Lightroom Classic catalog: cycling files and not opening

[cameronc34422968]

Example of issue 

Hello,

I am running Windows 11, Lightroom Classic 13.4, then reverted to 13.02

I have a Lightroom Classic catalog that will not open.  I had Lightroom open with a different catalog, then tried to open this catalog and now it is stuck.  I am experienced with the program but have never encountered this issue.

I have a .lock file, I tried removing it, but that doesn't solve the problem.

The .lrcat-shm and lrcat-wal files are continuously loading and deleting, see attached video file.

I copied the catalog's folder and tried opening it off of a different drive, and the files in the original drive folder are looping again as if they are linked. 

I reverted back to 13.02 from 13.4, but that didn't change anything. 

I cannot open any other catalogs, it keeps reverting to this original one, even if I directly open a completely different catalog.   

Clicking on Lightroom Classic and holding the ALT key does not allow me to select an alternative catalog.

[JohanElzenga · Accepted solution]

Move this catalog out of the catalog folder, so Lightroom does not know where it is. Then start Lightroom with another catalog.

[cameronc34422968]

John, 

Thank you.  That got it working. I was able to open a different catalog, but it still wouldn't open the one I needed and there was no indication or alert of a corrupted catalog warning.  Using a backup catalog seems to have worked.  Thank you for solving the issue for me.