I cannot open a backup file of the catalog.

[florianvdH]

I cannot open a compressed backup file of the catalog. The message says that it cannot find the lrcat-data. But they stand side by side in their folder.

[GoldingD]

If you backed up via LrC, then the normal procedure is as follows:

• Copy the backup to a different folder
• In that folder, un-zip that catalog
• Double click on the un-zip catalog

Now about that lrcat-data file, it may or may not have been included in the backup. Is some AI masking was accomplished, then it should. If it is missing, you should get an error message stating as such, and you would click on continue, and LrC may recreate it.

[florianvdH]

I always backup via LrC to the C-disk and copy the backup to the D-disk. I tried to open the backup from both disks but that made no difference. I made a new folder with the backup, but again, no success. What I have is:
(1) - [ ]New folder
(2) - [ ]My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3 (folder)
(3) - [ ]My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3.lrcat-data (folder)
(4) - [] My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3 (zipped file)
When I try to open/unzip (4) I get the message "Cannot find My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3.lrcat-data... Perhaps the files have been moved..."
When I click Continue I get the message that (2) is protected against writing and cannot be opened. (Incorrect authorisation?)
Recently I have changed my C-disk, so there has been some moving. But backups LrC made since then give exactly the same messages.

My message boxes are in Dutch. I try to give what seem to me the most relevant parts.

[JohanElzenga]

Sounds like you try to open and unzip the catalog backup using Lightroom Classic. Lightroom Classic cannot unzip anything. You need to use an unzip utility. Double clicking should normally do that, unless .zip is somehow linked to the wrong application (Lightroom Classic) on your computer.

[florianvdH]

My former computer still has LrC on it, but offline. I reconnected it and opened LrC to see what that would do. It asked for my account, but that did not seem a good idea to me, I only wanted to test and then deconnect it again. When I clicked the backup file I got the same "Cannot find"  messages. So my hypothesis is that something may be the matter with my account. 

My backups are compressed by LrC, not zipped. At least, I don't see the zip extension.

[JohanElzenga]

Lightroom Classic compresses the backups using zip. The extension should be .zip, but I think Windows might hide that (Mac user myself).

[florianvdH]

Yes, zip seems to do the trick. I assumed compressing and decompressing were both automatic procedures executed by LrC. Thank you very much.

Florian van der Horst

[Per Berntsen]

Windows has two settings for file extensions.

One in the View tab of the File explorer (should be checked), and one in Folder options (should be unchecked).

[florianvdH]

I always backup via LrC to the C-disk and copy the backup to the D-disk. I tried to open the backup from both disks but that made no difference. I made a new folder with the backup, but again, no success. What I have is:
(1) - [ ]New folder
(2) - [ ]My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3 (folder)
(3) - [ ]My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3.lrcat-data (folder)
(4) - [] My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3 (zipped file)
When I try to open/unzip (4) I get the message "Cannot find My Lightroom-3-2-v13-3.lrcat-data... Perhaps the files have been moved..."
When I click Continue I get the message that (2) is protected against writing and cannot be opened. (Incorrect authorisation?)
Recently I have changed my C-disk, so there has been some moving. But backups LrC made since then give exactly the same messages.

My message boxes are in Dutch. I try to give what seem to me the most relevant parts.

[dj_paige]

Please show us a screen capture of this folder. Use the "Insert Photos" icon to include the screen capture in your reply. Do NOT attach files.