Suggestions to restore LR files

[dovbaer]

Lightroom Version

10.1

Operating System

1. macOS 11 Big Sur

Here's my problem. I have a current backup I made upon exiting LR. I have all my (140,000) photos on a backup drive, where LR knew how to find them. My computer crashed and I have no other backups. What steps do I need to take after I reinstall LR, which I assume I can get from Adobe? Is there a worksheet I can use? I would be crushed if I lose my keywords. Less crushed, but still sad if I couldn't restore all my edits.

 

[clee01l]

Here's my problem. I have a current backup I made upon exiting LR. I have all my (140,000) photos on a backup drive, where LR knew how to find them. My computer crashed and I have no other backups. What steps do I need to take after I reinstall LR, which I assume I can get from Adobe? Is there a worksheet I can use? I would be crushed if I lose my keywords. Less crushed, but still sad if I couldn't restore all my edits.

You need to find the last backup of the catalog and unzip it. Then you need to restore the original files from the backup location to the original location.

All of your edits and keywords are in your catalog file and the backups that you made of that master catalog file.


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[dovbaer]

Hi Cletus. A clarification. 98% of my files were residing on an external hard drive already, accessible through LR. Therefore, should I "add" them to LR without actually moving them?
Also, do I reload files onto LR and THEN use the catalog? Or do I start with unzipping the backup of the catalog? I'm just trying to do each step correctly so I don't screw up. Wish there was a step-by-step instruction sheet.

 

[clee01l]

Hi Cletus. A clarification. 98% of my files were residing on an external hard drive already, accessible through LR. Therefore, should I "add" them to LR without actually moving them?
Also, do I reload files onto LR and THEN use the catalog? Or do I start with unzipping the backup of the catalog? I'm just trying to do each step correctly so I don't screw up. Wish there was a step-by-step instruction sheet.

Don’t Add or Move. Unzip your latest backup catalog and copy it to the Lightroom folder where your previews are stored. Open that catalog with the Lightroom App. Check to see if Lightroom thinks your folders are missing. If they are missing and are in the EHD you can move or copy these image folders and images to the volume where Lightroom expects them OR. You can right click on the highest level missing folder and choose the menu option to find the missing folders by navigating to that folder on the EHD.


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[dovbaer]

Don’t Add or Move. Unzip your latest backup catalog and copy it to the Lightroom folder where your previews are stored. Open that catalog with the Lightroom App. Check to see if Lightroom thinks your folders are missing. If they are missing and are in the EHD you can move or copy these image folders and images to the volume where Lightroom expects them OR. You can right click on the highest level missing folder and choose the menu option to find the missing folders by navigating to that folder on the EHD.


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This helps, but I don't have any stored previews that I know of. My hard drive was reformatted and I have a blank slate. So, knowing that, do your instructions still apply? Where should I place the unzipped backup catalog? Is there any available phone support? I think that because I don't use the right language, my problem is not fully understood.

 

[clee01l]

This helps, but I don't have any stored previews that I know of. My hard drive was reformatted and I have a blank slate. So, knowing that, do your instructions still apply? Where should I place the unzipped backup catalog? Is there any available phone support? I think that because I don't use the right language, my problem is not fully understood.

The Default location for the Lightroom Folder is in the /Pictures/ folder/ If that is where your master catalog used to be located , then copy the recovered, unzipped backup catalog there. If you don’t have any previews folders, then Lightroom will create new ones as needed in the same folder as the catalog file.

So my instruction still apply. If the image files are in folders on the EHD, you can point the Lightroom catalog to these folders on the EHD OR you can copy them to the primary hard drive where the Lightroom Catalog originally had referenced them in the path field in the Catalog file.

I think Adobe charges for phone support but provides chat support for free. Depending upon your native language and country, someone here in this user led forum that might be willing to offer phone support.


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[dovbaer]

The Default location for the Lightroom Folder is in the /Pictures/ folder/ If that is where your master catalog used to be located , then copy the recovered, unzipped backup catalog there. If you don’t have any previews folders, then Lightroom will create new ones as needed in the same folder as the catalog file.

So my instruction still apply. If the image files are in folders on the EHD, you can point the Lightroom catalog to these folders on the EHD OR you can copy them to the primary hard drive where the Lightroom Catalog originally had referenced them in the path field in the Catalog file.

I think Adobe charges for phone support but provides chat support for free. Depending upon your native language and country, someone here in this user led forum that might be willing to offer phone support.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Okay Cletus, I did exactly what you told me to and...
It worked beautifully. I have all 140,000+ photos in the order in which I had them previously. I have thumbnails. I have keywords. I have previous edits.
It took me about 15 minutes.
I'm still waiting for something to go wrong, but haven't found any problems yet.
SO...thanks for your help. BIG THANKS indeed.