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Participant
October 6, 2020
Question

Cannot import or sync folders in Lightroom Classic

  • October 6, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 595 views

I cannot import or sync folders in Lightroom Classic, which means I can't use Lightroom for any new photos, which effectively means I can no longer use Lightroom at all for any new work.

 

If I select a folder and select the Synchronize Folder option, it shows the first Sync Folder dialog. When click the OK button, Lightroom freezes. If select the Import menu option, the app freezes.

 

I have restarted my computer. I updated Lightroom to the newest version. I deleted all the photos in the folder (80 photos) and synced the folder with 1 photo. Same thing happens. I tried removing this folder and syncing other folders. Same thing happens.

 

I was able to sync the folder just 10 mins before this problem happened. Then I added more photos to the folder, tried to sync again and now this problem is happening on every folder.

 

I've searched this forum and it seems that many people are having a similar problem but the only "solution" that has been offered is resetting the Lightroom preferences. I have done this and the problem persists. 

I'm on Windows, Lightroom 9.4.

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

GoldingD
Legend
October 8, 2020

1. What hard drive are the photos on?

 

2. Do you have a different hard drive to put some photos on

 

3. You mostly talk of syncing to add these photos to LrC catalog, you only mentioned Import at beginning of first post. So, when you bring up the import dialog and select ADD, does it fail?

 

DdeGannes
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 7, 2020

Quote " If I select a folder and select the Synchronize Folder option, it shows the first Sync Folder dialog. When click the OK button, Lightroom freezes. If select the Import menu option, the app freezes. "

Please clarify, " a folder " failed to import using the " sync " option and the same " folder " failed to import using the Import option?
Or did you test with another folder?

Maybe there are files or a file that is not supported by LrC or corrupted in some way?

 

Regards, Denis: iMac 27” mid-2015, macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur; 2TB SSD, 24 GB Ram, GPU 2 GB; LrC 12.5,; Lr 6.5, PS 24.7,; ACR 15.5,; (also Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.0.1, PS 27.0; ) Camera Oly OM-D E-M1.
tatianachAuthor
Participant
October 7, 2020

Thank you for responding. By folder, I mean I have photos stored in a folder in Windows Explorer and that folder has been added to LrC. I added more photos to that folder in Windows Explorer. I returned to LrC to sync that folder so I could see the new photos in LrC. During this sync process, LrC stopped responding. 

I have tried syncing a variety of folders in multiple catalogs, all with the same result. I have tried on my PC and laptop to the same result. I even created a new empty catalog and selected the Import Photos and Videos option from the File menu. LrC stopped responding. I had to use Task Manager to force quit LrC.

 

I exported one folder as a catalog and opened that in LrC. I tried to sync that folder and again LrC stopped responding and I had to use Task Manager to force quit LrC.

I reset my LrC preferences. Same result. 

DdeGannes
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 7, 2020

Are you sure the files you added to the folder in explorer are supported type for LrC?

 

Regards, Denis: iMac 27” mid-2015, macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur; 2TB SSD, 24 GB Ram, GPU 2 GB; LrC 12.5,; Lr 6.5, PS 24.7,; ACR 15.5,; (also Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.0.1, PS 27.0; ) Camera Oly OM-D E-M1.
Just Shoot Me
Legend
October 6, 2020

Try Resetting the LrC preferences file and test.

 

Reset Lightroom's Preferences? - The Lightroom Queen

 

tatianachAuthor
Participant
October 7, 2020

As I mentioned in my original post, I tried resetting my LrC preferences as suggested by other forum members and this did not resolve my problem.