if I don't have the latest app, does it mean that I can't retrieve my previous photos from Lr?

[NeilW2897]

if I don't have the latest app, does it mean that I can't retrieve my previous photos from Lr?

[dj_paige]

if I don't have the latest app, does it mean that I can't retrieve my previous photos from Lr?

By @NeilW2897

There's a lot more information we would need to give you an informed answer. 

So, in no particular order, we need

• Are you talking about Lightroom (Lr icon) or Lightroom Classic (LrC icon)? What version NUMBER? (We need the number and NOT words like "latest" or "up-to-date")
  • If LrC, your photos are never stored in Lightroom Classic, and so they remain untouched and in whatever folder you put them or whatever folder you told Lightroom to put them in. You don't need any software to "retrieve" them. However your edits and user-provided metadata are stored in the LrC catalog and then we need to know version NUMBER of your software in order to give an answer.
  • We also need to know what version NUMBER of Lightroom Classic did you use previously?
  • Do you have the catalog file from whatever you used previously?
• Why don't you have the latest version?

[NeilW2897]

Thanks. It was Lightroom 6. The icon Lr.
The tech sent me a link but it just didn't work: kept asking me to sign in.
Exhausting.

[Rob_Cullen]

Lightroom v6 has long passed its 'End of Life'.  Adobe offer no support for this product.

If a "tech" sent you a link, it is more likely to be a scam.

Re-installing v6 is problematic. Lr6 cannot be activated by a link with Adobe servers. The only way known now is to activate by this method-

@ LIGHTROOM 6 -OFFLINE ACTIVATION

A subscription to the latest version is recommended- ie. Lightroom-Classic v14.2 @ BUY PHOTOGRAPHY PLANS 

[NeilW2897]

Thanks again. I finally subscribed to LrC free trial and will see from
there.

*Nelson Woo*
*778-881-0618*

[dj_paige]

You can use the current LrC to open the Lr 6 catalog and if needed, export all of your photos.

[NeilW2897]

Thanks. I am trying what you suggested now. So far all I get is an error
message saying something like Format Not Support. I worry that I will lose
all the raw files forever. Sigh.

[dj_paige]

Again we need a lot more information. What software and version NUMBER are you using now? Were you able to open the Lr 6 catalog? What steps generate this error? Please be specific and detailed. Please provide the exact complete word-for-word error message.

Again, your photos are not stored in Lightroom or Lightroom Classic. They are stored on your hard disk somewhere. Nothing you do in Lightroom or Lightroom Classic will delete the photos — unless of course you tell the software to delete the photos.

[NeilW2897]

It reads "Lightroom Catalog.lrcat Unsupported file format"

I am using Lr now.

I was using the Add Photos trying to upload the "photo" from the Catalog
file. The format is actually named LRPREV FILE, I don't know what it is.

Thanks.

[DdeGannes]

@NeilW2897 , If you have installed the latest version of Lightroom Classic which is LrC 14.2 you will not be able to convert your LR 6 Catalog, directly to LrC 14. There was a new sync version in LrC 13.3.  to the sync processing engine 2.

Do the following install LrC 13.2 and open you Lr 6 Catalog, this will convert the Lr 6 then you can update LrC to version 14.2.

[NeilW2897]

Thanks. I will give it a try later. Since I am using the Free Trial Version
of LR (I don't know why not the LrC instead), I might have to upgrade to
LrC first.

[Rob_Cullen]

You are repeatedly using the term "LR"  so to explain-

'Lr'  Lightroom, aka Lightroom-Desktop, aka Lightroom (Cloud based)  is NOT the app that will open v6 catalogs. It is something entirely new and different to your experience witn v6. If you installed 'Lightroom' that is not the app you want.

Because of a name change after v7-  'LrC'  Lightroom-Classic is the app that will open v6 catalogs.

Please, Please, please supply details of the exact VERSION NUMBER of the 'LR' you have installed.

With the app running- go MENU > HELP > SYSTEM INFO...   and post a screen-clip of what you see.

ALSO- the post from @DdeGannes is important- You may have left it almost too late to upgrade a v6 catalog, unless you can first install Lightroom-Classic v13.0 then upgrade the catalog, then upgrade the LrC app to Lightroom-Classic c14.2.

[DdeGannes]

LrC is the continuation of the original Lr version 6.

LrC is only available with the Adobe Photography Plan which has Photoshop, LrC and a new Lr (cloud version) images are stored in Adobe Creative Cloud with the info that is normally stored in the Catalog file.

LrC works like the original Lr with the images and Catalog on your Computer.

See the article available at the following link.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-cc-vs-classic-features/

this will help you make an informed decision.

[NeilW2897]

Good news! Issues resolved! I subscribed to the LrC and am able to retrieve
all the files from the Catalogs. Yeah, the interface is very similar to the
old Lr. I should be able to handle it.
Thanks you all for your time and patience 🙏 🙏 🙏
Much appreciated 👍