External drive pathes accidently mixed in a catalog file

[Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh]

I store my catalog file on an external hard drive. Windows assigns usually letter F to the drive. One day something changed and windows assigned letter H to the same drive. I did not expect it for some days. Yestarday I tried to open the catalog file but I need upgrade it first. After the upgrade the catalog file broked Lightroom. I have an old backup with 20 000 pics with this I could open Lightroom. With the very last backup containing 30 000 pics Lightroom crashed. Before I close the error window I could see that Lightroom wants to load files from drive F and H too. Is there any way to change all the faulty drive letters inside the catalog file? Nothing is wrong inside the catalog file but the drive letters, the folder structure is the same. So I need to change letter H to F inside the catalog file. Is it possible?

Thanks.

[JohanElzenga]

Yes, that is simple: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-photos-missing-fix/

I would advice you to force Windows to use a fixed (high) drive letter, so it won't happen again. Use 'P' for 'Photos', for example.

[Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh]

I did it, thanks. The question is whether there is a solution to change the path within the catalog file... Maxbe any script?

[JohanElzenga]

I'm not sure what you are asking. Lightroom corrects (changes) the paths in the catalog when you 'reconnect' images as described in the link, so what do you think you'd still need to do?

[Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh]

I have two catalog files.
One has 20k files and operates well if my external drive letter is F. It is and older file and contains not all of my pictures.
The newer one contains 30k files and starts loading the pics if my external drive letter is H but 2-3 minutes after opening the catalog file Lightroom crashes. This catalog file was created after windows changed the letter from of my external drive F to H. I think this newer catalog file contains both pathes (F, H) and stops working if finished loading all files with path H.

[JohanElzenga]

That's not how this works. An image has only one path in the catalog, it cannot have two paths to two different drives. It's like an address in an address book. I don't know why Lightroom Classic crashes with that catalog, but it must be something else.

[Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh]

Not one file has two pathes but I suppose there are files with path H and path F witin the same catalog file. 

Anyway could you or someone else connect to my computer and try to figure out the problem?

[JohanElzenga]

If there is a file in your catalog that points to the wrong drive letter, then you will see that immediately. Lightroom will show the file as 'missing' with the notorious exclamation mark in the upper right corner of the frame. If you created a smart preview for this file then you will not see the exclamation mark, but then you can see that the original is missing because Lightroom will show you the rectangle that means there is only a smart preview for this file. You can also choose the 'Library - Find Missing Photos' menu to see which files are missing.

[JohanElzenga]

By the way: there is an easy way to check if your catalog contains paths to both an H and an F drive. If that is the case, then you should see both these drives in the folder panel. If one of these drives is not connected (or doesn't really exist because it's the same drive that was assigned another letter for a while) then that drive will show as disconnected and all the folders on that drive will show as missing. And no, Lightroom will not crash if a drive is missing. If Lightroom crashes then there's another problem.

[Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh]

I can see both drives in the panel and the missing pictures as you described.

Is there any way to correct the path or any way to get back my missing pictures?

Thanks for helping.

[JohanElzenga]

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@Katalin Aniko24060103a6zh wrote:

I can see both drives in the panel and the missing pictures as you described.

Is there any way to correct the path or any way to get back my missing pictures?

Thanks for helping.

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I already gave you a link in message #2...