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File Management: LR, Windows 10, local and ext HD, missing files are not

New Here ,
Nov 22, 2018 Nov 22, 2018

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Hi All,

I've been looking, reading, learning about this for sometime but now I've found a new problem, that I can't solve (nor find a sol'n for)....so please help if you can...

Background; moderately skilled LR user for 8 yrs (amateur photographer)

LR Classic 6.14 version

Windows 10 user

Workflow:

Import RAW files from SD card (internal reader) /CF (external reader) on computer into separate folders on my C: (internal HD) each occasion

Edit raw files in LR and backup regularly

Export select photos in JPEG to a subfolder w/in the main folder for the occasion for use on social media/email etc

approx quarterly, I move all the image files off the C: and onto a "new" 1 T HD

about every 6 months, I do an interval backup to an external 3T HD....

I have an 'older" 3T HD that I filled and that remains as another backup...

about every 6 mos I perform an interval back up to a home based NAS (6 T)

Every year I do an interval backup to GLACIER AWS (that's still a new process for me, but the idea is to have an offsite disaster recovery backup)

SO: I learned early on about moving files w/ windows and then "missing file" error in LR.

I see the experts recommend moving files within LR but I also see other's who recommend using the Windows utilities, particularly in case of a CRASH during the move within LR resulting in lost files...

For me, the LR file move features are not easy quick or user friendly, so I prefer using Windows...

I do accept that I have the additional step of "find missing files" once I move them off the C: to the EXT HD...

Once i learned the "trick" I've been fine.

I read that other's rec adding the files from the onset to the ext HD, but that slows me way down when adding the files but more importantly when I edit them...

Probably related to my older HP Spectre laptop (though it was pretty fast)

SO, for the NEW problem.....

I purchased a NEW HP spectre laptop w/ increased video graphics abilities.

I moved all my folders/files/presets over from the old one...it's never perfect but ultimately I have the new HP running like the old one.

BUT now LR doesn't recognize all the files that were on the old C:....

they also don't recognize the files on the 1 T HD

finally, they don't recognize the files on the 3 T HD....

I've looked for ways to reassociate them, synch them, find them but to no avail....

OLD problems:

I have multiple SD chips and EHDs (ie 3 noted above) that I use....

I've never understood how LR labels the HDs. I've learned that the 3Ts were S; and T:

I've seen multiple drive designations for the SD chips and other EHD (small 1 T).

There's been a recommendation to "relabel" the drive so that LR will recognize the "previous location" of the files....

for whatever reason I don't know how to do that (in windows)....

OLD problem 2:

along the way during the years some files have been corrupted meaning I see the file, the picture is mostly there, but there is bizarre colors or lines or other defects that prevent me from using the file...

I've had to "manually" go back and search on the 3T HDs for the individual files.....slow and painful..

is there a way to synch an older folder w/ image files from the earliest 3 T (and presumable non corrupted files) ?
Does anyone have a 3rd party backup/compare software to allow me to compare the two 3 Ts and make a manual decision about which files to keep/synch/disregard/delete?

THANKS So much for your assistance

Best

Keith

Happy Thanksgiving

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2018 Nov 22, 2018

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Close all apps, logout of windows, log back in but as the local administrator. Using File Explorer, navigate to your drives, to the file folders your catalog(s) and images are in, look at the properties (right click, ...) look at the security settings (security tab), make sue System, your account, Administrators group, has full rights, Users Group less.

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New Here ,
Nov 22, 2018 Nov 22, 2018

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Thank you for your prompt reply.

I did as you suggested but the folder is FULL access for both the local and domain (MSN.com)

The only thing that caught my eye was "folder not shared"....though I couldn't think of how that would be a problem for me...

Best

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2018 Nov 22, 2018

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the new Lightroom install on the new laptop. Except for old images, does it work? Can you import new photos, edit metadata in library module, post process in develop module, export to say TIFF or JPEG, etc?

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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Yes it works fine except I can't see all the folders that I've already imported (on the old laptop from both C: drive AND ext HDs)..

The only "bug" i'm having w/ LR and the new laptop (or it possibly could have existed before), is that the SMUG MUG plug in (even though I keep uninstalling and reinstalling and it says it's fine (green light)...

THANKS for any thoughts and help!

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2018 Nov 22, 2018

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Now, nit to conflict issues by working out more than one issue or a component of an issue at a time.

Assuming the answer to the just previous is yes, LR works for new photos.

the old images on the old computer, nit the backups or extra copies on external storage, but your old primary images.

how did you copy/move them to the new laptop

where did you place them (file structure), same folder as where new photos are stored? Seperate folder?

