Catalog Cannot Be Repaired

[JohnPel]

I created a new catalog. I trashed my old one, emptied the trash. While importation was in progress I got a message saying the newly created catalog is corrupt and had to be repaired. Then said it couldn't be repaired. What should I do now? TIA. John P

[JohnPel]

Forgot to mention, Mac OS.

[Joe Foe Toe]

Have you been making the weekly backups Lightroom prompts you to? In that case, this: How to back up catalogs in Lightroom Classic CC (it says backup, but it is a link to restore).

[Tony_See]

Joe as you write it sounds like to me that you have a small catalog that you are working with, and that the total number of images is also modest.

If thats the case, I would suggest you make (another) new catalog and reimport your image files.

Where and what are you using to store your image files after import?

Is your LR catalog file set to written internally to your iMac?

[JohnPel]

The size is about 14K photos, so fair sized. Storage is on Macintosh HD, a 27" iMac with 1 TB. I'd be okay with uninstalling LR and re-install to get a fresh start on everything, if that's possible.

[JohnPel]

I have been making backups, but when I open it, there are no photos. I re-installed the OS from Time Machine, and perhaps the path has changed. I'm thinking about uninstalling and re-install LR.

[dj_paige]

I can't see how that will help. If the catalog is corrupt, re-installing LR won't change that fact.

Your most recent backup is empty? Are you looking at the wrong backup?

[JohnPel]

these items are on my backup external disk. the one 10.25GB is the one I trashed. Because it had so many dupes, which I attributed to the excessive size

[dj_paige]

So are you saying that Eureka Zoo-2.LRCAT (size 178.1 MB, date 6/9/18) is empty? Please answer yes or no. That doesn't seem like the size of an empty catalog.

[JohnPel]

Yes AND no, the file info for each photo is all that appears. All thumbnails are but gray. Path problem? Only exception is four thumbnails, out of 16023 images. Sixteen thousand twenty-three.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

Yes, that's the catalog you want. You have to fix the paths now.

Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

[JohnPel]

Working on that now, thanks.

[JohnPel]

After a quick read-through I'm sure I can regain control now, thanks for the tip. Much appreciated.

[JohnPel]

Photos are all appearing. Good Times!

[JohnPel]

An exclamation point (Photo Is Missing" appears upper right of all thumbnails.

[dj_paige]

New catalog and you get a message that the catalog is corrupt? This is not a good sign. It indicates your hard disk where the catalog is stored is having problems. You need to run diagnostics on your hard disk immediately, and strongly consider replacing it.

[JohnPel]

Hard drive checks out okay, it's only 8 months old.