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Changing location where LR Catalog is saved?

Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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My catalog is currently saving to my iMac hard drive.  I want to change the location to be saved to an external HD.  I can't find an answer on how to do this.  Catalog Settings doesn't provide an option.  Can anyone help> 

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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Just copy the catalog to the external hard drive and then double-click on it in its new location.  You might want to copy the previews as well.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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Catalog.jpg

Which items to I copy?  I see the LR catalog and then the backups? 

Thanks for your reply.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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I suggest that you copy the entire Lightroom folder. But you will need to do it with Lightroom closed and that lock file will not be there.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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Ah, just realized that when I went to exit LR it gave the pop up of where I can choose to save the backups!  So it will do it from know on.  So I can copy the folder too.  But I think I am set.  So there is the .icrat file from today.  Are the back-ups the previous versions of the .Icrat files?  And therefore, I don't necessarily need to keep all of those?

Appreciate your help.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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I generally keep several of the backup files. Occasionally I will go in and get rid of all but about the last 10 backups. I don't know, I probably don't need to keep that many, really. Your backups should be stored on a different hard drive. I would recommend another external hard drive. That way you have extra protection in the event of a crash. You probably already know this, but you should also maintain a backup of all your images.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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The backups are created by LR on whatever schedule you have Lightroom set to (the default is weekly).

The backups of your LrCat file are in ZIP files.

You don't need to keep all of them. I usually keep the last five or so.

Ideally you should be sending the backups to a different hard drive than where your main catalog is so that one drive failure does not take everything with it.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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Why do you want to move the actual catalog file to an external drive?

Not sure you know this but the catalog file is just a Database file. It does not have your images inside of it. The catalog file is small compared to the space taken up by the actual image files.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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From what I have been reading it is also good to save the catalog on an external drive so you don't lose that information if the computer crashes.  So now I will have the images and the catalog backed up. 

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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It's good to save the catalog backups on an external hard drive,  or at least a different hard drive from your operating system. I hope you are aware that the Lightroom backup does NOT backup your photos even if the photos and the catalog are on the same drive. The backup of your images is something you need to do separate from anything Lightroom does.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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What is your work flow to back-up the images?  Thanks Jim.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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I use software that automatically backs up my images and other documents on a weekly basis. I have it set to do this overnight. The backup software is also programmed to back up my operating system on a monthly basis and my entire C Drive On a monthly basis as well. These backups  are all stored on a separate external hard drive. The software I use is free software from a company called EasUs. I just leave my computer on overnight one night each week, and the backups are performed automatically. If you do a web search for "EasUs  total backup" you should be able to find the software.. There are others as well. This one just seems simple to use, and has done a good job for me.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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So you have several external HD connected to your computer at the same time and they are turned on 24/7?  Do you just remember to turn on the night the backups are occurring?  Do you use a USB Hub?  I appreciate you helping me figure things out.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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First of all, I'm not using a laptop. I have a desktop computer. I have upgraded the C system drive to a SSD. I have two other internal hard drives  that I use to store images and other documents. Then I have two external hard drives that are permanently connected. I have a couple of other external hard drives that I use occasionally, but not very often. As far as the computer is concerned for backup, I just have to remember to leave it  on overnight one night each week and the backups are all performed automatically according to how I have configured the software.

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Explorer ,
Dec 03, 2016 Dec 03, 2016

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Thanks Jim.  I currently have an iMac.  It is still okay- but getting on in years.  Was thinking of getting a laptop and using it as my desktop and have portability.   But kind of pricey in the Mac world.  So my options at least for internal hard drives are a bit different. 

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