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Ann424
Ann424
Known Participant
June 30, 2023
Question

Lost Library, How to Get It Back When LR Launches...no recent backup

  • June 30, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 406 views

Hello All,

I've not had luck perusing the existing threads to find my specific issue, so hoping someone can help.  I experienced a recent power outage (which unfortunately is not new) but this time when I relaunched LR it asked to upgrade my catalog.  I did so, and found that about 2 years worth of images were gone once it was done.  I can see all the missing folders on my MAC HD so I know they are there somewhere but they don't come up in LR when I upgrade the catalog.  Caveat - I do not have a recent backup, LR consistently hangs up when I've tried that before so I've skipped it for awhile.  So I know upfront that I may have a bit of a slog to rebuild everything and it's probably my fault.  I'm thankful my images are all still there somewhere, I just don't know how to access them.  That is what I need help with.  If it makes a difference, some are RAW some are JPEG and various years are across two hard drives.  I've tried reverting to a previous version but don't think I did it right because LR still wants to update to v.12 as soon as I launch it.  Can someone please give me in a 'non-IT technical language' (ie, step by step) how to either revert my current version to one that might pick up at least most of my images so I can 're-point' before upgrading the catalog?  Or how to start over with years of photos that I can't see anymore in LR to get them back?  Previously when I've had power outages LR has given the message that the catalog couldn't be found.  I've figured out that all I had to do was quit the application and restart, then point to the catalog and it would all come up.  For some reason it didn't work this last time, the only option I got was to upgrade the catalog and that apparently is the problem, as there was no option to just reload the existing one.  My current version is 12.4, the catalog is V.11.  One weird thing is that I have had V.12 'dot something' for a while using the same catalog and it's never asked me to upgrade before until the power outage.  I'm not sure if I have auto-update enabled, with this problem how do I figure that out and turn it off?  Wow.  I'm so sorry for my lack of knowledge, you know when everything just works and it works then some things just get put on the back burner I guess then eventually it all blows up.  Apologies in advance, I'm pretty sure this will not be fun to rebuild everything and I do really appreciate all responses... thanks so much in advance.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
July 1, 2023

I experienced a recent power outage (which unfortunately is not new) but this time when I relaunched LR it asked to upgrade my catalog. I did so, and found that about 2 years worth of images were gone once it was done. I can see all the missing folders on my MAC HD so I know they are there somewhere but they don't come up in LR when I upgrade the catalog.

 

A couple of pieces of advice:

 

  • Commit right now to making regular and automated backups of your catalog file(s) and of your photos. No excuses.
  • Next, use your operating system's search feature to search all hard disks for files whose name end with .LRCAT and open each one in LrC until you find the one you want.
Ann424
Ann424Author
Known Participant
July 2, 2023

Hi, dj_paige, thank you so much for your response.  Lesson learned regarding regular backups.  I was living on borrowed time I guess, this has never happened before.  After hours of trying to back up I have cancelled the backups before because the system seems to hang so I've force-quit it, and been able to keep on working.  I can find the LR catalog I want but I think the version difference between my catalog and current LR could be the problem.  It keeps wanting to upgrade instead of just load and there is no other option,  If worse comes to worse, how do you re-import from the HD to create a new catalog?

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
July 2, 2023

The upgrading is not a problem. Do the upgrade. If it is the right catalog, your work will be in there.

Rob_Cullen
Community Expert
Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 30, 2023

Difficult to be sure, but-

If you main catalog was trashed by the power outage, and you do not have backups, then you will be SOOL.

If the v11 Catalog will open, and upgrade with LrC v 12.4, that might be your best hope.

If any Catalog you can find (search for .LRCAT files) opens with previews of your photos, then you might be good to go again.

Otherwise you're back to "square one"- Re-import all your photos to a new empty catalog and start over.

 

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.3, Photoshop 27.5, ACR 18.3, Lightroom 9.3, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.3 .
Ann424
Ann424Author
Known Participant
July 2, 2023

Hi Rob, thank you for your response.  I think I might be SOOL....I was afraid of that .  :(.  I've tried a few catalogs but every time I open LR it makes me upgrade first.  Which is where the problem starts.  Can you tell me how to re-import everything?  Or how to revert to a previous LR version the right way to if that works better?  I tried using the CC app to revert to my v.11 but it still thought I had v.12 and makes me upgrade in order to do anything.  Ugh.  Do I have to delete LR first and then pick a version to re-install?

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
July 2, 2023

The upgrade is not the problem. The problem is that you can't find the right catalog file. Please follow the instructions I gave in the next post.

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