Skip to main content
T
TC214
Inspiring
April 25, 2026
Question

External backup file list does list list folders or file count

  • April 25, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 13 views

https://tonycooper.smugmug.com/ZZZZ/n-rkTsJ/i-WmSJFWf/A

The above is a (partial) screenshot of my Lightroom Classic Library screen

Images are saved to E: = desktop drive) initially.  I backup all images on a Seagate external drive (D:) and the column on the left is supposed to display the folder list w/image count.  D: and E: are synched. At one time it, it did, but it doesn’t now and I don’t know what changed it.

Viewing the Seagate drive directly, all the folders shown on the right (E: = desktop drive) exist and contain the number of images shown.  

How do I restore the list on the left?

Thank you for your response.

 

    2 replies

    Rob_Cullen
    Community Expert
    Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 26, 2026

    “ a keyword leads to a folder that contains all of the photos taken in that year, and only photos from that year.  “   correct. 

    So where does a keyword lead you?

    Do you see photos in the grid when you filter for a keyword?

    Where are the photos stored that you see when you filter by a keyword?

    And which drive do you use to index and reference your photos in LrC?

    Which drive is the one you use to backup your photos (that are not referenced in the catalog)?

     

    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 .
    Rob_Cullen
    Community Expert
    Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 25, 2026

    Your screen-clip does not really help your question.  The “ folders shown on the right” are not folders- they are Keywords.

    Try viewing photos by selecting the arrow to the right of a keyword number-

    Then research the photos that appear in the grid view- locate their correct indexed drive location (Right-Click a photo- [Got to folder] or [show in File explorer] ). Do they appear on the E:drive? And does the E:drive show if you scroll down the folder panel?

    You should not have the same photos indexed in the catalog from both drives. 

    Your screen-clip suggests there are both missing folders and folders without images, on the D:drive.

     

    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 .
    T
    TC214Author
    Inspiring
    April 26, 2026

    Thank you for your reply.

    I understand that’s a keyword list, but all of my photos are saved in folders by year, and a keyword is added to each photo for that year.  Therefore, a keyword leads to a folder that contains all of the photos taken in that year, and only photos from that year.  

     

    Prior to my first post here, I verified that the number of photos matches the number shown for each keyword, and (by scrolling down that panel) that every photo is in the right folder.

     

    The right panel is correct and without problem.

     

    The problem is the left panel showing D: (Seagate external backup).  I have verified that each year’s folder exists on D:, and that each folder contains the same number of images as the folders in E: (desktop drive where the images are originally saved). 

    Those folders should be listed the left panel with the corresponding number of images in each.  Now, the folder names are greyed out, most show 0 content, and some folders are not shown.   They are not - as you say above - missing on D:   They are there and clickable when I go direct to D:.  The list was correct in the past, but - for some reason - not correct today.

    You wrote:  

    Your screen-clip suggests there are both missing folders and folders without images, on the D:drive.

    I have verified that the folders are alive and well on D:, contain the images, but Lightroom does not show that.  THAT’S THE PROBLEM.

     

     

    BTW...It’s not important here, but my photos are saved using a file name (year)-(digit).jpg.  ie:   1963-02.jpg , so it’s easy for me to know when a photo was taken.  The older images are scans of prints because they were taken prior to me using a computer.  I shoot Nikon, NEF, convert to DNG, edit, and save-as .jpg for Lightroom.

     

     

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices