P: LrC 12.2.1 fails to start/launch or is extremely slow launching.

[Micke, Finland]

Hi,

LRC 12.2.1 is not starting anymore, just launches as a background process using significant amounts of RAM and CPU, but the visible window never shows up. 

I have already:

- Tried the alt-shift-click thingie.

- Tried logging out and in from CC.

- Wiping all data files from the computer and letting LRC create a fresh Lightroom folder and catalog file (sometimes it does that, sometimes it hangs before the folder is created). 

- Wiping all Adobe products with the cleaner tool and reinstalling just LRC.

- I have even formatted and reisntalled the computer (becuase it was a good time to do that anyway).

But LRC still fails. What to do next?

Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎17.‎03.‎2023
OS build 19045.2728
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4190.0

[johnrellis]

See my previous reply above:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[courtneym70595214]

thank you so much...that worked! 

[keithc49674561]

That workaround fixed the problem. Thank you!

[twebernyc]

Mac user here. This fix (removing metrics.json file) worked me as well. Hope it won't recur and/or that an update will avoid the need for this workaround. Many thanks to the person who figured this out.

[coreyaj]

I'm in a similar boat as tigger4325, I've updated, uninstalled ans reinstalled everything, and LrC will not launch at all.  I click the button, the loading window pops up for half a second then dissapears.  New Lightroom will run, just not Classic.
I do not have the metrics.json file on my system.
I posted this about a week also  - Thanks.

Apple M1 Max
32 GB
Ventura 13.0.1

[johnrellis]

@coreyaj write, "I do not have the metrics.json file on my system."

Triple-check by following the precise steps here to avoid various gotchas looking for the file:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[Henry9808]

I have the same issue. No metrics.json file. Loading has dropped from 14
minutes to 5 minutes but that is still ridiculous in this day and age.


Henry Rowan

henryrowan.pcp@gmail.com
www.hrowanphotography.com
www.pacenterforphotography.org
https://www.facebook.com/pacenterforphotography/

[johnrellis]

@Henry9808,: "No metrics.json file."

Deleting that file can be persnickety -- try the complete steps here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[tigger4325]

Thaks everyone!! Removing the metrics.json file has done the trick!

Through all the trails of trying to get lighroom classic to open, I deleted my cloud account, reinstalled, reinstalled lightroom classic, I have to say my lightroom classic is running better then ever! 

I hope it contunues 😃

 Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Caches/Adobe/Lightroom/metrics.json
(Note that Mac has two Libraries
Make sure you are in the User Library and not the System

[mojave_gal]

Hmmm. I'm running LRC 12.2.1 on Windows 11. There is no metrics.json file in the AppData folder. LRC opens, but really slow, and some activities to seem to lag just a bit.

[johnrellis]

@mojave_gal, deleting that file can be persnickety -- try the complete steps here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[Markus29274178s805]

Lightroom Classic startet mit starker Verzögerung: An was kann dies liegen?

[Ian Lyons]

It's a known bug. Please see the pinned post at top of this linked thread https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[Patrickfd]

It resolved my issue. 

[thejuanald]

I have browsed the community support page and other websites but the solutions posed have not worked. I was working in LRC (Windows 11) and when I closed it prompted me to backup my catalog, which I did. Then later in the day I wanted to re-open LRC and the program is not opening and the task manager only shows that it is running as a background process. I tried the following:

• Restart
• hold alt+shift when starting to reset preferences
• deleted .lock file
• replaced catalog file and folder with a previous backup
• uninstalled and reinstalled or repaired all instances of MS C++
• manually deleted preferences from file explorer
• held alt when starting to select catalog (this just caused the dialog box to open but then hang and show "Not Responding")
• uninstalled LRC and reinstalled

My computer is a desktop with windows 11, 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700K 3.40 GHz, 64.0 GB PC 6000 RAM, Geforce RTX 3080 Ti, both the windows drive and the drive with my photos are NVMe drives.

Are there any steps that I missed?

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Does this apply to your situation? https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre... 

[GoldingD]

see:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre...

[thejuanald]

Thank you! I can't believe after all my searching I couldn't find this. I appreciate it

[jennifers64111699]

Hello 

my Lightroom classic won't open, I click on it to open and nothing happens.  Can anyone help, I have my uni work on there and I have no other access. I have an assignment due and need to photos.

thanks Jen 

[F. McLion]

With LrC closed, check if you see a .lock file next to the catalog file with the same name as your catalog. If yes, delete it and then restart LrC.

If that does not help, try resetting the preferences: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/setting-preferences-lightroom.html

[EMSI68219]

I´ve the same problem here on my win-pc V11 with all WIN updates installed 😞

[vitalyn38151610]

FRIENDS!!!
Everyone who has a problem with slow Lightroom work since version 12.1 + in module DEVELOP, I say at once, have no illusions, removing the file "metrics.json" will not help you, someone may think that Lightroom began to work faster, it's all complete nonsense, just after every reboot it works faster, the problem is much deeper, which ADOBE is not going to solve! The latest stable version of Lightroom is 12.0.1! It works fast and stable, after it ADOBE did something to the program that is not possible to work without nerves, I wrote a lot on the forums, no one wants to solve it. I went back to version 12.0.1 and lightroom works great! The reason for the slowness of later versions is unknown! I noticed that during the lightroom on vindross 11 almost does not use the resources of the system, the processor loaded to the maximum of 20%, the memory is the same. Disabling the video card slows it down even more. 

Why is it not possible to work in the latest versions, at startup? At the beginning the first 20 photos are processed quickly, and then as if someone is holding the program by the reins and shouting STOP! photos are scrolling slowly, you have to wait for 3-5 seconds until you go to the next photo, all the corrections work with a big slowdown, reloading Lightroom helps again until the first 20 photos. The catalog is optimized, the drivers are all new, I'm an experienced user, do not need to tell me about ADOBE tips to speed up, I know it all! Just solve the problem! Why is 12.0.1 stable?

[JohanElzenga]

What makes you conclude that Adobe is not going to solve this problem? The current advice is just a work around. A permanent solution can only be implemented in an update. So perhaps you should not jump to conclusions and at least wait for the next update.

[bmh-images]

I do think it's a bit premature to think about a whole Software-change (at least it would be for me), but I myself am wondering too why it takes Adobe so long to drop an update on this matter. A lot of users use this software as professionals and lose money on this. How long long will it take until an update comes out?

[vitalyn38151610]

So the fact is that there is no workaround, the version with the removal of the "metrics.json" file has no effect on the speed of Lightroom. And Version 12.1, which started the problem, came out back in December 2022, now it's April 2023 and update 12.2.1 came out, which did not fix this bug. Well, let's wait a little longer.