5 Replies Latest reply: Oct 20, 2009 9:41 PM by Ben_McPhee RSS

    Moving files between hard drives

    Ben_McPhee Community Member

      I've been slowly filling up my computers hard drive with raw files and tiffs, but have finally purchased an external hard drive.

       

      My plan (for now) is to backup all my imports to that drive, but to keep working files on my computer until they are ready to be archived (I will only rarely access tose files once they're on the drive.)

       

      But my questions is, once I am ready to move imported files to the backup drive, how do I do so without lightroom losing track of them? I am supposed to do it from within lightroom, right? But how? Or should I just move them the old fashioned way and point lightroom to them later?

       

      Any help would be greatly appreciated.

       

      Cheers,

                  Ben

        • 1. Re: Moving files between hard drives
          dj_paige Community Member

          But my questions is, once I am ready to move imported files to the backup drive, how do I do so without lightroom losing track of them? I am supposed to do it from within lightroom, right? But how? Or should I just move them the old fashioned way and point lightroom to them later


          Either method works well. Not a problem.

           

          To move the files in Lightroom, open the Folders Panel over there on the left in the Library Module, then drag and drop.

           

          If you move the "old fashioned way" (I presume you mean using the OS), then your folders will appear with a question mark after the move. Right-click on the top level folder that has a question mark and select Find Missing Folder

          • 2. Re: Moving files between hard drives
            Ben_McPhee Community Member

            Thanks DJ, but it's the dragging and dropping that's giving me trouble. From within lightroom, I can't see the directory I want to drag to. Do I have to "import" a hard drive? If so, how?

             

            Also, I can't really see the folder structure on my existing hard drive, so I am not even sure how to move files to different folders UNLESS the folder I am moving to has also been imported. So if for example, I was working on files in the parent folder "New images" (Files I had just imported), how would I move those files to a specific "client" folder (that had not been imported) on my hard drive (Or an alternate hard drive)?

             

            And finally, one more sort of related question:

             

            Say I have 2 external hard drives, each with catalogued images on them.If I plug one of them in, can lightroom tell which one it is, and which images are now available? Or do I have to tell it somehow?

            • 3. Re: Moving files between hard drives
              J McWilliams Community Member

              Use "Add parent folder" (Control click on folder name in Library under Folders) to SHOW the parent folder already there. You should be able to go up the tree to get to the connected external, and from there create a top level folder for that drive.

               

              Yes, LR will know which external drive is connected as long as no name changes, paths, have been changed since it last hooked up the images.

              • 4. Re: Moving files between hard drives
                b_gossweiler Community Member

                Also, to add a folder of a drive which is not alread known to LR and does not have imported images on it yet, you can

                • click the little arrow right next to the + on the Folders line
                • chose Add Folder ...
                • navigate to the folder you want to add

                capture_20102009_191527.jpg

                 

                This will give you the ability to move the images afterwords from within LR to this folder.

                 

                Beat Gossweiler

                Switzerland

                • 5. iRe: Moving files between hard drives
                  Ben_McPhee Community Member

                  Thanks guys, I think you solved my problem. Files transferring as we speak. Really appreciate it.

                   

                  Cheers,

                             Ben