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Participant
March 4, 2018
Answered

LR5 moving all files and catalog from my win 10 laptop to an external hard drive

  • March 4, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 335 views

I have a win 10 based lap top with two drives.  I am maxed out on the smaller drive so I want to put all of LR including pix files onto a large external hard drive.  Will hook up the external HD when I want to deal with LR and that way If I get a new computer I do not need to worry about migrating anything to it.  How do I do this?

Thanks

Jim

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer dj_paige

In your operating system, move the catalog file to a new (and empty) folder on the external HD. Double-click on it to open it.

To move the photos and re-connect them in Lightroom, please read "Part 2 — Updating Folder Location" of this document: Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

2 replies

Just Shoot Me
Legend
March 4, 2018

I suggest you leave the catalog file on the internal drive of the notebook and only move the image files over to the external drive.

You can always copy over just the catalog file to either the external or to the new computer you might get at the time you actually get that new computer.

dj_paige
dj_paigeCorrect answer
Legend
March 4, 2018

In your operating system, move the catalog file to a new (and empty) folder on the external HD. Double-click on it to open it.

To move the photos and re-connect them in Lightroom, please read "Part 2 — Updating Folder Location" of this document: Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

shirlock1Author
Participant
March 5, 2018

One question on the process. I have moved the catalog and am moving the

images. How about the basic program, should I reinstall on the external

drive and then open the program from there? I did exit my llightrom that

was opened from the disk on the computer and then went to the LR catalog

and clicked it and light room opened up again so I am wondering if I am ok

with just the catalog on the external Hard Disk? I do not mind leaving the

program on the internal laptop HD but wondering if that is ok or should it

all be on the external HD. I am trying to follow your method and therefore

have left original catalog and images on the internal HD until I can verify

the intergity of the images that were transfered.

Thanks

Jim

dj_paige
Legend
March 5, 2018

Leave the program where it is.