Cannot import to catalogue anymore now SSD is external

[bugboy]

I have recently had an SSD breakdown on my iMac - as a workaround ( I cannot afford to replace the desktop), my IT chap has created a new start-up disk on an external drive. But Lightroom doesn't want to recognise this -  I can view all my previously added images and files with no problem. But when I want to import and open the import dialogue box, I get blacked-out text and cannot move or add. Can anyone offer a solution to this problem as my workflow has in effect stopped

[dj_paige]

May I ask what software you are using? And what version NUMBER? And what OS Version NUMBER? We need the version NUMBERs and not words like "latest" or "up-to-date".

[JohanElzenga]

Where do you import from? This is completely normal if you import images from a memory card. You will always have to copy them. Move and Add will always be dimmed in that case, so this probably has nothing to do with your new startup disk. Show your entire import dialog if the problem is different. This small part is meaningless without knowing what I just asked (and what I would have been able to see in the left panel if you did have included that).

[Sean McCormack]

There's an issue where SSD drives can appear as devices (like a memory card) if they have a DCIM folder on Mac. Make sure there's no DCIM folder on the SSD.