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muelgrub
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Best way to redirct library

Apr 21, 2012 11:15 AM

I have my photos on an external HDD that seems to be failing.  My Lighroom library is found on this failing HDD.  I want to move the photos to a new external HDD.  What's the best way to transfer the photos to the new HDD and have Photoshop use that as the new library?

I image this has been asked before and I apologize for asking again, but I can't seem to find best answer.

Thanks fo the patience.

1433 Views   14 Replies   Latest reply: Cornelia-I, May 7, 2012 2:44 PM
 
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  • dj_paige
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    1. dj_paige,
    Apr 21, 2012 1:29 PM   in reply to muelgrub
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    If Windows, you can transfer all the files using Windows copy and paste to the new HD, keeping the exact same folder structure and folder names and file names. Then disconnect the old one, plug in the new one and make sure the drive letter of the new one is the same as the old one was using (i.e. if the old HD was E:\, then after unplugging the old one and plugging in the new one, make sure the new one is E:\)

     

    If Mac ... someone else will have to provide help.

     
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  • Geoff the kiwi
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    2. Geoff the kiwi,
    Apr 21, 2012 5:40 PM   in reply to dj_paige
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    Tell us your OS and post a screen shot of the Library in Lr  showing your disk layout like this ss:

    Screen Shot 2012-04-22 at 12.39.13 PM.png

    In this one the disk is off-line............

     
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  • muelgrub
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    3. muelgrub,
    Apr 22, 2012 12:58 PM   in reply to Geoff the kiwi
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    I am using Win7.  I guess I could just move all the photos to the new HDD and make sure it's got the same letter as the old.  Not really sure how to do a screen shot anymore, however, or if I have that capability.

     
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  • jim01403
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    4. jim01403,
    Apr 22, 2012 1:22 PM   in reply to muelgrub
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    That should work.

     

    Regarding screenshots, you can use the Snipping Tool which comes with Win7.

     
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  • muelgrub
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    5. muelgrub,
    Apr 22, 2012 2:23 PM   in reply to Geoff the kiwi
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    here's a screen shot

    Capture.PNGBut how about this:  What's the easiest way to completely delete my Lightroom libray, and just start over and import the same photos but now like it's the first time.  Can that be done?

     
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  • dj_paige
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    6. dj_paige,
    Apr 22, 2012 3:34 PM   in reply to muelgrub
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    muelgrub wrote:

     

    But how about this:  What's the easiest way to completely delete my Lightroom libray, and just start over and import the same photos but now like it's the first time.  Can that be done?

    Starting your catalog over from scratch is a good idea if you don't mind losing all your keywords, all your edits, all your collections, your virtual copies, your slideshows and everything else you have done in LR. It's a good idea if you don't mind doing all the extra work of replacing all the information you lost. So ... what's the easiest way? Just do it!

     
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  • muelgrub
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    7. muelgrub,
    Apr 23, 2012 6:10 AM   in reply to dj_paige
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    I think I'd like to do it this way, delete it all and start over with a fresh import.  I don't mind losing my edits.  Which files do I have to delete to do that? (I don't want to have to reinstall LR, howewver.)

    thanks!!!

     
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  • dj_paige
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    8. dj_paige,
    Apr 23, 2012 9:33 AM   in reply to muelgrub
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    Step 1: File->New Catalog

     

    Step 2: Ignore the old catalog.

     
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  • muelgrub
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    9. muelgrub,
    Apr 23, 2012 11:08 AM   in reply to dj_paige
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    And that's the why I would import "new" photos?  Can't I just delete a lightroom catalog file in windows and then start fresh?

     
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  • muelgrub
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    10. muelgrub,
    May 4, 2012 2:59 PM   in reply to dj_paige
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    Thanks, but that either doesn't work or I'm doing it wrong.

     
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  • dj_paige
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    11. dj_paige,
    May 4, 2012 3:46 PM   in reply to muelgrub
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    muelgrub wrote:

     

    Thanks, but that either doesn't work or I'm doing it wrong.

    Too much detail ... I can't comprehend the entire sequence of steps you have just described!

     

    It does work, it's pretty darn simple, and if you tell us exactly what you did, maybe we can help.

     
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  • muelgrub
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    12. muelgrub,
    May 7, 2012 5:30 AM   in reply to dj_paige
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    I believe you that it works, I just couldn't figure it out.  When I went to Step 1: File->New Catalog like you suggested, a window opened that asked to put in a file name, not simply point to a different drive.  Ultimatley, I got it to work by just deleting the old catalog and adding a new catalog.  Now LR does open the photos on the new hard disc.  What I wanted to do, hoever, was to put the photos on the new HDD and then re-import them back into LR as if it was a fresh install so that I could add attributes to each photo like copywrite etc.  Not a big deal really, I'll do without that and just keep things as they are.

    thanks for the help!!

     
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  • dj_paige
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    13. dj_paige,
    May 7, 2012 9:52 AM   in reply to muelgrub
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    Well, there's your problem. A catalog is not a drive, a catalog is a file (actually a database file), that you have to name, and decide what directory it does in (you can accept the default directory). Once you give the catalog a name and location, you can import files into it.

     
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  • Cornelia-I
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    14. Cornelia-I,
    May 7, 2012 2:44 PM   in reply to muelgrub
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    No need to delete your old catalog, just in order to add some metadata as you would in a fresh import!

    You can mass-edit copy rights or any other metadata anytime.

    Victoria Bampton describes this very well in her "The missing FAQs LR".

    Get her eBook from http://www.lightroomqueen.com/books/adobe-lightroom-4-missing-faq/ (14.95 British Pound well spent).

     

    Cornelia

     
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