Lightroom Classic closes after splash screen on M1 iMac running macOS 11.5.1

[TXGuy]

I've downloaded creative cloud and installed. I then installed Lightroom Classic through the Creative Cloud. Whenever I try to launch Lightroom Classic it immediately closes shortly after the splash screen appears.

I spent two hours with Adobe tech support who took remote control and tried random things... NONE of which solved the issue. I'm still left WITHOUT a functioning software even though I've payed for it.

I am running a brand new Apple iMac M1 computer with Big Sur 11.5.1 .

I have already tried the recommended solution of...
1. Signing out and signing back into Creative Cloud
2. Changing the SLCache and SLStore folders to the "SLCacheold" and "SLStoreold"
3. I have uninstalled and re-installed both Creative Clould and Lightroom Classic THREE TIMES NOW

This has taken OVER four hours of my time now. I'm very frustrated.

{Thread title edited by moderator}

[TXGuy]

OK! YOU are the first person to find something that helped! I tried both steps.

1. Holding down option did nothing. I only saw the splash screen for 1 second and then nothing.

2. Creating the "new user" works! Lightroom Classic opens and runs on the "new user". SO, now the question is... why is that??? And how do I get it to work on my main "user" account? What do I do now?

[TXGuy]

OK! YOU are the first person to find something that helped! I tried both steps.

1. Holding down option did nothing. I only saw the splash screen for 1 second and then nothing.

2. Creating the "new user" works! Lightroom Classic opens and runs on the "new user". SO, now the question is... why is that??? And how do I get it to work on my main "user" account? What do I do now?

[Michael J. Hoffman]

Hi TXGuy,

I'm answering here rather than in a personal message so that others can benefit in the future maybe. 

I don't know exactly the reason why your original profile doesn't work. But since it works on a new user profile, we know for sure that the install is good and there's nothing wrong with your system. Whatever is creating the issue is a corruption somewhere within your user profile. 

I know this would mean yet another uninstall and reinstall, but have you tried the CC Cleaner script tool that Golding mentioned above? If you run it from your original account, maybe it will clean up some cruft that is causing the issue. 

Other than that, we will need someone from Adobe to jump back in and give a clue what to look for to clean this issue out of your original user account. 

Sorry that I can't offer any better guidance, but at least we have narrowed the problem way down. 

[TXGuy]

I did run that tool and it did NOT change or help anything on my main "mac user". The only way I can get Lightroom Classic to run is when I switch to the "new user". Thank you for helping to narrow it down! 

What about making the "new user" into my main user account and deleting the old "main user"? Is that feasible?  

[GoldingD]

First, thank you to TXGuy for entering the discussion. I for  one completely overlooked computer user account problems. Even though it is in troubleshooting documents. Agg....

Moving on, In the reference below, scroll way down to  "Troubleshoot user account permissions"

(ref 1) Adobe | Basic troubleshooting steps to fix issues in Lightroom Classic

I think additional Adobe support documents on this exist.

this article mentions making a new computer account:

(ref 2)  The Lightroom Queen | Standard Lightroom Troubleshooting Steps

see small tip #11, leads to:

(ref 3) Apple | MACOS User Guide; Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

[TXGuy]

Yes, the new user fixed the problem but ONLY on the "new user" account. How do I get it to work on my "main user" account now? That is the question. (fyi I am the author of this post).

[GoldingD]

It might be simpler to abandon that old account.

By the way, is the new account a standard account? That is best practice, see (ref 1)

And the old account, that was a user account, and not the Admin account, correct?

(ref 1) : 6 things that can be done to secure a Mac

[Ian Lyons]

Your LrC startup preferences (not the same as LrC preferences) may be corrupt. Search for a file named 'Lightroom Classic CC 7 Startup Preferences.agprefs' and delete. Alternatively, you can find it at Users/~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Preferences.

Note that when you remove above named file and try to relaunch the application in the normal way it will create a new catalog. So, best you first locate the catalog (file ending in lrcat) that you actually use, then double click on it. This should relaunch LrC into the correct catalog.

[TXGuy]

UPDATE

Ok guys, so now I've got it to where LrC will open and run. HOWEVER, I get an error message everytime upon launching the program. The error message says, "Unexpected error opening catalog". I've attached a screen shot here. Upon clicking "try again" the program launches and seems to work just fine. If I click "choose different catalog" then it gives me the option to create a new catalog or choose the existing one... either option works. BUT as soon as I quit the program and launch it again, I get this same "Unexpected error opening catalog" message. Any ideas on how to get past this last hurdle? 

I've done every single thing you have all suggested so far. The only thing I haven't done is abondon my Mac "user account" for the "new user" account yet. Both accounts are set as "admin" currently, and like a already mentioned, LrC works perfectly on that "new user" account (Mac).  I've done so much prep work getting everything the way I want it on this new computer that it would be a big bummer to start over.

[Ian Lyons]

Each catalog has its own unique settings file. So, the issue is not catalog specific. That points back to the preferences file or more specifically something that LrC is trying to load when launching.

Do you by any chance have the Logitech Plugin installed? If yes, then see:

 https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-classic/lightroom-silently-installed-logitech...

[TXGuy]

No I don't have that plugin. I have no plugins whatsoever yet. Thanks.

[GoldingD]

Now that you can. Please post your System Information as Lightroom Classic (LrC) reports it. In LrC click on Help, then System Info, then Copy. Paste that information into a reply. Please present all information from first line down to and including Plug-in Info. Info after Plug-in info can be cut as that is just so much dead space to us non-Techs.

[TXGuy]

Ok, will do! Stand by.

[TXGuy]

Lightroom Classic version: 10.3 [ 202105281559-8dc50eb4 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-US
Operating system: Mac OS 11
Version: 11.5.1 [20G80]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 8
Processor speed: NA
SqLite Version: 3.34.0
Built-in memory: 8,192.0 MB
Real memory available to Lightroom: 4,096.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 452.9 MB (11.0%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 401,607.6 MB
Memory cache size: 0.0MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 13.3 [ 807 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 0MB / 4095MB (0%)
Camera Raw real memory: 1MB / 4096MB (0%)
Displays: 1) 4480x2520

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M1

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/michaelchance/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom Catalog.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/michaelchance/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Facebook
4) Flickr
5) Nikon Tether Plugin

Config.lua flags: None

AudioDeviceIOBlockSize: 512
AudioDeviceName: $$$/dvaaudiodevice/SystemDefaultAndEffectiveDeviceName=System Default - iMac Speakers#{comment}DVAAU-4201250: Open the audio hardware preferences page.
AudioDeviceNumberOfChannels: 2
AudioDeviceSampleRate: 48000
Build: Uninitialized
CoreImage: true
GL_ACCUM_ALPHA_BITS: 0
GL_ACCUM_BLUE_BITS: 0
GL_ACCUM_GREEN_BITS: 0
GL_ACCUM_RED_BITS: 0
GL_ALPHA_BITS: 8
GL_BLUE_BITS: 8
GL_DEPTH_BITS: 32
GL_GREEN_BITS: 8
GL_MAX_3D_TEXTURE_SIZE: 2048
GL_MAX_TEXTURE_SIZE: 16384
GL_MAX_TEXTURE_UNITS: 8
GL_MAX_VIEWPORT_DIMS: 16384,16384
GL_RED_BITS: 8
GL_RENDERER: Apple M1
GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION: 1.20
GL_STENCIL_BITS: 8
GL_VENDOR: Apple
GL_VERSION: 2.1 Metal - 71.7.1
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[Franco5C90]

any news on this issue?