Lightroom classic doesn't open

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Lightroom classic 13.1 no longer opens. The startup screen appears briefly and then the startup process keeps aborting. I can't get it to run. My Mac has the following features: Mac mini, M2, 32 GB, 1TB Hard disk, Mac OS Ventura 13.6.3.

Many thanks in advance

Norbert

[JohanElzenga]

Try resetting the preferences: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-do-i-reset-lightrooms-preferences/

[Norbert3437926289l1]

I had already done this. I have also uninstalled and reinstalled the program. I had also deleted the .lrcat catalogs once before. I don't know what else I can try now.

[JohanElzenga]

Have you tried deleting the preferences manually? That is more thorough than using the reset key combo.

[Norbert3437926289l1]

I have now deleted everything Manuel. Nevertheless, Lightroom always crashes when I start the program. I now have no more ideas.

[JohanElzenga]

Try starting Lightroom Classic while you are logged in as a different user. That will show if it is the app itself, or some corrupted local help file. Adobe has a special Cleaner Tool that you can use to do a really clean install if necessary. https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Okay, LrC works on another user - but not on mine. When I use the tool, it only cleans LrC or all apps that I have installed from my subscription. Are all programs reset?

Norbert

[JohanElzenga]

It cleans everything from Adobe, but not things like your catalog and your images. You'll have to install the Creative Cloud app again, log in and install all your Adobe apps. It's just like starting from scratch. Do make a full disk backup first.

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Is it not possible to first uninstall and clean up everything that has to do with LrC using a tool? It is obviously only due to LrC, since everything else is running and the user test has shown that LrC is also running on a new user. Then only something that has to do with the program can be broken!

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Hello Mr. GoldingD,

i have now also worked through this. Unfortunately without success. The cleanup was successful but LrC still does not open.

I used the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and deleted Lightroom Classik, restarted the computer and then reinstalled LrC. Unfortunately without success!

Then I installed Lightroom 7.1.2. That runs perfectly!

Why isn't LrC running? Which programs from the Creativ Cloud work with LrC?

Do I have to delete the entire Creative Cloud and install it again? I don't know what to do now and would be very grateful for your help.

[JohanElzenga]

You must use the Cleaner tool to uninstall everything from Adobe. Did you do that (I never had to use this tool myself, so I don't know if you get any choices)? 

[Krisztina5EEB]

Hi All. Just got off the phone with Adobe support. I had them remotely connect to my computer. They looked around and found that the latest version of Lightroom classic catalogs was corrupt. He had to go to v12 update and start fresh without catalogs. Now it's working fine. Also he noted to make sure to back up at least once a week. Hope this helps for anyone reading. 

[GoldingD]

And you checked for and found no lock file left behind?

[JohanElzenga]

And you checked for and found no lock file left behind?

By @GoldingD

A .lock file should not prevent Lightroom Classic to open. It will throw up a dialog saying that the catalog is already in use by another application.

[GoldingD]

I have actually had that happen with no error message showing up. Typically I can repeat that situation by closing LrC and then quickly opening LrC (quicker that LrC can delete the lock file) So I have perhaps a bit of urban folklore history that the error message may not come up.

[GoldingD]

As to that computer account having issues with LrC. Have you looked at:

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/lightroom-basic-troubleshooting-fix-most-issues.html

Down towards the bottom, at "Troubleshoot user account permissions" and further down.

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Hello Mr. GoldingD,

i have now also worked through this. Unfortunately without success. The cleanup was successful but LrC still does not open.

I used the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and deleted Lightroom Classik, restarted the computer and then reinstalled LrC. Unfortunately without success!

Then I installed Lightroom 7.1.2. That runs perfectly!

Why isn't LrC running? Which programs from the Creativ Cloud work with LrC?

Do I have to delete the entire Creative Cloud and install it again? I don't know what to do now and would be very grateful for your help.

[GoldingD]

Time to give Adobe a chat and be assertive in the chat that you need an actual Adobe Tech so that they can call you and assist.

