Cannot startup Lightroom Classic even after reinstalling

[ZaneF]

Hello,

I've been having trouble booting up LrC version 14.1.1. When opening from start menu, desktop shortcut, or CC, LrC does not open a window. When opening Task Manager, it shows LrC running and using resources, but there is no visible window open. I have tried ending the task in Task Manager, rebooting, and even uninstalling/reinstalling LrC through CC. I don't recall any specific changes made that would have caused this, as I tried opening my Catalog one day and it suddenly appeared with this issue. Any help in understanding what is going on would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

[GoldingD]

Please share a screenshot of the file contents of the folder your catalog is in

[Raj_Hasmi7997]

The download lightroom classic

[AxelMatt]

If you've checked that there's no .lock file as @GoldingD wrote try to reset Lightroom Classic's/ Lightroom Desktop preferences. Preferences are immune to an uninstall/reinstall.

This procedure works for both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom Desktop.

If you are using Lightroom Desktop it can change the location of your local storage. Please review this setting after resetting preferences. 

Reset Procedure:

1. Close Lightroom.
2. Hold down [Alt/Opt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
3. Overwrite the Preferences when prompted by the dialog.
4. Close Lightroom.
5. Restart Lightroom.

[Fritillary]

I'm having same problem as ZaneF But I see there IS a lock file. what do I do with that?

 

[KR Seals]

Delete the .lock file.

[GoldingD]

What lock file, I do not see it in that screenshot. Is it lower down? But what is with that first file? PS icon, but LrC file, and a description of lock file but no file extension indicating such??

Ahhh, you did a search, that just confuses the issue. Actually select the folder your actual current working catalog is in, and show that folder.

Also, you clearly have MS account in use to log on to your Windows computer, fine, but that forced the use of OneDrive upon you, specifically auto sync of various user system library's with OneDrive. (User, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music, others?)  As a result your LrC catalog is syncing to OneDrive. Some say that is a solution made in heaven, others say hell. That situation can slow LrC performance down. Each and every edit in the catalog and it syncs to OneDrive. And if you are having a bad Internet access day, even worse. And in rare situations, the catalog can get corrupted. Consider either disassociating the folder the catalog is in with OneDrive, or create a root level folder, that Is not syncing to OneDrive, and move the catalog (make sure you have good backups) name the folder as you see fit, but not pictures, etc, perhaps something like MyPhotography, MyLightroom,Rumpelstiltskin, GrumpOldBugger, anything other than the existing user system folders.

[AxelMatt]

As far as I see your catalog is located on Microsoft's OneDrive.

This can be very problematic. Please move the catalog to the local hard drive.

How do I move or rename my catalog? | The Lightroom Queen

[ZaneF]

I have a .lock file as well and am located in OneDrive. I've had no issues with this, but I'll move the catalog to a local location. Here is the old location:

and the new location:

Is it still suggested to delete the .lock file here and try to reboot Lightroom? If so, should I still try the reset procedure even if the actual Lightroom window does not open up?

[AxelMatt]

Is it still suggested to delete the .lock file here and try to reboot Lightroom? 

By @ZaneF

Yes!!

 If so, should I still try the reset procedure even if the actual Lightroom window does not open up?

By @ZaneF

Also Yes!!

If both doesn't help check if the catalog has a problem. First restore the catalog from the latest backup.

Is this doesn't help, hold the Ctrl-Key while starting LrC. This opens a catalog selection dialog.

First select the appropriate recent catalog and let it check it – note the checkmark "Test integrity of this catalog" to check its integrity. If that doesn't help, try to create a new one and see if this catalog works. If yes, you could then try to import your current catalog into the new one.

[ZaneF]

The reset procedure and opening this catalog dialogue seems to have worked for me (in that I can now open LrC). The problem definitely seems to be with that particular catalog, as I can now open other catalogs without issue. Of course, I'd still like to be able to access the catalog that's causing me issues, and it seems that opening backups is also an issue. How do you suggest going about importing the problem catalog into a new one and circumventing this?

[GoldingD]

Can you share a fresh new screenshot of the folder the catalog is in, and either annotate what file is the catalog in question (or tell us in words it's full name)

[ZaneF]

Here is the current location and catalog selected. As your recommendation below, I moved the backups out of the C drive. When loading this catalog, no LrC window opens, but the LRCAT-SHM, LRCAT-WAL and the LOCK files are continually created and deleted over and over again. Even when deleting the lock file, this occurs.

[KR Seals]

I recently experienced this exact situation in Win 11. It turned out to be a corrupt catalog (caused by defective memory module). 

Find your most recent catalog backup, unzip it and copy that to the Lightroom Classic folder where your catalog is located. First, rename the catalog that is not loading. Double click on the unzipped backup catalog once it's in the Lightroom Classic folder to get LrC to start with that catalog. Be sure any .lock file is deleted first.

[KR Seals]

Also, those highlighted file indicate you searched on ".lrcat" not ".lock"

Do the search again looking for ".lock".

[GoldingD]

Also, in that screenshot on December 19. I see a folder named Backups. Are you keeping both your  working catalogs and your catalog backups on C drive? Bad.

[Niclas29705198r4d2]

I had the exact same issue, which seems to have come with the latest update. Reseting Preferences had no effect, but starting Lightroom with the CTRL key and pointing it from the default install library to my own library opened Lightroom and it proceeded as normal. Go figure.