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mattheww3271946
mattheww3271946
Known Participant
May 16, 2026
Question

Best process steps for reformatting SSD drive that my entire LR and photos is currently on?

  • May 16, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 13 views

My current 2TB Samsung SSD drive which has approximately 1.5 TB of Lightroom files and catalogue etc (in other words everything) is currently formatted EXFAT. I want to move all of my LR onto another external drive - then reformat my current SSD drive and then bring all of the Lightroom files back onto the original (now reformatted) SSD drive.

Two questions:

  1. What are the safest process steps for copying 1.5TB of LR files from the original SSD over to another external hard drive (whilst the original SSD drive is reformatted) and then back onto the original (now reformatted) SSD without risking any data corruption or problems?
  2. Is APFS or macOS Extended (Journaled) the best format for stable, long-term data storage for regular LR usage on an SSD?

I not planning on using/sharing the drive with a PC in the future.

I have 2 backups of my LR - one on a second SSD and one on an HDD. I am planning on also reformatting my backup SSD once I have worked out the above steps.

Or is it easiest and safest to just keep using LR on an EXFAT formatted SSD?

Many thanks in advance for any guidance and suggestions.

    1 reply

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    May 16, 2026

    Make backups of your catalog file and all photos before you do the move (which you should be doing regularly anyway). 

     

    Use your OS to move the files onto a different external drive. Keep the folder hierarchy the same, do not move things around inside the folder hierarchy. Do not rename anything. Then format the disk. Then using your OS, move everything back to the exact same location as before, keeping the folder hierarchy the same, do not move things around inside the folder hierarchy. Do not rename anything.

     

    Regarding question 2, I don’t know as I am not a Mac user.

     

    PS: I assume your are using Lightroom Classic (LrC) and not Lightroom (Lr) as you said. Please refer to your software as Lightroom Classic or LrC, and not Lightroom or Lr from now on. Clarity is beneficial to everyone.

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    May 16, 2026

    Clarification: when I say “move the files...” that means the catalog file plus the associated LRCAT-DATA file, and all photos. The LRCAT-DATA file also should be in the backup that you make before you start this process.

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