Lightroom Classic issue

Forum|Forum|14 hours ago
June 16, 2026
1 reply
16 views

I lost all off my catalogues due to an external disk failure . This means Lightroom will not open I have tried to create a new catalogue but Light room still refuses to open. I've reinstalled Lightroom as per adobes instructions but Lightroom still refuses to open. My next step is to completely remove all Lightroom data on the PC and do a completely clean install of Lightroom starting all over again. Any advice on this approach?

windows

dj_paige

Legend

If you “lost all off(sic) my catalogs”, complete re-install of LrC will not help. When you try to open one of these catalogs, is there is an error message? If so, please quote the complete unedited error message, word-for-word.

Do you have backups of your catalog file on a different disk (a disk that has not failed)?

Pete26637748bxwyAuthor

Participant

There are no catalogs and no backups and no error messages - Have a different catalog on a laptop separate LRC install .

dj_paige

Legend

Reinstalling LrC will not bring back these catalogs that are damaged or destroyed by the external hard disk failure.

The different catalog on a laptop — does this one open on the laptop?

If so, you should be able to copy it to your main computer (but not to the external drive that crashed) and it should open there. No need to re-install LrC.

Word to the wise: make regular and automated backups of your catalog files, associated lrcat-data files, and of all of your photos. I consider this MANDATORY, not optional.

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