Lightroom Classic crashing on start (tried re-installing, renaming preferences file)

[javoza]

My LR Classic shows the splash screen for about 2 seconds, then crashes.

I have uninstalled and re-installed using Creative Cloud. No luck. Tried renaming the preferences file (com.adobe.LightroomClassicCC7.plist), no luck.

I am on a macOS Monterey (12.6, 21G115)

Any ideas?

P.S. Does Adobe offer chat support? If yes, they hide it well. Can anyone direct me to the route to get there? (I am UK based)

[AxelMatt]

Please try is to switch off the GPU support from the Lightroom preferences and check if that helps to fix the issue. 

Go to Lightroom > Preferences > Performance tab > Uncheck "Use Graphics Processor" > Restart Lightroom. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/troubleshoot-gpu.html 

  

If Lightroom doesn't start correctly the please see "Solution 2" in the document behind the link below. 

Troubleshoot GPU issues | Lightroom Classic (adobe.com) 

  

If this doesn't help we need more informations about your environment. 

Which version of Lightroom do you use? 

Please post the exact version and not only phrases as "recent", "latest" and so on. 

Do you get an error message? If yes, please post the exact message or an screenshot.  

[javoza]

Thanks for your reply, Axel.

As you can see, there is no 'useAutoBahn' line in the *.plist file (search = 0):

The problem started with Lightroom 12.1, but I downgraded to 12.01 in the hope it would be resolved — the problem still persists with this older version.

I get 0 error messages, it doesn't have a chance to get to that point.

LR was working absolutely fine until I was forced to uninstall and re-install Dropbox. I will fully uninstall it again and see if this helps...

[AxelMatt]

Scroll down to the end of the preference file.

Here a screenshot of my file. These lines are at the end of the file.

Change the line "useAutoBahn = true," into "useAutoBahn = false," and the try again.

If there's no entry useAutoBahn you can insert the line manually.

[javoza]

There's no entry, so added it. It did not resolve the issue.

[javoza]

Completely uninstalling Dropbox (including using the 'sudo' commands here: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall), restarting, uninstalling Lightroom from within Creative Cloud, restarting, installing the latest version of Lightroom Classic, restarting...

Has not resolved the issue.

[DdeGannes]

@javoza , what role does Dropbox have to play in your workflow with Lightroom Classic?

[javoza]

It's significant. You've given me an idea. I'll try adding a user to my Mac that doesn't have Dropbox installed, and see if that allows Lightroom to load. 

Dropbox has been extremely buggy lately. 

[DdeGannes · Accepted solution]

The reason I asked Lightroom needs access to your original image files so if you use Dropbox store image files you need to ensure that copies are retained on your computer and not just in Cloud Storage. Also not a good idea to have the Lightroom Classic Catalog and related data support files in Dropbox.

[javoza · Accepted solution]

Dropbox Backup (their backup service) is NOT supposed to delete ANYTHING from your computer. Well, it turns out it had been. I've lost images as well as important files that Lightroom clearly relies on. Will be deleting Dropbox (Both 'Backup' and the standard service) and stopping the $12 monthly payment they've been taking from me for the last 5 years. Utterly infuriating.

I resolved the issue: Set up a new user that does not have Dropbox's mangled file system enabled, and Lightroom opens and works like a charm.

[TheDigitalDog]

I resolved the issue: Set up a new user that does not have Dropbox's mangled file system enabled, and Lightroom opens and works like a charm.

By @javoza

I thought you reported back after the suggestion that LR still crashed. 

Did you try a new (clean) user account?

[TheDigitalDog]

Zero issues with Dropbox on Mac (for a very long time) here. 

What could you have possibly placed in the Dropbox folder that is associated with Lightroom Classic? 

As outlined, placing your catalog there is a bad idea. 

[javoza]

You're very lucky then. I never had any problems with Dropbox until I upgraded to OS Monterey. 

As I've already pointed out, I'm talking about Dropbox *Backup*. It's does a backup of your Mac, application folder included. (You can select which folders and files it backs up [read: corrupts and deletes] but by the time I'd realised what it was doing, the damage had already been done.) 

