Export Issue and no back up

[crystalc052607]

I had a very outdated Mac and I finally updated it the past few days. IT took 4 updates and MANY HOURS to get it to run Mojave OS Now my catalog is missing and I dont think its worth finding again but I can't export anything it now. I wonder if I need to update LR from 5.7.1 or just try to uninstall and reinstall to fix the issue. Below is the screen shot from when I try to export. Help Please!

After the first update I noticed my lightroom catalog was all gone. I figured I wouldn't freak out till I tried some more. So I also realized that I made a high mistake in thinking that my files were saved since when I would close LR they were always there still, so I never backed it up. (SHAME! I KNOW!) SO My question is, do/can I try to use time machine to pull my catalogs back up again and then save them? Do I just take this as a lesson learned and make sure I backup from here on out (I only had one project I was working on that wasn't exported) I will have lost all those in progress edits from a few years for personal and work stuff. I don't need to access them so its only the thought that upsets me and I will have a tad of personal edits to redo that weren't done.

[D.A.R]

If you have a Time Machine backup (which contradicts the title) then yes, start there to recover any catalogs starting with the most recent prior to upgrading.

[crystalc052607]

Its my first time using time machine but I never selected the button in LR to backup my catalog. Does that mean it does or doesn't exist?

[crystalc052607]

I am sorry my title was confusing, I am unsure if because I didn't actually back it up with LR and only used the time machine to save before I updated if the back up actually is able to be found.

[Per Berntsen]

crystalc052607  wrote

Now my catalog is missing and I dont think its worth finding again but I can't export anything it now. I wonder if I need to update LR from 5.7.1 or just try to uninstall and reinstall to fix the issue. Below is the screen shot from when I try to export. Help Please!

What makes you think your catalog is missing? Since you are able to select a file and click Export, you obviously have a catalog open.

The error message in the Export dialog "The file could not be written" usually means that you don't have Write permissions on the folder you're exporting to. Or it might mean that the original is missing, in which case there would be an exclamation mark in the top right corner of the thumbnail in Library. Do you see that?

[crystalc052607]

Ohh, I transferred all my images from an old HD to a new one and I did notice it wont let me move the files now. There is a new catalog open because I imported pictures.

[crystalc052607]

The old catalog is gone and there is nothing in there but the one import I just made.

[Per Berntsen]

Are you sure the old catalog is gone? Do a search for .lrcat files on your computer, and double-click each of them to open them.

I transferred all my images from an old HD to a new one and I did notice it wont let me move the files now.

Not sure what you mean here. What "it" won't let you move them, and why or where do you want to move them?

[Lumigraphics]

Where was the old catalog located? Files don't just vanish because you updated your operating system. So unless you manually deleted the catalog or erased the hard drive, it should be in the same location.