how to change the location of photos from internal to external drive after I have mistakenly:

[davidn78978364]

I made  a mistake when I set up my new Mac computer and and when importing the images (27k) I used "copy" vs. the "add" button. I want to repoint the catalog to use the images on the external hard dive vs the internal drive. I am sure this is fairly simple to fix, but after having messed up on the catalog for the last few years on the older computer I want to insure I do this correctly. Thanks in advance ( I used the search function on the forum but not locating what I really need in terms of step by step. 

David

[dj_paige]

Actually, when you set up Lightroom on a new computer (assuming your were using Lightroom on the old computer), there is NO IMPORTING. Just find the catalog file on the old computer, copy it to the new computer into a brand new empty folder, then double-click on it. More details here: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-move-lightroom-to-new-computer/

Remember: NO IMPORTING. NONE. ZERO. ZIP. ZILCH. NADA.

[davidn78978364]

Thank you. I know this now... The question is how can i easily correct this?

Thanks

David

[dj_paige]

Start over, follow the directions at the link.

[davidn78978364]

Thank you. Its a convoluted situation as I have the old catalog from old computer then the new catalog items with edits on the new compurter. Part of the new computer is on the internal drive and part on the external drive.

I wont pester you further,  but thanks for the directions provided. Appreciated!

[ManiacJoe]

Once you have decided which catalog you want to use (new one from new computer or old one copied from the old computer), if the catalog is not pointing to the desired copy of the image files (internal vs external drive), in the Folders panel, right-click on a folder that is wrong and select "relocate folder" and point it to the desired drive. This will auto-update all the subfolders and files under it.

[davidn78978364]

Thank you!

I tried this morning and somehow lost the catalog, so I reverted back to a backup I did yesterday. I must be doing something incorrectly. I also wasn't able to determine how to feee up the space on the internal drive in this process.

[dj_paige]

I tried this morning and somehow lost the catalog, so I reverted back to a backup I did yesterday. I must be doing something incorrectly. I also wasn't able to determine how to feee up the space on the internal drive in this process.

If you think you have done something incorrectly, we need to know, exactly and in great detail, what you did.

As far as freeing up disk space on the internal drive — WARNING — don't do this until you are 100% sure you still have the original photos on the external hard drive. Don't assume they are on the external drive. Make sure you have backups of everything. If you are satisfied you have the photos on the external drive and backups of everything, then use your operating system to delete the photos from the internal drive.