Migrating LRC primary machine (including Lightroom Sync / Adobe Cloud and local files) from a MacBook Pro to a Mac Studio

[anotherjoe]

Lightroom Version Number

Adobe Lightroom Classic v 12.4

Operating System

1. macOS 13 Ventura

I am migrating my main Lightroom Classic collection from a MacBook Pro to a Mac Studio. In preparation I have studied chapter 20 in the Lightroom Queen's "Adobe Lightroom Classic - the missing FAQ". I want to avoid any gotchas with my local files and those that are sitting on Adobe's Cloud via Lightroom Sync so I am looking to the community for advice.

I still want to use the MacBook Pro on some projects or when traveling and will do so via separate catalogs that I will merge back to the main library on the Mac Studio. I've used LRC for many years and have a collection of about 250k photos. About 90k are synched via Lightroom sync the local masters / copies are on a RAID disk and an SSD for more recent projects. The catalogs and Lightroom Mobile Synch files are on the internal SSD of the laptop so I can have some access to them if not connected to the RAID.

In the past I have used Mac OS migration assistant to move from an old Mac to a new Mac. In fact the MacBook Pro was migrated from an iMac Pro. Since the connected drives are the same as are the files on the internal SSD, this has proved to be a pretty smooth way to transition and get going right away on the new Mac.

What is different this time is I plan to keep the MacBook Pro and put my second license for LRC on it. One I finish the migration to the studio via Migration assistant, I am left with essentially two identical Macs.

So the question - once I migrate via migration assistant to the Mac Studio, what changes do I need to make on the MacBook Pro so Lightroom Classic does not confused about what the true main catalog is? Do I just delete the Lightroom Catalog on the MacBook Pro after successful migration?

Any thoughts or gotchas for those who have migrated from the one Mac to two Mac lifestyle with LRC with local content AND adobe creative cloud. Thanks. - Joe

 

[clee01l]

I am migrating my main Lightroom Classic collection from a MacBook Pro to a Mac Studio. In preparation I have studied chapter 20 in the Lightroom Queen's "Adobe Lightroom Classic - the missing FAQ". I want to avoid any gotchas with my local files and those that are sitting on Adobe's Cloud via Lightroom Sync so I am looking to the community for advice.

I still want to use the MacBook Pro on some projects or when traveling
..
In the past I have used Mac OS migration assistant to move from an old Mac to a new Mac. In fact the MacBook Pro was migrated from an iMac Pro. Since the connected drives are the same as are the files on the internal SSD, this has proved to be a pretty smooth way to transition and get going right away on the new Mac.

What is different this time is I plan to keep the MacBook Pro and put my second license for LRC on it. One I finish the migration to the studio via Migration assistant, I am left with essentially two identical Macs.

So the question - once I migrate via migration assistant to the Mac Studio, what changes do I need to make on the MacBook Pro so Lightroom Classic does not confused about what the true main catalog is? Do I just delete the Lightroom Catalog on the MacBook Pro after successful migration?

Any thoughts or gotchas for those who have migrated from the one Mac to two Mac lifestyle with LRC with local content AND adobe creative cloud. Thanks. - Joe

I’ve gone from an iMac to a MBP using migration assistant. I don’t see where you will have a problem with the migrated LrC on the new Mac.

Before you migrate, turn off the LrC sync so that it is no longer interacting with the Adobe Cloud. Once everything is working on the new Mac, delete your master catalog on the MBP and any image files that you will not be using on the MBP
Now Turn LrC sync on the new Mac. It should resume sync to the Adobe Cloud with no issue. There is a possibility (slight) that Adobe Cloud sees the new computer and a different catalog but this is unlikely.

Lightroom on the MBP and Lightroom on the new Mac should be viewing the same images in the Adobe Cloud as before and just like you would from Lightroom. (Mobile) on a phone or tablet. I would only import on only one copy of Lightroom Desktop simple because I would get confused trying to use two copies of Lightroom Desktop.

My preference with a travel computer is to only use Lightroom and any imports to Lightroom on the MBP will sync to the master LrC catalog

While you can use LrC on a Master catalog and on a travel computer using the “Import from another catalog to merge, Images imported into Lightroom sync seamlessly with the master LrC catalog on the new Mac making LrC on the travel computer redundantly unnecessary.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[markstothard]

May I offer this suggestion for workflow after migration.

Mac Studio - LrC with the cloud is only designed with one catalogue in mind.