[javoza]

A new, "clean" Apple user account, yes. That's the only thing that worked (I had Adobe support working on my computer remotely for 3 hours). 

[TheDigitalDog]

A new, "clean" Apple user account, yes. That's the only thing that worked (I had Adobe support working on my computer remotely for 3 hours). 

By @javoza

Suggested here: “Try logging into another user account (you may need to make one), still crashing? “

Reply: “ I have seen this exact reply to other posts, and have followed these instructions. They don't resolve the issue unfortunately. ”

 Logging into a different user account worked or didn't work? 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

We’ve reviewed the email address you use with this forum and find no crash reports in our system.

Did you see a crash dialog?

Do you use a different email address when filling out the crash report?

Was the crash dialog Adobe’s? Apple’s? 

[javoza]

Lightroom does not load (get gets to the splash screen for about 1 second then dies), so there's no crash report. 

[TheDigitalDog]

Try logging into another user account (you may need to make one), still crashing? 
Try starting up in Safe mode (hold down Shift Key when booting), still crashing? 
You might want to try running a free utility like Onyx: still crashing? 
https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html
Also view:
https://www.macworld.com/article/352902/onyx-review-macos.html
https://www.macworld.com/article/224955/how-to-reset-a-macs-nvram-pram-and-smc.html
From Adobe:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-troubleshooting.html

[javoza]

I have seen this exact reply to other posts, and have followed these instructions. They don't resolve the issue unfortunately. 

[javoza]

When I initially started troubleshooting this, I thought you meant a different *Abode* account. If course, that didn't work. 

It is now clear you meant setting up a new user on my Mac (that didn't have Dropbox on it). Pity I didn't check what you meant earlier; it would have saved me a day of tearing my hair out. 

[TheDigitalDog]

Booting in Safe Mode should have disabled Dropbox too.

[javoza]

But remember, Dropbox Backup had deleted/corrupted important LR files by then, so the safe boot did not resolve the problem. 

[TheDigitalDog]

But remember, Dropbox Backup had deleted/corrupted important LR files by then, so the safe boot did not resolve the problem. 

By @javoza

I'm sorry, but this 'fix' isn't clear enough for anyone who may come here looking at a similar issue and fix. 

Dropbox deleted what? How did it magically return by logging into a new user account? One where presumably it wasn't supposed to be running anyway. 

[javoza]

It 'magically reappeared' when Lightroom was re-installed on a user account that didn't have Dropbox *Backup's* messed up filing system, where folders that have been selected to be backed up are in fact aliases (but the folder icon is edited to look like it's not an alias... until Dropbox is deleted). 

Have I said something that upset you? Are you being paid by Dropbox?

When the Adobe support person realised how Dropbox *Backup* actually worked and how it messes with Apple's filing system, she came to the same conclusion, and she had the solution 10 minutes later. This was after 3 hours of trying. Her name is Sugeeta, and she was excellent.

I've had to explain to you twice how Dropbox *Backup* works. But, as it appears you're, for some reason, very upset that I would dare to suggest that Dropbox *Backup* (not normal Dropbox, that's fine) might be deleting files that it's not supposed to, I will no longer be replying to these unfortunate messages. I have better things to do with my time. 

[TheDigitalDog]

No I'm not upset. No I don't work for Dropbox. I'm looking for clarity should others come to this forum I volunteer to support with (as often as possible) correct solutions.

Do you know what files were deleted? If you don't fine, just tell us you don't.

BTW, not much difference between free Dropbox and paid Dropbox Backup and how/why it affected you is unclear:

“The Dropbox Backup plan is a paid subscription that provides all the space you need to back up one computer and one external hard drive to Dropbox Backup. Details on what types of devices are covered under your Dropbox Backup Plan are provided below.

The Dropbox Backup plan includes all the features of the Dropbox Basicplan, plus additional storage space, access to Dropbox Rewind, and no device sign-in limit.”