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

[abrainard01]

Oops. I fixed it based on a deleting the "metrics.json" file in BOTH the "Lightroom" folder and in the "Lightroom CC" folder. there were two copies of "metrics.json"and deleting the "metrics.json" from the "Lightroom CC" didn't help. I should have read the pinned bost more carefully. thank you. 

[Ryszard2402448415px]

So I have a new problem with the latest version of Lightroom on my apple laptop.

Lr starts quickly and I can use if for about 30 seconds when suddenly it will freeze and beachball for about a minute, after which it starts working again.

I have deleted the metrics file and then gone into privacy and turned off all the data sharing prefs and the fonts and the auto update prefs.

I tried restarting Lr with the internet disabled and the same thing happened.

Any other suggestions?

[Ana Martinez]

Hi, I have followed all these steps and had no problem in completing them. My problem is that even though I deactivted the feedback options in my account and did all the rest the metrics.json file is recreated again and again upon opening the program. I have tried it with older versions of LrC as well, but the problem persists. Anyone has an idea why this file is reappearing when everybody else seems to be successful in deleting?

[John R Ellis]

@Ana Martinez, after you delete "metrics.json" and start LR, does it then run normally with no sluggish starts or freezes, at least until the next time you restart it?  If so, then I think you'll just have to delete the file each time before starting LR, until Adobe releases a fix (hopefully very soon).  You could save the containing folder as a favorite in Finder / File Explorer.

But if you're experiencing misbehavior on the first start of LR after deleting the file, then you may be experiencing a different problem, and I recommend you start a new thread, including all the details of what you're experiencing, and including the output from the menu command Help > System Info.  Call out at the top that the troubleshooting steps in this thread haven't worked, so a moderator won't merge your thread back here.

[Johan Thalin]

Same issue here, tried everything suggested but the program crashes instantly on the splash screen. Apple M2 Max / Ventura 13.3.1 (22E261) / Lightroom Classic 12.2.1. 

[John R Ellis]

@Johan Thalin, did you follow the precise steps here:

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

Was there a "metrics.json" file present that you were able to delete?

[Johan Thalin]

Yes several times. There was a metrics.json that I deleted but it came back as soon as I tried to launch the program.

[John R Ellis]

@Johan Thalin, I suggest starting a new thread as detailed here:

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

[Marcos26041109tjmy]

hello, in "Local" i don´t have Adobe.. what should i do?

[lewisfrancis]

I am not seeing a metrics.json file in ~/Lbrary Caches/Adobe/Lightroom

[lewisfrancis]

This is after removing all Adobe apps and files other than those catalog-related, and reinstalling. 

[John R Ellis]

@Marcos26041109tjmy, did you follow these exact steps?

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

[John R Ellis]

@lewisfrancis, "This is after removing all Adobe apps and files other than those catalog-related, and reinstalling."

Did you restart your computer before looking for "metrics.json"?  That ensures LR isn't running in background without its main window showing.

[Ana Martinez]

Hi John,

yes, I followed all the instructions step by step and had no problems in completing them. I found the metrics.json file where it should have been and deleted it. The problem is that it reappears every time I launch LrC again. The start screen would flash up for like one second and I can see in the Lightroom folder that the metrics.json file is created again in the very same moment. The feedback options in my account are duly deactivated. I did all this like 10 times and even reverted to older versions of LrC, no change.

[hcwang61]

Until yesterday I was happily running Lightroom Classic 12.2.1 on a Mac Studio MacOS Ventura 13.3 without a problem. Overnight, I ran the Ventura 13.3.1 update and it appears to have broken Lightroom Classic. At first the app would start but then would start slowing down with each step I took until it became totally unresponsive. I tried force quit and restart the app but then it wouldn't start up again (the splash screen came up but it never got beyond that). So then I tried restarting the Mac, again with the same result. I uninstalled Lightroom Classic using the Creative Cloud app, including deleting preferences, restarted and reinstalled LC, but again the same problem (the app wouldn't start up). I tried the same thing on my laptop (unfortunately also running 13.3.1) and exactly the same thing happened - I could open the app at first but then it slowed down and then refused to restart.

I have both my masters and catalogue on an external SSD, which is visible and working fine in the Finder, but I'm not sure if there's a permissions issue? Just in case, I did go in and make the whole thing Read & Write for everyone. In any case, the SSD has never caused a problem before.

As Apple now makes it pretty much impossible to downgrade MacOS one step backwards, I would be forced to downgrade to Monterey in order to get back some functionality and I don't want to do that. I have a TM Backup, but that won't let me downgrade just one step back.

Has anyone else had this problem? I'm in the middle of trying to process a huge batch of photos and really can't afford to lose any more time trying to fix this. Any help/suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks

[kind_Hero1587]

After all the setbacks observed under MacOS 13, I congratulate myself, every day, to have prudently remained for the whole of my hardware under Mac OS 12 Monterey... As for the intercations between Lightrrom and MacOS 13, I have the impression that it goes from bad to worse !
On the other hand, you should be able to reinstall an older version of MacOS without any difficulty, and with no loss of data (except for the few features of MacOS Ventura which, in my opinion, are only of secondary interest). I had done it, quite a long time ago, using an MAcOS installer such as Apple still does provide.