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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So my workflow is seemingly simple....

READ Canon Raw (CR2) files from an SD or CF card and ADD them to the C: (local internal HD)....

from there I edit (inc deletes) without changing names...I usually create another subfolder where I export my favs in JPEG to upload onto social media or share in email.

every couple of months (when my old C: was getting full again)....I would simply move the entire folder from C: to an external HD (1T)...

the move was with WINDOWS not LR (for a variety of reasons, recognizing that I would have to "find missing" folder when going back to LR and pointing it to the new location on the ext HD)...

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LEGEND ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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KocisMD  wrote

So my workflow is seemingly simple....

READ Canon Raw (CR2) files from an SD or CF card and ADD them to the C: (local internal HD)....

from there I edit (inc deletes) without changing names...I usually create another subfolder where I export my favs in JPEG to upload onto social media or share in email.

every couple of months (when my old C: was getting full again)....I would simply move the entire folder from C: to an external HD (1T)...

the move was with WINDOWS not LR (for a variety of reasons, recognizing that I would have to "find missing" folder when going back to LR and pointing it to the new location on the ext HD)...

You should make it even simpler, and save yourself some time. Import the photos directly to the external HD instead of the internal drive. Then, no running out of space on the internal drive, and no need for you to do a move of the photos at a later time.

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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Noted..

but there are other reasons to not have to teather an ext HD to a laptop, when I'm editing on the road/air etc....space is a premium.

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LEGEND ,
Nov 23, 2018 Nov 23, 2018

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I read that other's rec adding the files from the onset to the ext HD, but that slows me way down when adding the files but more importantly when I edit them...

Probably related to my older HP Spectre laptop (though it was pretty fast)

Photos on an external HD do not cause slowness in the Develop Module. Slowness in the develop module is caused by other hardware (but not the speed of the disk or speed of the connection to the disk) or software limitations.

SO, for the NEW problem.....

I purchased a NEW HP spectre laptop w/ increased video graphics abilities.

I moved all my folders/files/presets over from the old one...it's never perfect but ultimately I have the new HP running like the old one.

BUT now LR doesn't recognize all the files that were on the old C:....

they also don't recognize the files on the 1 T HD

finally, they don't recognize the files on the 3 T HD....

I've looked for ways to reassociate them, synch them, find them but to no avail....

Earlier you have said you know how to re-link the files after an operating system move. The same method applies here. In the Folder Panel, there should be a question mark on the folders; right-click and select Find Missing Folder and then point LR to the new location of the folder.

OLD problems:

I have multiple SD chips and EHDs (ie 3 noted above) that I use....

I've never understood how LR labels the HDs. I've learned that the 3Ts were S; and T:

I've seen multiple drive designations for the SD chips and other EHD (small 1 T).

There's been a recommendation to "relabel" the drive so that LR will recognize the "previous location" of the files....

for whatever reason I don't know how to do that (in windows)....

You might be discussing the drive LETTER assigned by Windows (not a "label"). If the photos were on drive E: previously and are now on drive F: (or any other combination of letters) you can again use the re-link method in LR to point LR to the photos on the new drive.

along the way during the years some files have been corrupted meaning I see the file, the picture is mostly there, but there is bizarre colors or lines or other defects that prevent me from using the file...

I've had to "manually" go back and search on the 3T HDs for the individual files.....slow and painful..

is there a way to synch an older folder w/ image files from the earliest 3 T (and presumable non corrupted files) ?
Does anyone have a 3rd party backup/compare software to allow me to compare the two 3 Ts and make a manual decision about which files to keep/synch/disregard/delete?

If the file is corrupted and you see the bizarre colors, then the only thing you can do is find the photo's backup (by file name) and then copy the backup to the folder where the original was (thereby overwriting the corrupted original with the hopefully not-corrupted backup). This is done in your operating system.

Regarding permissions, I don't think any of your symptoms are permissions problems.

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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FOR YOUR REPLY:

"Earlier you have said you know how to re-link the files after an operating system move. The same method applies here. In the Folder Panel, there should be a question mark on the folders; right-click and select Find Missing Folder and then point LR to the new location of the folder."

so when I look at the "C:" drive , there are NO folders (ie, all of the previous folders that were on the OLD C: aren't there, but new ones that I add do show up)...likewise the external HD drive designation is missing as well (previous T: and S: for my 3 T hds etc)...

I was expecting the folders to show, w/ the ? mark and then for me to "find missing" and send it to the ext HD to "relink"...