MacBook Pro - Lr, using the Import Images/Albums to seamlessly sync in the cloud from any mobile device and camera from the field of photography to LrC Folder/Collections. This will allow all images and edits to be available in LrC (apart from keywords) without re-importing images or merging catalogues

Regards

M

 

[anotherjoe]

I’ve gone from an iMac to a MBP using migration assistant. I don’t see where you will have a problem with the migrated LrC on the new Mac.

Before you migrate, turn off the LrC sync so that it is no longer interacting with the Adobe Cloud. Once everything is working on the new Mac, delete your master catalog on the MBP and any image files that you will not be using on the MBP
Now Turn LrC sync on the new Mac. It should resume sync to the Adobe Cloud with no issue. There is a possibility (slight) that Adobe Cloud sees the new computer and a different catalog but this is unlikely.

Lightroom on the MBP and Lightroom on the new Mac should be viewing the same images in the Adobe Cloud as before and just like you would from Lightroom. (Mobile) on a phone or tablet. I would only import on only one copy of Lightroom Desktop simple because I would get confused trying to use two copies of Lightroom Desktop.

My preference with a travel computer is to only use Lightroom and any imports to Lightroom on the MBP will sync to the master LrC catalog

While you can use LrC on a Master catalog and on a travel computer using the “Import from another catalog to merge, Images imported into Lightroom sync seamlessly with the master LrC catalog on the new Mac making LrC on the travel computer redundantly unnecessary.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you Cletus, those are good tips. I have used my iPad Pro and Lightroom Mobile when traveling before and it works pretty well to get things into the main library automagically when I get home. It does take a while but they do eventually come over.

 

[anotherjoe]

May I offer this suggestion for workflow after migration.

Mac Studio - LrC with the cloud is only designed with one catalogue in mind.

MacBook Pro - Lr, using the Import Images/Albums to seamlessly sync in the cloud from any mobile device and camera from the field of photography to LrC Folder/Collections. This will allow all images and edits to be available in LrC (apart from keywords) without re-importing images or merging catalogues

Regards

M

Thanks Mark. I will try that. I have used my iPad Pro in this way when traveling so the MacBook Pro should be the same using Lightroom instead of Lightroom Classic. This is a good reminder. I guess I could do separate libraries on the MacBook Pro or Mac Studio if it is a project I don’t necessarily want in my main library.

Next step with a new Mac is always finessing the Backblaze backup to "inherit" the old computer's backup so you don’t have to repload all that stuff! With external RAID for photos I have about 18 TB backed up on Backblaze for the MacBook Pro's internal drive and external RAIDS. Definitely don’t want to re-upload all that again!

 

[clee01l]

Thank you Cletus, those are good tips. I have used my iPad Pro and Lightroom Mobile when traveling before and it works pretty well to get things into the main library automagically when I get home. It does take a while but they do eventually come over.

I’m have replaced my MBP with an iPadPro exclusively for travel. I usually don’t import into LrM on the iPad until I am connect to WiFi. These imported images sync to the Adobe Cloud and on to LrC even while I travel since I keep my iMac running 7X24. Most of the time my Adobe Cloud imports are in my master LrC catalog by the Time I get home or very soon after.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[markstothard]

Thanks Mark. I will try that. I have used my iPad Pro in this way when traveling so the MacBook Pro should be the same using Lightroom instead of Lightroom Classic. This is a good reminder. I guess I could do separate libraries on the MacBook Pro or Mac Studio if it is a project I don’t necessarily want in my main library.

Next step with a new Mac is always finessing the Backblaze backup to "inherit" the old computer's backup so you don’t have to repload all that stuff! With external RAID for photos I have about 18 TB backed up on Backblaze for the MacBook Pro's internal drive and external RAIDS. Definitely don’t want to re-upload all that again!

You have a very similar workflow to me.

I believe Backblaze use fingerprint technology, each file uploaded has a fingerprint assigned to it. So when you move or rename a file locally, you don't re-upload it, it's just moved or renamed in Backblaze.

Good luck with your project.

M

 

[anotherjoe]

You have a very similar workflow to me.

I believe Backblaze use fingerprint technology, each file uploaded has a fingerprint assigned to it. So when you move or rename a file locally, you don't re-upload it, it's just moved or renamed in Backblaze.

Good luck with your project.

M

Glad to hear this works for you too, Mark!

If I "inherit backup" of the old computer to the new computer and then Backblaze just does a quick validate and moves on. Even with few new files, this takes me about a week with my Internet speed. At my speed, 18 TB to upload takes months! I'll have to create a new Backblaze instance for the old MacBook Pro and that will take a while to update but not too too long.