I moved my catalogue to a new computer but collections did not come over with it.

[JDK4ASU]

I am trying to move my catalogue to a new Mac Mini M1 running Ventura. I thought that I followed all the proper directions to copy my catalogue to an external hard drive, then copy that onto my new computer. This external drive is the same one I use to pull photos into Lightroom, meaning the folders are linked back to Lightroom.  

I then took that hard drive to my new computer, plugged it in, imported my catalogue to the one I have on my new computer, but then all the previews are gray squares, not one collection came over, and yet in the Librayr/Navigator panel it shows I have over 9,000 photos, which is correct. However I cannot see them!

Both machines are running Lightroom 12.4 and in Mac OS Ventura

Does anyone have any ideas? Let me know and thanks ahead of time!

[F. McLion · Accepted solution]

If you want to move the catalog to a new computer, there's no import involved.

Why are you importing the catalog on the new computer?

Simply open it.

[JDK4ASU]

Thanks for the response.  I am importing as I already started a new catalogue in my new computer.  I thought that is w the way it has been explained by Adobe, etc.?

[dj_paige]

I think it is unlikely that Adobe said anything like that in the case of a catalog MOVE. Importing is not used in that case.

Also, no need to start a new catalog in the case of a catalog MOVE. just use the existing catalog.