Skip to main content
J
Jorn-T17175478
Participant
February 13, 2024
Answered

Importing large amounts of photos to Lightroom (500k+) is failing

  • February 13, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 1025 views

Hi! 

It seems like Lightroom hangs when importing large amounts of photos. I've been having this problem several times over the past years, and right now I'm starting from scratch with a fresh install of Windows 11 and Lightroom Classic.

 

Trying to import a folder with 580k photos to a new, empty Lightroom Catalog.

Catalog files are sent to a 2TB, 7300 MB/sec m.2 SSD.

 

Photos usually resides on a 4x16 TB RAID-5 array, but right now I'm trying to import from a 3x14 TB RAID-0 array, read speeds about 600 MB/sec.

Computer specs: Intel i9 14900K CPU, ASUS ProArt Z790 motherboard, 64 GB 6000 MHz RAM.

 

It seems like the RAM is filling up after a while, and importing slows down.
Now, the import process has taken 48 hours and all photos seems to be finished imported to the catalog. BUT - "Fetching initial previews" still has a long way to go, probably a week or so, when looking at the progress bar. It should not be so time consuming! 

Lightroom now hangs when I try to press the "x" on the Fetching initial previews bar to stop preview generation. The whole system is slowed down and computer is practically unusable.

 

 

 

Seems like RAM usage has been up to 179 GB including page file? CPU/disk usage has went lower and lower, while memory usage has went upwards.

 

Is there a workaround for this? A setting I should change?

 

Kind regards,

- Jørn T

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Ian Lyons

    The workaround is to break your import down into smaller batches. For example, 100,000.

    1 reply

    Ian Lyons
    Community Expert
    Ian LyonsCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    February 13, 2024

    The workaround is to break your import down into smaller batches. For example, 100,000.

    J
    Jorn-T17175478Author
    Participant
    February 13, 2024

    How do I break up the import without messing up the folder structure? By choosing subfolders and sometimes folders inside subfolders to import, the folder structure will be changed?

     

    Is it possible to skip initial preview rendering?

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    February 13, 2024

    I don't see a connection between the number of photos imported, and the folder structure.


    As far as I know, you cannot turn off preview creation. You can select "Minimal Previews" which ought to be created quickly. https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/optimize-performance-lightroom.html However, this is a tradeoff, if you use minimal or even standard previews, Lightroom Classic spends less time at import, but other operations in the Library Module will slow down as Lightroom Classic has to then spend time to generate larger previews.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices