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Toni M. Horrace
Toni M. Horrace
Participant
August 31, 2022
Question

New computer won't see LR cat on hard drive. (Mac computer)

  • August 31, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 386 views

Hard drive IS the catalog folder. Got new computer, but it does not view the hard drive as a catalog. What can I do????

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3 replies

DdeGannes
Community Expert
DdeGannesCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 31, 2022

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-classic-file-locations/ 

Is the "Hard drive IS" an external drive and is it connected to your new computer?

Are the folders that contain your original image files that were imported to Lightroom?

If the answer to the question above is yes check the link below for info on how to locate your Lightroom Catalog file. Note the Catalog file does not contain actual image files it is a database file that contains data. The Catalog file has the extension .lrcat (dot LRCAT).

 

 

 

Regards, Denis: iMac 27” mid-2015, macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur; 2TB SSD, 24 GB Ram, GPU 2 GB; LrC 12.5,; Lr 6.5, PS 24.7,; ACR 15.5,; (also Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.0.1, PS 27.0; ) Camera Oly OM-D E-M1.
Toni M. Horrace
Toni M. HorraceAuthor
Participant
August 31, 2022

THANK YOU!!!!!! GOT IT!!!!!  I feel like deleting this post because I am so stupid when it comes to this, but I searched more in the hard drive and found the .cat....THANK YOU THANK YOU a billion times, to everyone, THANK YOU. 

    Chris 486
    Community Expert
    Chris 486Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 31, 2022

    So glad to hear you found it! Never feel stupid for asking questions. These are complex programs that take years to master. This thread will help someone else in the future who is having the same issue.

      Chris 486
      Community Expert
      Chris 486Community Expert
      Community Expert
      August 31, 2022

      Hi Toni,

       

      Can your computer not see the drive? or just lightroom? 

       

      As @dj_paige sstates below, the more detail you can provide, the faster we can help you.

      Toni M. Horrace
      Toni M. HorraceAuthor
      Participant
      August 31, 2022

      It sees the drive but does not recognize it as a catalog (like the old computer did). I realize this is MY error by not first creating a folder on that hard drive....but I am hoping there is a work around. 

      dj_paige
      dj_paige
      Legend
      August 31, 2022

      I don't really understand this statement.

      Hard drive IS the catalog folder. 

       

      I also don't really understand this statement:

      ...but it does not view the hard drive as a catalog

       

      Please explain in more detail. A lot more detail. Show us screen captures (use the "Insert Photos" icon; do not attach files). Include information such as:

       

        Toni M. Horrace
        Toni M. HorraceAuthor
        Participant
        August 31, 2022

        I am the mistake. I am the error. I am sure I am doing something incorrectly.  Seven years ago when I started using LRC, I made the catalog on a 5TB hard drive but mistakenly did not create a folder first, so the entire hard drive IS my catalog. It worked fine as long as I used the computer with the LRC on it.  Now that computer has been replaced with a new model Mac.  I have the latest version of LRC on new computer.  Naively I thought connecting the hard drive would allow me to "add" the catalog and not lose all the file collections etc.  I have around 40K photos on the drive, I do not want them dumped into one clump ( I could do that by importing all the photos, I do not want that ).  I want the new computer to see the hard drive as a catalog as it does on my old computer.  This is not life or death, I can keep using the old computer for those photos but it would be nice to access them on the new one.  

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