my best images. I worked with Adobe support and they were no help. I have been using Lightroom since LR 5 through the current version. The bugs in Lightroom 17 wreaked havoc on my catalogs. In retrospect I should have reverted to an earlier version of Lightroom.

When I say best images the images missing were selected, starred and extensive edits. The raw images are not visible in any catalog, and images that were selected were also in a select catalog as well. Keywords are also gone. My backup files were also affected by LR17.

Do you think it possible the raw files are still in the original LR database (not catalog) and more importantly can be reimported into Lightroom into a new catalog or imported into another program. ie. Photomechanic or Luminar?

My overall catalog size is 24k images.
 
First of all, Lightroom never stores the original files, only a reference to the path where the actual files are stored in the filesystem. If you use Windows Explorer, can you find the original RAW files on the disk where Lightroom presumably put them when it imported them from the camera card? The Default location would be C:\users\{your user name}\Pictures. If you can find where Lightroom stored the original image files, then we can begin to investigate the LR catalog file to see where LR has the path referenced and whether this is the correct path.
Ideally, you need one AND ONLY one catalog file for ALL of your images. How many catalog files do you have and how many are backup files of the same catalog?
 
2 Catalog files, Main 24k files and 6K of duplicate files. Your comments are very interesting/profound , could edits for the main catalog be attached to the secondary catalog?
 
2 Catalog files, Main 24k files and 6K of duplicate files. Your comments are very interesting/profound , could edits for the main catalog be attached to the secondary catalog?
Yes, the catalogs can be merged. Can you answer my question: Can you find your original image using Windows Explorer?
 
Also, check which version of LR you're actually on (there is no 17) - it'll be Classic, but may be 7, 8,... It doesn't matter s far as your question is concerned and Cletus is tight on the trail with you on that but it may for others and also for some file locations (not the image ones)

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/which-lightroom-version-am-i-using/
 
I looked at my image storage and I cannot see my actual raw files (e drive). I can see my actual lrcat files. and they are maintained on my C drive.

I currently Lightroom Classic (version 8.4.1 )
 
I looked at my image storage and I cannot see my actual raw files (e drive).
That's crucial. You need to find the raw files, or restore them from a backup. Lightroom's catalog only contains a list of information about the photos, and a small preview, like your address book only contains information about your friends and not the friends themselves.
 
I looked at my image storage and I cannot see my actual raw files (e drive). I can see my actual lrcat files. and they are maintained on my C drive.

I currently Lightroom Classic (version 8.4.1 )
You need the original files before we ca go further with any/either approach.
I would suggest that you search for any files with your RAW file extension (i.e. *.NEF for Nikon RAW, etc). Search all drives the are mounted and any that you might have disconnected.
 
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