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LEGEND ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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KocisMD  wrote

FOR YOUR REPLY:

"Earlier you have said you know how to re-link the files after an operating system move. The same method applies here. In the Folder Panel, there should be a question mark on the folders; right-click and select Find Missing Folder and then point LR to the new location of the folder."

so when I look at the "C:" drive , there are NO folders (ie, all of the previous folders that were on the OLD C: aren't there, but new ones that I add do show up)...likewise the external HD drive designation is missing as well (previous T: and S: for my 3 T hds etc)...

I was expecting the folders to show, w/ the ? mark and then for me to "find missing" and send it to the ext HD to "relink"...

Obviously, you have set up Lightroom on your new computer improperly. Did you copy the catalog file from the old computer to the new computer? Did you open that catalog file in Lightroom on the new computer, or is this a new catalog that you started on the new computer?

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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Not sure how I might have set up the new lap incorrectly...

I installed the original LR and upgraded to the latest version.

I used laplink to migrate my programs/files/default set ups over..

It never is "like the old one" but after a month, I'm mostly back to where I was on the old computer...

Its definitely NOT a new catalog...

I can't remember if LAPLINK moved the folder (Lightroom, under my "DOCUMENTS" default location)

or if I pointed to the location when I opened up LR for the first time on the new computer....

My sense is that LR catalog views the original C drive "different' from the new C: drive; and likewise the driver letters used previously (S and T) are not "reused" on the new computer (since the 3T HD is now identified as "E")...

I was told I should go into my drive management system and "reassign' the HD letters to mimic what they were before on the old laptop as one work around.>>I just haven't figured out how to reassign them...

I think this is the confusion....

I had this problem on the old laptop when I put in different SD chips into the reader, as LR couldn't identify/organize different chips in the same reader....

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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Reply to:
"You might be discussing the drive LETTER assigned by Windows (not a "label"). If the photos were on drive E: previously and are now on drive F: (or any other combination of letters) you can again use the re-link method in LR to point LR to the photos on the new drive."

WHOOPS, yes DRIVE LETTER is what I meant...

similar to the problem w/ the C:

the external HD's are not showing up in LR (attached are two screen shots)

UPPER: going to where the files were originally added to C:/Kocis/Pictures....there are no LTR pic folders (even though there should be ~20 folders containing the numerous (thousands) of CR2 folder and all the edits to them made in LTR (I'm not sure where that is stored....i've been afraid to "backup" any of my changes in LTR (the final command when shutting down LTR for the session BOTTOM SCREEN SHOT), although i believe all of the edits are made and stored in real time....just don't know where...)

MIDDLE:

RECOVERY: is a new partition on my c:

(no problems here)

but the SEAGATE PRIMARY Backup (drive letter E) used to be drive letter T (in LTR)...fortunately, it's showing all my folders and most aren't missing...(if there are any it was my doing)...

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LEGEND ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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KocisMD  wrote

Reply to:
"You might be discussing the drive LETTER assigned by Windows (not a "label"). If the photos were on drive E: previously and are now on drive F: (or any other combination of letters) you can again use the re-link method in LR to point LR to the photos on the new drive."

WHOOPS, yes DRIVE LETTER is what I meant...

similar to the problem w/ the C:

the external HD's are not showing up in LR (attached are two screen shots)

UPPER: going to where the files were originally added to C:/Kocis/Pictures....there are no LTR pic folders (even though there should be ~20 folders containing the numerous (thousands) of CR2 folder and all the edits to them made in LTR (I'm not sure where that is stored....i've been afraid to "backup" any of my changes in LTR (the final command when shutting down LTR for the session BOTTOM SCREEN SHOT), although i believe all of the edits are made and stored in real time....just don't know where...)

MIDDLE:

RECOVERY: is a new partition on my c:

(no problems here)

but the SEAGATE PRIMARY Backup (drive letter E) used to be drive letter T (in LTR)...fortunately, it's showing all my folders and most aren't missing...(if there are any it was my doing)...

So, given all the discussion above, not once did you indicate the problem is in the Import dialog box. Can you confirm this is the problem? Or did you just post the wrong screen captures?

Why are the first screen capture and the second screen capture different? What makes them different? Please explain.

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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Sorry for the confusion,

1. The import dialogue box works fine for NEW images that I add/move to the C  drive....

2. The import dialogue box (and the folders within it (on the left side) do NOT work for the images that were loaded previously/edited/moved to an ext HD

What I mean by that is I have a folder on the external HD that was loaded initially onto the C:  and edited in LR. It was then moved off the C drive (I can see it just fine in windows file explorer), but LR does NOT identify that folder.

