Catalog corruption and loss of this years of work

Report · May 02, 2024

Out of the blue I received a message that the LR Catalog was corrupt and would need repair. I am using LR Classic version 13.2

When I went back into the catalogue all my work for 2024 was gone. Zero files. There was no ability to find lost files. Everything prior to 2024 seems untouched.

This is extremely bizarre and I am reticent to proceed without knowing the cause. Is this a virus ?

I don't simply want to go and reload a backup in case I am going to get even more issues

There were 1000's of processed images in 2024 catalog. They are still on the PC

Cheers

[moved from bugs to discussions according to the community rules - Mod.]

Report · May 02, 2024

Seems strange..

first if you have a backup, copy it. Then see if that opens with the files showing as expected.

if it does replace the faulty one with the back up, not the copy as the names won't match.

Report · May 02, 2024

Thanks so much Geoff. I have managed to retore the catalog from a backup- such a relief

The corrupt catalog has lost all of my work for 2024 and several months from 2023- mainly the later months. It remove only 1/2 of Octobers work. It is so random and very frightening.

Lightroom created a corrupt catalog file- never seen that before.

My enormous concern is why- is this some sort of virus, is it going to be a recurring problem, what initiated it.

I have worked with LR for years, since LR 3 and have never experienced something like this