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Participant
January 21, 2021
Question

All images missing after mac update

  • January 21, 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 387 views

Hi All, I updated my mac to Big Sur 11.1, and now ALL my images have the "!" on them. We used to be able to locate one and it would find all. Now, it only locates the one. I have thousands of images, pls help!!!

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5 replies

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 23, 2021

Check that Lightroom Classic has the necessary permissions.

-- Johan W. Elzenga
Participant
January 28, 2021

Thanks for the tip. I checked and LR has all the necessary permissions so I'm still at a loss. 

ManiacJoe
Inspiring
January 23, 2021

Mac OS upgrades seem to love to mess with user permissions on disks.

Check the Folders panel in Library. If the folders are marked with "?" LR cannot see them any more. Using Finder, check the drive permissions and folder permissions.

 

LR understands the difference between missing files and files in missing folders. You need to fix the folders first. (If that is the problem.)

JP Hess
Inspiring
January 22, 2021

Unfortunately for you, I'm a Windows user and know absolutely nothing about the Mac. I know, the Mac is simple, but that doesn't help me. The easiest way to resolve the issue is to ensure that those two external drives are being recognized by Lightroom with the exact same names as they have always been recognized by. If those names have been changed somehow then rename them. That would immediately solve the problem as far as I know. As an alternative, you can click on each folder or on a master folder that has subfolders in the library module and choose the option to update the folder location and point Lightroom to where the images are now located. It seems to me from what you have indicated that your system has lost the identity of those two external hard drives, and it's up to you to get that straightened out.

JP Hess
Inspiring
January 21, 2021

Lightroom is the name of the program that stores your images in the cloud unless you are using a very old version. Lightroom Classic is the version that utilizes a local catalog and stores images in folders on your local hard drive. Please clarify the exact version of Lightroom you are using. Are your images being stored on an external hard drive?

Participant
January 22, 2021

Thanks for the reply. I use LR Classic 10.1.1 and it has no updates pending. I keep all my images on 2 external drives. All the edits, histories, and ratings are there but all my images have an "!" in the upper right corner. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

Participant
January 21, 2021

Forgot to mention that this is happening in Lightroom!