I'm afraid to import again all those pics, as I'll need to re edit them, as though they were new.

the first screen shot is for the C: (file structure)....

the second screen shot is for the external HD (now letter E:) (file structure)....

the first screen shot "should have" LOTS of folders in LR that are missing.....but they're not there....

the second screen shot is relettered E:

recall that I have 2 slightly different (but mostly similar) ext HDs....right now I"m having to go folder by folder (and there are 95k pics on it)

to try to figure out which was the S and which was the T HD....

I'm afraid that if i "synch", i will create a problem between the LR catalog that is linked to S vs T...

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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better examples....

1. the folders/files found on the  1 T external Hardrive ( my passport) PICTURE folder (now on drive letter E)

2. LR sees the drive letter E (in develop mode) and it's GREEN (online)

of note: these files were from the previously inserted 3T Ext HD (previous drive letters S or T) which is NOT online

they are greyed out as missing (which is true)...if I were to reinsert that HD I would assume it would find those folders/files

3. LR sees as DRIVE F as OFF LINE w/ a partial listing of the files listed on the 1T mypassport (which you can see above has ALOT more folders/files)...These files are "missing" even though the folder "ZION 817" is on the my passport....

so the confusion about drive letter's, ext HD that get swapped out, and how the LR catalog (and thus the files in develop mode) that are seen are widely different...

Of note, you pointed this out, file "truth" exists in the import dialog box....

thought I'm very concerned that synching or adding will cause a problem between the actual folders/files which exist on differing ext HDs and the LR catalog (w/ edits, deletes etc)..

THANKS

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LEGEND ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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You notice in the last screenshot the question marks??

Means LR is having an issue.

I was about to tell you what to do about that, but something in the back of my head thinks, I might get you in to more trouble. Might come back with correction.

Right click on the top one, (F), I forget the options when you have that question mark. Same issue with other drives.

Ahh, yes: https://laurashoe.com/2009/04/01/why-do-i-have-question-marks-on-my-folders-in-lightroom/

Incidentally, do not let old drive letters as seen on different computers make you think the two computers see those as the same drives. The computer does not actually see the drive as an alphabetically named device. The C, or E or F are just labels for us humans.

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New Here ,
Nov 28, 2018 Nov 28, 2018

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LATEST

I appreciate the link to the individual's web...I look fwd to SPRING CLEANING on LR...

Am I to believe that LR knows that ExtHD1 is different from ExtHD2 without regard to the drive letter?

It doesn't seem to act that way...

All the drive letters are acting screwy...

the RECOVERY Drive (D) as I understand it is a windows program file recovery area, although LR is showing picture files out there....

F: has been listed as "non image drive"...not sure what that means...

With regards to the drive and root....within windows, there is no separate separate E below the root....(BLAST FROM MY DOS PAST)

just the drive letter (E)

and then the folder list of which MY PICTURES is at the first level....

Interesting that LR shows it that way as I hadn't noticed that before...

I'm still of the belief that LR is confusing HDs that connect via USB or via the internal SD reader and thus the multiple ext HDs that I use can't be "hot swapped" and maintain linkage w/ the LRCat....

but I could be wrong about this...

THANKS

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Enthusiast ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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For the E: drive it looks like you have an extra level of folders that Lightroom was not expecting:

There is the hard drive named Drive E: then a root folder also named 'E:' then your other folders:

The External Drive E:

     Root folder level:  - also named E:

          2nd level folders  - My Pictures, GoPro etc.

You have 2 options: (Backup catalog before you start!)

1) Exit Lightroom, then in Windows move the folders at the 2nd level i.e "My Pictures" , "GoPro" etc so that they are at the root level beside E: (E: can be removed once empty)

Restart Lightroom and the folder/files should reconnect

I believe the 1st option is what you originally wanted but you can also use #2 if you did intend to have a E: root folder?

2) Right click on each of the folders at the 2nd level i.e "My Pictures" , "GoPro" etc and then use the 'update folder location' option to change the parent folder to the 'E:' folder in 'E' drive.

Not quite sure what is going on with Drive F: but something along the same lines might be going on?

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LEGEND ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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And if your problem is during import, Have you tried not telling it to ignore duplicates?

Side, note, that documents folder, whats with all the temp files?

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2018 Nov 27, 2018

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No idea about the temp files....I don't understand the LTR catalog files structure so I don't touch it...although I do need

to occasions delete OLD backups to free up space on the (old) C: ; using windows file explorer...

They continue on to the current date w/ temp files (11/27)..

the LR PREVIEWS folder are up to the current date (11/27)

the LR Backups are only up to 10/11/18

Thanks for all your thoughts and help

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