2 Replies Latest reply: Oct 14, 2009 8:41 AM by J McWilliams RSS

    Moving files to a different hard drive.

    Ben_McPhee Community Member

      I have finally gotten around to purchasing an external hard drive to backup my files, and am about to start tranferring my photographs across using lightroom. But before I do so, I was hoping someone could answer a few questions.

       

      1. I have to perform the transfer using lightroom, correct? Is there any trick to this? Will my folder structure be maintained?

       

      2. I am going to attempt to network the drive so it can be accessed remotely. If I unplug this drive from my network for any reason (Say, to use it wired, or put files on an unnetworked drive), will my computer have any way of recognising:

      a) That the drive is missing, but still has a place saved in the network?
      b) If say, using it wired - that the drive I just plugged in is in fact the "X" drive from my network?

       

      3. Can lightroom determine if a drive contains files have been catalogued, just by plugging it in, and/or networking it? (I only ask because I may take this drive out of the network occasionally (as this drive will mostly be for backup - not working files). I don't want to run into an issue where I need something from the drive, only to find that lightroom doesn't recognise the drive as the place I moved everything to

       

      Thanks in advance. I really appreciate all the help.

       

      Cheers,

                 Ben

        • 1. Re: Moving files to a different hard drive.
          MikeLeone Community Member

          On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 12:46 AM, Ben_McPhee <forums@adobe.com> said:

          >

          I have finally gotten around to purchasing an external hard drive to backup my files, and am about to start tranferring my photographs across using lightroom. But before I do so, I was hoping someone could answer a few questions.

          >

          1. I have to perform the transfer using lightroom, correct? Is there any trick to this? Will my folder structure be maintained?

           

          You don't mean "backup" in the sense of "a 2nd copy of my files, in

          case something happens to the first set", right?

           

          A "backup" is usually just that - a 2nd copy of your catalog and/or

          images, on an external drive (or wherever), while still using the

          primary copy that you use today. For that, you should just use your OS

          tools to make the second copy. In my case, I have scheduled tasks that

          make a backup of my catalog and all images to 2 different external

          drives. Using the LR program doesn't even enter into the equation.

           

          If you mean "archive your files", where you move the images off your

          current drive, and onto the external drive, to free up space - then

          yes, you could use LR to create new folders with those images onto the

          external drive.

          • 2. Re: Moving files to a different hard drive.
            J McWilliams Community Member

            2. I am going to attempt to network the drive so it can be accessed remotely. If I unplug this drive from my network for any reason (Say, to use it wired, or put files on an unnetworked drive), will my computer have any way of recognising:

            a) That the drive is missing, but still has a place saved in the network?

             

            Lightroom will show question marks next to the folders that are offline.


            b) If say, using it wired - that the drive I just plugged in is in fact the "X" drive from my network?

             

            If Lightroom is running, on my setup, it will recognize that the files are now accessible, and will hook up with them.

             

            You may wish to experiment a bit with a small test catalog to see for yourself how this comes together.