Lightroom synchronised backup to external is missing some folders

[Kazz]

Hi all, I have a problem, just encountered after syncing LR to an external for ages. Anyway, the last sync I did (using Sync Pro), I opened the external drive and opened an LR catalogue. that was ok but found that some folders in this catalogue were still on my laptop hard drive although upon checking, they have been written to the external. eg: the index on the left showed both external drive with all but the folders still on the hard drive and also the hard drive with the missing folders! Never happened before...anyone know what is happening??? Would appreciate any help!

 

[Brad Snyder]

Kazz, welcome to the forums. Wow, I've been working with Lr for almost 3 years, and computers for almost 4' years, but I don't have a clue what you just said. Maybe some of other members can glean the import of what happened to you, but I lost track of laptop versus external versus Sync Pro versus the one on the left versus the folders still on the hard drive versus the hard drive with the missing folders.

Honestly, can you slow it down a bit and go step by step, or include a couple of screen shots or something? We have quite a few Ozzies and Kiwis here, maybe they can translate.

PS, I just reread this, no offense is intended, I just am not able to understand the symptoms from your description.

 

[Mark Sirota]

I agree, Brad, this was tough to parse.

I think what Kazz is saying is that after he copied all his contents to an external drive and then opened the new (external) copy of the LR catalog, he finds that LR is still looking at the original copy of the image files.

This isn't surprising, Kazz. The catalog is just a copy, still referencing the same files. If you want to point this catalog at the new copy of the files, that's easy to do.

Are you really using LR 1.', as your profile indicates? If so, I think the only solution is to make the original copy of the files unavailable, probably by renaming the top-level folder. Then fire up LR and you'll be able to right-click on the top-level folder and choose Find Missing Folder. Then rename your original top-level folder back to its original name.

In more recent versions of Lightroom, right-click on the top-level folder in the Folders panel and choose "Update Folder Location". Navigate to the external copy, and you're good to go. If you have multiple top-level folders, you can repeat for each, or choose "Add Parent Folder" from the context menu until you have only one top-level folder.