Best rregards from France

[Cpt.Awesome]

Same Problem on my MacBook Pro. I have updated to 13.3.1 Ventura and all Lightroom versions from 12.0 do not work. The loadingscreen freezes. Haver tried everything from deleting presets to uninstalling everything. 
11.5 works fine but the catalog has been updatet and does not work anymore.

[jimt249]

I recently had a new SSD Drive installed on my PC runnung Windows 10. Consequently I had to re-install all my programs, including Lightroom and Photoshop. When I launched Lightroom Classic it intitally attempted to open the last catalogue I had used just a few days before on thhe old hard drive but then it froze. I left it overnight thinking it might just be the size of the catalogue (I think there are around 10,000 photos) but next morning still nothing had happened so I closed it down using Task Manager.

I read that a 'lock' file where the catalogues are located can sometimes cause Lightroom not to open if it hadn't been shut down properly so I removed that, but Lightroom would still not open. I then tried uninstalling it and re-installing it but it still wouldn't open. I now get a blank dialogue box which asks me to select a catalogue, but still nothing happens and a message at the top of the dialogue box tells me that Lightroom is not responding.

Both Photoshop and the non-classic version of Lightroom both open ok.

[AxelMatt]

What you can try is to reset the preferences to the default settings.

Reset Procedure:

• Close Lightroom.
• Windows: Hold down [Alt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
  Mac: Hold down [Opt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
• Overwrite the Preferences when prompted by the dialog.
• Close Lightroom.
• Restart Lightroom.

It's recommended to backup your preferences before you reset the preferences to the default settings: 

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/preference-file-and-other-file-locations.html

If this doesn't helps follow these steps:

• Close LrC if open (if the UI isn't visible shut down LR via Taskmanager)
• Locate the file named "metrics.json"
  File Locations: 
  Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Caches/Adobe/Lightroom/metrics.json
  Win: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Adobe\Lightroom\Caches\metrics.json 
• Remove or rename the file

Check if Lightroom starts normally.

[AxelMatt]

Try the following steps:

• Close LrC if open (if the UI isn't visible shut down LR via Taskmanager)
• Locate the file named "metrics.json"
  File Locations: 
  Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Caches/Adobe/Lightroom/metrics.json
  Win: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Adobe\Lightroom\Caches\metrics.json 
• Remove or rename the file

Check if Lightroom starts normally.

[lewisfrancis]

Thanks, I did a restart before looking for the file just to make sure there weren't any zombie processes still left running that might prevent the metrics.json file from being written. Nothing. Being a cached file, I couldn't even find it in my Time Machine backups to see if it was an unexpectedly large file. 

Prior to finding this thread, I went through all the troubleshooting recs, making sure LR had proper permissions, removing any plugins, attempting to reset prefs, etc. before I opted for the muclear option of clean installs of all things Adobe (keeping the prev mentioned catalog files). There's something about my account that LR no longer likes -- if I create a new account LR launches w/o problem. I really don't want to migrate everything over to a new account if I don't have to, especially if this is likely to happen again. 

[TheDigitalDog]

No issues for me with Lightroom Classic (the latest build) and 13.3.1.

If resetting preferences doesn't work, trry logging into another Mac user account (you should make a new one); still locking up? 
Try starting up in Safe mode (hold down Shift Key when booting*), still locking up? 
You might want to try running a free utility like Onyx: still locking up? 
https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html
Also view:
https://www.macworld.com/article/352902/onyx-review-macos.html
https://www.macworld.com/article/224955/how-to-reset-a-macs-nvram-pram-and-smc.html
From Adobe:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-troubleshooting.html

* How to start your M1/M2 Mac in Safe Mode
On your Mac, choose Apple menu () > Shut Down.
After your Mac shuts down, wait 10 seconds.
Press and hold the power button until the startup disks and Options appear.
Press and hold the Shift key, then click Continue in Safe Mode.

[JohanElzenga]

Sounds like this problem: 

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

[Grohacke]

What fixed it for me is:

Simply switching off the reporting of Lightroom usage back to Adobe, as @John R Ellis describes in step 1.
THANKS for that!!

[Patrick294237602tw0]

My Lightroom classic version 12.2.1 will not open it will appear in task manager this started Apr 15 it worked for the morning with the afternoon stopped working and I've tried:

Opening Lrc holding down shift-alt, to disable preferences

Uninstalling and reinstalling Lightroom classic

Disabling GPU support for LrC

Holding alt click when opening Lrc to select a new catalog but when I do so it says catalog not responding and doesn't even load that screen. 

When I try to close it it will not respond until my computer has to force it to shut down. When I went to the (Windows \Users\[user name]\Pictures) I did not find my Photoshop catalog data instead I found it in my OneDrive.

I think it might have to do with the fact that some reason the files for my Lightroom might have ended up in my OneDrive for Windows rather than in my user data folder so when I was trying to disable One Drive since I don't use it it might have interfered. 

Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue?