Copying Lr catalog to new computer when files are stored on external hard drive

[mmeyers76]

I've recently shot about 10k new photos and stored them on a brand-new external HD that my iMac has never seen. The way my iMac Lr catalog is organized (and the way I'd like to keep it) is by folders that each correspond to an external HD. Since I was traveling while I shot these 10k new photos, I imported them to my LAPTOP Lr catalog (just added them, not copied the files, so they read as living in the new external HD). I want to copy the catalog and edits to my iMac. I have researched how to copy them to my "All Photographs" catalog. But I specifically want to keep them, as they're stored in my laptop, as a folder contained in the backup HD. But my iMac doesn't even have a folder for that new external HD. I realize this is a total newb question, but how the hell do I just get that new HD folder in my iMac Lr catalog with all the subfolders, etc. from the Lr catalog in my laptop. I've already exported the catalog and air dropped it onto my iMac. I just don't know how to properly import so I'm getting the exact same folders and sub folders on my iMac. Thanks for your help, I'm on a deadline and need to edit these ASAP!

{Moved from Lightroom Cloud to Lightroom Classic forum by Moderator}

[JohanElzenga]

All you need to do (apart from posting in the correct forum) is use 'Import from Another Catalog' on your iMac, and select the laptop catalog to import. Do not select to move the images in the import dialog, keep them where they are. The imported catalog links to the correct disk and folders, so these will be added to the main catalog by this import.

[mmeyers76]

Yeah, I did that. The issue was the I couldn't get the hard drive I was using to show up in the folders because I hadn't imported anything from it. I dumped one image in there and imported it so I got it to show up (but none of the subfolders showed up). I finally got the folders to populate under the hard drive by going folder by folder in the larger "all images" catalog and finding the images that corresponded to the preview thumbnails. For whatever reason, it had no idea where the files were in there. It took  while, but it worked, eventually. I was looking for an easier way, but I doubt there is one.

[JohanElzenga]

I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you are saying. It does sound as if you were doing something wrong however, because there should be no need to do anything like ‘going from folder to folder’. It sounds like you maybe had to ‘reconnect’ folders. Maybe these links help: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-photos-missing-fix/ and the part about the images in https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-move-lightroom-to-new-computer/