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Steve25192627yt3y
Participant
August 6, 2022
Answered

Recovering images from a LR back up without overwriting the current catalog

  • August 6, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 417 views

I had to have some repairs done to my PC and they wiped the hard drive (but kept all my files)

 

When I used LR for the first time all my catalog had disappeared. I (mistakenly) started importing new photos to LR following recent photoshoots.

 

I have a copy of all my photo files on a hard drive and I have now found my LR catalog backups. I would like to recover the photos I lost from my LR catalog after the PC repair.

 

If I restore a back up from prior to the PC repairs will that overwrite the recent photos I have imported to LR? Is there a way of uploading selected photos from the back up and adding to the current catalog? Or is there a way to merge an old backup with the current catalog? 

 

I have not beem able find an answer anywhere and am concerned that by simply recovering a backup I will lose the recent work I have done.

 

Thanks 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer JohanElzenga

Restoring your catalog from a backup will not overwrite photos. A catalog is just a database, like an address book. The photos are not physically in the catalog itself, but stored elsewhere. Restoring does mean you'll have to import the latest images again. Just like you would have to add the latest friends if you went back to using an older address book.

 

What you can do however is use 'Import from another catalog' and then import that new catalog into the 'Restored from backup catalog'. That means you have to move the new catalog aside to another folder, rather than overwrite it when you restore from that backup.

 

1 reply

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 6, 2022

Restoring your catalog from a backup will not overwrite photos. A catalog is just a database, like an address book. The photos are not physically in the catalog itself, but stored elsewhere. Restoring does mean you'll have to import the latest images again. Just like you would have to add the latest friends if you went back to using an older address book.

 

What you can do however is use 'Import from another catalog' and then import that new catalog into the 'Restored from backup catalog'. That means you have to move the new catalog aside to another folder, rather than overwrite it when you restore from that backup.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
    S
    Steve25192627yt3yAuthor
    Participant
    August 6, 2022

    Thanks.

     

    I understand the first part about the original photos and the LR settings (held in the catalog being separate).

     

    Being a novice what are steps to complete part 2?

     

    Thanks for your help

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    August 6, 2022

    In Lightroom Classic, use the menu command File->Import From Another Catalog. Instructions are here: scroll down to "How do I merge two catalogs or import folders from another catalog?".

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