Restored LR catalog doesn't find all photos

[DawnSwitzer]

My external hard drive where my photos and LR catalog files were located died. I have 2 back-ups. I restored from my Seagate back-up drive to a new external hard drive. The folders, photos, and catalog all show there & have data. But when I open LR, there is one folder (with my most recent work) that shows zero sub-folders or photos. When I look on the External drive, they are all there. So far, all the other folders are working properly. It seems I have three options:

• Try to restore the LR catalog folder again from the Seagate backup copy
• Try to restore the LR catalog from within LR, from the LR backup
• Import all the folders and photos that are missing - but I think I would lose any edits I had done on them.

Any help and advice would be appreciated!

d

[JP Hess]

Is there any chance that that backup was created before you imported  that most recent folder? If that is the case then you will have to import that folder and start the editing  again.

[DawnSwitzer]

No, the main folder and most of the sub-folders were there before the backup was created. There might be only 2 sub-folders that weren't backed up on the Seagate. But this is a good thought. I have a Carbonite backup that might be one week newer than the Seagate. Perhaps I should restore that one.

[JP Hess]

In your original comment you suggested restoring a Lightroom backup from within Lightroom. You can't do that. You have to restore the Lightroom backup and then double-click on it to allow  Lightroom to open the backup catalog. How are you planning to restore a Lightroom backup catalog from within Lightroom? Incidentally, what version of Lightroom are you using? What operating system?

[DawnSwitzer]

Thank you for your help!!!! Sorry, my terminology wasn't the best. I meant to restore the backup that LR creates when I exit. Rather than the actual catalog which was backed up along with my files. I hope that makes more sense. I'm using LR CC2015.9 on Windows 7. I've never had to use a backup before.

[JP Hess]

That is probably the backup that will have all of your folders in it.

[DawnSwitzer]

Thank you very much.One thing I've learned is to NOT keep my LR backups on the same drive as my actual catalog!

My last dated LR backup is dated 03-17-17 (which was also on the drive that died). My actual catalog folder in Carbonite backup is dated 03-24-17, but I'm not certain when the drive died - although I was able to work on photos up until 03-24-17. Which do you think I should try?

[Brad_Polt-Jones · Accepted solution]

I would try using the backup from Carbonite. That most likely will have the most recent data. If the most recent folders are still missing from the Carbonite backup, then you will need to reimport them. Re-importing of course will lose any edits that potentially would've been stored in the .lrcat file.

As you determined, it is imperative to have a backup of your catalog stored on a separate drive or a cloud-based service like Carbonite.

[DawnSwitzer]

Thank you all again!! I am restoring from Carbonite to a different location. Then will try to use that catalog when opening LR. I'm hopeful that this will work. AND I will be changing where LR backs up to after everything is back to normal!

Again, thank you and Jim for your assistance.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. And how much I've learned through the last week.

d