Computer crashed - moving catalog file(s) of Photoshop/Premiere Elements 10

Question

My computer crashed. I had Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10 installed with thousands of photos/videos. Fortunately, photos/videos were backed up. I have access to the crashed hard drive. So here are my questions.

1. How and from where do I recover the catalog files? The catalog file(s) were not backed up.

2. Do I need to recover catalog type file from both Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements? If so, where is the file location of those files.

3. Are there any other files that I should recover and transfer to the new computer?

4. I was planning to update to version to 15, can the catalog files from my lost version (10), be copied into a freshly installed version of 15? Or, is it better to install version onto the new computer and then upgrade to version 15?

Thanks.

MichelBParis · Answer

jackm15303295 wrote
I have access to the crashed hard drive. So here are my questions.
1. How and from where do I recover the catalog files? The catalog file(s) were not backed up.
2. Do I need to recover catalog type file from both Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements? If so, where is the file location of those files.

You can search your old drive for files named 'catalog.pse10db' with your Explorer or Finder.

The folder(s) containet such files are catalogs; they can be copied elsewhere. They hold all the information about your tags and such. Note that they are by default in 'hidden' folders, at least in Windows; you may have to set the Explorer to show hidden files.

The problem is that the catalog stores the information about the location of files by storing both the drive letter and its internal serial number. That means the files you recovered on the new computer are in a different location and will be considered as 'disconnected' or 'missing'.

So, you can copy the found catalog folder elsewhere on your new computer.

If you reinstall PSE10 on the same computer (you can download the installation files and recover your key from your Adobe account), you simply double click on the catalog.pse10db catalog file. That will open the organizer with the catalog copy. As explained above, all your images will appear as 'missing'.

Try the reconnect process:

Photoshop Elements (PSE) knowledge base.

If you start from PSE15, try first to use the menu File >> manage catalogs with the 'convert' button to convert the database to the new format. I am not sure, but I believe you'll be able to convert, then reconnect as explained in the above link.

I don't use Premiere Elements, but I believe that the catalog is the same for both applications... I'll let others confirm or correct.

If you can find, recover and reconnect your catalog, you might lose some kinds of creations with PSE15, but otherwise, all the information in the catalog should be recovered.

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