Lost Catalog due to EHDD disconnect ... last backup offers all but 29 JPGs

[the Digital Diva]

Working with Lightroom for about 4 months ... have used other similar vault photo storage systems. While using an External Hard Disk Drive, it accidentally disconnected from the USB port. Although I know not recommended, I had to power down to keep the drive from spinning and humming. Could not disconnect, eject, stop or other ... consequently, after rebooting and re-plug/unplug ... and restarting, no luck. Restored the latest backup and opened to that catalog. All good so far ... except of the 270 images, there were about 29 that are shown as "gray" boxes... I'm assuming that these are corrupted since these look to be the files I recently modified, yet due to the disconnect USB cable they weren't able to be BACKED UP. Also, I have "?" in the front of each folder name on my new EHDD. Starting using a BRAND NEW external drive, so I assume that is why there are "?"s. Any suggestions on locating the latest version of those 29 images ... or do I just reload the originals and hop to it? I am new to the forum, so please be patient as I learn the ropes.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

You need to solve the problem of the "?" on your folders, as that means the folder and the images in it are all missing. Lightroom does NOT contain your images, it only retains a reference to the images (i.e. where they are located), and of course all the data about those images. So reverting to a backup catalog will not automatically find all your images if those images are no longer where Lightroom expects to find them.

So the first question: where are they? Were they also on that EHD that you had trouble with? If so, and if that disk is really unusable, do you have a backup of them that you could switch to or restore from? It sounds from your description that all bar 29 images have been backed up, which is good news, so can you confirm that?

 

[the Digital Diva]

Jim,
Thanks for your reply ... I've used other vault/storage editing applications and the backup and restore were much more straight forward ... in using Lightroom, I do not feel I fully understand the file structure. It has been a transition from using an older (Forever/Historian & Creative Memories/Memory Manager -- obviously, a less editing savvy app) to this awesome LR app, but the file structure and where things go is a blur, and I consider (And yet, I am a BACKUP fool. In 15 years this is the first thing I've lost!)

My next few steps are ... (1) follow-up with LACIE on HDD for possible data extraction (or software to help do it), (2) work through Geek Squad at Best Buy to retrack the data somehow, and (3) invest in two new HDD for updating and 2nd backup. Worst case start a NEW catalog and set it up correctly! In my older vault system, still using because I was so confused about LR process, somehow by the grace of God, the jobs ORIGINALS are there and so are the 28 ones I edited last night. Worst case, I pull a list of all the 5 stars, and RELOAD those and start over on this job ... i'm in a time crunch. It is do not have data by 5pm tonight ... i'd doing editing until my butt falls off. Of 270, the best ones only amount to ~ 70-80 shots ... probably could kick out in a few hours.

I'll circle back with you or call Adobe if I am still unable to fix this. If you have any ideas ... please forward along.
Thanks for being a LR sounding board!
Desperate in Denver ... the Digital Diva

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Lightroom is not a vault/storage application. It's a database application. Your images are not "in" Lightroom, they are in normal folders, somewhere on (one of) your disk(s). What Lightroom does is store a link to these images in its database, just like the friends who are "in" your address book do not physically live in that book. A question mark in front of a folder name means that Lightroom has lost the link to that folder and to the images inside it. Like when a friend moved to a new house, but your address book still contains his old address. So think again about what Jim asked: where are the images?

 

[the Digital Diva]

Thanks for your reply ... My Original and ONLY copy of the images in LR were on the EHDD that died ... unless I can recover them ... i'm toast!

My (LOST LR files) original images are backed up (since I have done this successfully since 2007) ... they are in Forever\Historian. I load them there, and as part of my "backup routine"; then I successfully shadow this database (vault). I haven't felt confident in LR, thus my instinct said "continue to use what you KNOW will provide a backup". So luckily I had this ... the instructor was kind of confusing with this concept ... and everyone in class had files stored all over the board ... it's a no wonder I'm not the only one with missing files. Never PROMOTED the 2nd version of a backup ... I thought the checkbox backup at LR EXIT was my backup ... life lesson. I think I will rebuild my catalog this week. And just be grateful that once I did do all my previous edits in LR (in April - Aug 2017) ... I backed them up the other system. So I do in fact have .JPGS of all ORIGINAL files. So ... it is up to me if I want to rebuild all the previous folders, or start over. Kinda costly ... thank God it wasn't a 1500 shots wedding event! It is time to view the online classes ... instructor was good, but did not convey KEY POINTS like this one that were so very critical ... challenges like this make us smarter, more proactive and more successful!

 

[Johan Elzenga]

My Original and ONLY copy of the images in LR were on the EHDD that died

My (LOST LR files) original images are backed up (since I have done this successfully since 2007) ... they are in Forever\Historian.

I'm sorry, but that sounds as a contradiction to me.

 

[the Digital Diva]

Thank you to Johan and Jim for your support. (sorry for late reply as I was finishing up the customer deadline ...)

Original files were backed up in Forever Historian (my old photo vault), the edited ones were lost in Adobe Lightroom, due to an improper data backup (setup). In class, everyone had done it differently. I ended up choosing to NOT restore my data ... and got it all resolved. Had to rebuild the LR catalog as it was in dire need to be done. So a blessing that I only had 70 files to "re-edit". Now, the catalog data is backup properly and 2nd/3rd copies are in place. Life is good! I am a newer use to this application. I am planning on more online training. This forum is a wonderful resource for Lightroom. Thanks! the Digital Diva