Proper method to add a drive

Question

I have an external drive that I have copied 309 folders of images onto. I want Lightroom to recognize this drive and show the images.I am unsure of the process from this point.

Here's the process as I am attempting.

Click on the + in folders and and select Add Folder

Navigate to the external drive, in my case M:

I have a folder within M called Overflow from BBB and this contains 309 folders of images.

I select the Overflow from BBB and choose Select Folder.

Lightroom says "The destination folder "" is not available . Using "Pictures" folder instead". When I select OK, I am taken to an import screen.

The 309 folders of images shows as the Source. The target shows no drives.

I have seen repeated warnings here "DO NOT IMPORT".

I have tried this same import previously and instead of importing by folder name and keeping that structure, it imported in date folders. I want the same folder hierarchy as they are on M currently.

What should I do next or what should I do differently?

Screen shot:

richardplondon · Answer

If these are images that are new to your Catalog - that you do not currently have imported - use standard Import, ensuring that the type of import selected at the top of the screen, is "Add". This retains the current folder arrangement and does not change the storage location of anything - as opposed to the Move and Copy forms of import, which are designed to achieve a new location for the images imported..

If these are images that you already have in your Catalog, but no longer want to store on your main drive - that you are in effect only changing the location of - go to the parent folder of these images that you currently see in the Folders panel, right-click and choose "Update Folder Location" and then browse to the equivalent parent folder on the other drive. If Update Folder Location does not show, because those image folders are no longer in their former place, "Find Missing Folder" will be shown instead: use that to browse to the appropriate parent folder on the other drive. This procedure is NOT an import, it does not lose any edits, it just updates the storage location info for each of the images concerned.

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