Catalog wants to update everytime I open Lightroom Classic 9

[CDHand]

I am running Windows 10 and updated to Lightroom Classic 9. Every time I open lightroom I get the message that Lightroom wants to update my catalog. I have gone to preferences and tried the option to open the latest catalog and that did not work, I tried pointing to the correct catalog and used the checkbox to always use this catalog and that did not work. I also get the splash screen every time I open lightroom welcoming me to a new version both are very annoying. please help!!

[Just Shoot Me]

Might be time to use the Adobe CC Cleaner tool to wipe your system of all Adobe software then reinstall.

Or you could try just uninstalling LR Classic then reinstalling that.

Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

[CDHand]

Thanks, I am willing to try that, I am in the middle of editing a wedding, so I need to finish that and make sure everything is backed up, then I will give it a try. I can live with it, for now, just annoying for sure!  Thanks for the advice!

[JohanElzenga]

Check your preferences, general tab. Most likely a specific catalog (the old one) is set as the catalog to open. Change this to 'most recent', or to the upgraded catalog.

[CDHand]

I have and I pointed it to the new catalog, but every time I go into lightroom it wants to update and create a new catalog.

[Ricky336]

I'll state an obvious solution now - if not done already. Uninstall version 9 and use the previous version and complete your project. When that is done and dusted, and you have no other important projects, upgrade to version 9 and upgrade your catalogue, and then you should be away laughing. It is always recommended, especially if you have an important project, not to upgrade halfway through for this very reason!

Maybe this will help.

[Ricky336]

I agree with Johan. To me also it sounds like the 'old catalogue' is set as the default to open.

Have you actually updated your current catalogue to work with Lightroom Classic 9?

Obviously, make sure you have backed your catalogues up.

[Jao vdL]

Resetting preferences is the first thing to try in cases such as this.

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/setting-preferences-lightroom.html

[JohanElzenga]

No, simply checking your preferences first is much better than resetting them.

[Jao vdL]

So many problems are fixed by resetting preferences that it is as close to a panacea as you can get in Lightroom land though. In this specific case you are probably right but if it is set to most recent catalog there than resetting the prefs is a good next step before contemplating wiping the entire installation.

[john beardsworth]

I agree with Johan - first review the Preferences carefully. Preferences is mainly a panacea on Mac, rarely on Windows. And I don't think there's any need to wipe the installation.

It does look like LR's preferences are set to open an old-version catalogue.

With LR closed, in Windows Explorer identify your catalogue and double click it. This will restart LR with that catalogue. Then review the Preferences.

[Jao vdL]

I was reacting to the top reply which suggested wiping with CC cleaner which is a bit rash. I have helped countless windows users on this forum that only got solved after resetting preferences after lots of troubleshooting first. I don't think this is a Mac specific thing therefore. Prefs are set back to where you want them so quickly that resetting them is a great early troubleshooting step and my experience is that the overwhelming majority of users never touch them anyway.

[john beardsworth]

I agree about "rash" but disagree about Windows / Mac to the extent that I wouldn't describe resetting them as a cure-all on Windows. They're more of a quick way to get back to default settings, which might help a user in a rush, rather than the only way to root out mysterious behaviour thanks to Mac preference file corruption. Fortunately LR doesn't seem to use the Windows registry!

[JohanElzenga]

If Lightroom keeps opening the old catalog, then there is a very high probability that the preferences simply point to that old catalog. Change that and you're done. No need to do anything else, like resetting the preferences.

Immediately resetting the preferences rather than first simply checking this preference setting seems a bit overreacting. Like buying a new car because the ash tray is full. Yes, buying a new car does give you an empty ash tray, but emptying the ash tray is what most people would try first.

[Just Shoot Me]

Supposedly the OP has already Set the Preference to Open the New, Updated, catalog. Whether they have actually set the PATH or just selected "Load Most Recent Catalog" in the Default Catalog section I don't know.

Personally I have always selected "Other", browsed to the drive/folder that holds my catalog and select it. So mine reads thre Complete PATH to the catalog file I want LR to use everytime I start LR. Been doing that for years and never had any problems with LR opening the wrong catalog.

[GoldingD]

Please excuse me if this has been asked, and answered

Instead of opening Lightroom by clicking or double clicking on thee icon, find your last catalog, and double click on it. Whst happens?

[RickTheBeetleMan]

The following is an advanced procedure and should be attempted only if you are comfortable diving deep into the Lightroom configuration files. Before you start back up all your Lightroom files and folders. If you screw it up, that's on you.

I have found an easier, but draconian, fix for this problem. Before you start Lightroom, navigate to this location on your PC:C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\. Look for two files: Lightroom Classic CC 7 Preferences.agprefs and Lightroom Classic CC 7 Startup Preferences.agprefs. Rename these files with a ".save" extension. (You may need administrator privileges for this. If you are not comfortable with this then don't proceed. Also be certain to make copies of your existing catalog files and store them in a safe place.). This is tantamount to erasing the two files but don't do that, just rename them.  Restart Lightroom Classic. You will be asked either to use the default catalog or to upgrade the default catalog depending on the LR version installed. Select "Choose a Different Catalog". When the "Select Catalog" dialogue appears again, select "Choose a Different Catalog..." once more. When you have selected the desired catalog, the "Select Catalog" dialogue will reappear one more time. Make sure you check the "Always load this catalog on startup". (see attached png). If you are following along with file explorer you will note two new config files are created. (If they don't "STOP" and restore the original config files). Click "Open".  When Lightroom opens it will take you through all the introduction stuff. After you gone through all that. You should be good to go.

This fixed my Lightroom woes. I hope it will help you too.

[F. McLion]

@RickTheBeetleMan 

Did you notice that the thread you are responding to is from 2019?

btw. ... there is an integrated option to reset the preferences and there's no need to manually rename files.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-do-i-reset-lightrooms-preferences/