Deleting catalog and starting over.

[robirdman1]

I don't actually use LR for keeping track of anything.  I use Bridge and physically store all images according to their related subject matter. I used it because Bridge stopped the ability to see thumbnails of and play my video files, so all I have from the camera is a bunch of icons.  In my workflow, after weeding the raw camera files and adding metadata in Bridge, I rename files 1st with my numbering system and later adding the description to the file name before permanently residing the files on their final location which may be a species or family folder (most are nature related) .  So I started with the catalog defaulting on the C drive which has used up a lot of HD space needlessly.  I since read that it is recommended on a drive with more room.  I just want to clarify the location of this before deleting it and starting over.  One possible concern is an email from the "LR Queen" about someone who lost so many photos by doing something or other. This probably doesn't apply since I am not relying on the LR images for anything except to see what is on the videos, and I know where I've put everything but I want to be sure I am clear before taking such an action.  The other thing I am wondering about is that I originally had all my videos on external drive R where I may have started looking at some in LR.  But I got an internal drive H and copied everything there, and that is where I do everything.  But what is strange is that while I am working with those videos and I know I am on the I drive,  I sometime hear the R drive clattering away like a lot of activity and even if I close all windows and try to safely remove it, it says its in use and won't allow.  could that be related?

[dj_paige]

So I started with the catalog defaulting on the C drive which has used up a lot of HD space needlessly. I since read that it is recommended on a drive with more room.

The best place for your catalog file is on your fastest disk, which is usually the system drive, which is usually an internal disk (the C: drive on Windows).

As far as it filling up needlessly, well no, its not needlessly, if you want the software to operate, it has to do things.

I can't say why your R drive is making noise, unless after you moved everything to the H drive, you didn't tell Lightroom Classic to use the H drive from now on.

[robirdman1]

I say filling up needlessly because it is a 2T drive and now has no room, while I have an internal 16T drive with nothing on it, and the only reason I used LR was to see the videos that Bridge wouldn't show, but the 2nd of the 2 links on the next answere solved that problem.

[GoldingD · Accepted solution]

see:

https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/preview-dynamic-media-files-adobe.html

and

https://community.adobe.com/t5/bridge-discussions/no-thumbnails-for-gopro-h265-videos/m-p/10431943

[robirdman1 · Accepted solution]

The 1st link did not help as that already worked for the older videos.  but the 2nd link about the gopro showing only thumbnails and making the change and clearing the cache worked to my amazement.  Adobe phone technicians had told me there was no solution and you have proved them wrong.  Great help to something I've been dealing with ever since creating higher res videos.  Thanks!.  Now I just need to delete the LR catalog taking up so much space on the C drive.

[robirdman1]

Either I didn't look carefully enough or something changed.  I went out to the store and returned and then was going through folders that I had purged caches on after setting the software parameter.  None of the later files have thumbnails and can't be played.  I tried going through and purging some again but nothing changed. I thought I was going to save hundreds of hours by not havng to go to NX studio or LR to see, play and things are the same as before.

I see now on the GoPro thread that likewise it worked briefly and then they all reverted back again to no thumbs. What a letdown.