[Krisztina5EEB]

I am also having this same issue no matter what i do nothing happens and it wont open. I am running it on windows based. But still I'm losing my mind trying to figure this out.

[Jao vdL]

Since it worked fine in anoyther user account, the problem is something in your main user account. This unfortunately can be many many things and it is almost impossible to figure that out through posts on forums. The first thing to check is whether if you look in system preferences -> Login items, you see anything that makes no sense in the login items section as well as the "allow in background" section. A clean install of mac os and creative cloud will only have Adobe creative cloud there. Other things there are not necessarily a problem but could explain the problem. Second would be to start console.app and look for error messages that come up when trying to start Classic. There should also be a crash log in console. 

Have you tried starting Classic with the option key pressed? It will throw up a dialog that allows you to test the integrity of your catalog file, choose a different catalog, or to start with a whole new catalog. First try testing the catalog integrity, second and if that doesn't help, try to start with a new empty catalog. If those don't help, try deleting the folder ~/Library/Caches/Adobe and the ~/Library/Caches/Adobe Camera Raw 2 folder in your home directory and any of the com.Adobe.xxx folders you can find in the same ~/Library/Caches folder. Those are all just temperary files that will get recreated but might be corrutped causing your classic to crash on startup.

Lastly, since your Mac supports it, Update to Sonoma and see if it helps. 

[GoldingD]

hmmm issue with MACOS user account.

Yes, it can be very hard to fix that, Many would just state, create a new one and move on.

You may want to use the Internet, to use Google, and search on:

• How to repair a user account in MACOS
• How to rebuild a user account in MACOS
• How to fix a corrupted user account in MACOS
• etc.

[JohanElzenga]

@GoldingD Everybody appreciates that you are trying to help, but as you are a Windows user you should probably refrain from giving advice about MacOS. This has nothing to do with a 'corrupted' user account or a user account that needs to be 'fixed' or 'rebuilt'. This is about some local Adobe stuff that is corrupted or wrongly installed, or some third party stuff that interferes. As that stuff is absent in the other account , Lightroom runs fine in that account. Your advice would only sent the OP on a wild goose chase IMHO.

[turisma]

I also have a weird issue with both Lightroom and Lightroom Classic.

TLDR: Lightroom seems to have permission-related issues on macOS Sonoma.

I last used Lightrooms in December or early January, and it was ok. Suddenly, it's broken.

- Lightroom Classic sees any catalog (even backups stored in NAS) as corrupted

- I can't create a new catalog in a default location (~user/Pictures/)

- I can create a new catalog outside a default location, and then it works

- Sometimes the error says simply that Lightroom has no access to (~user/Pictures) - even if it has all needed permissions in macOS settings and even extra ones, I would say 🙂

- A 2-hour-long remote session with an Adobe technician didn't help solve that problem

- Lightroom CC stopped showing my photos stored in the cloud

- Add Photos button is disabled in Lightroom CC

I tried to clean my Mac manually using AppCleaner / CleanMyMac, but nothing helped.

I also ran a script to fix some permissions but had no luck here.

Now it's even worse - I installed the whole Adobe CC from scratch (again), and Lightroom displays an internal error as it can't save the library file. I managed to change the path, but no luck again (press ESC when the error dialog appears – clicking the button will close the whole app).

[Norbert3437926289l1]

Hello, I have now followed all the suggestions and tried to implement them. Unfortunately, nothing helped and I came to the decision to install Sonoma 14.3. But first I uninstalled LrC.

You won't believe it, but LrC doesn't work with it either. This can't be right! I'm slowly losing faith. What should I do now?

[GoldingD]

Hello, I have now followed all the suggestions and tried to implement them. Unfortunately, nothing helped and I came to the decision to install Sonoma 14.3. But first I uninstalled LrC.

You won't believe it, but LrC doesn't work with it either. This can't be right! I'm slowly losing faith. What should I do now?

By @Norbert3437926289l1

Start a chat with Adobe, Refer to this discussion during the chat, Provide all System Info (LrC version, Computer OS and version, RAM, CPU, GPU and GPU driver version) .

You may want to have that all set up in a text file before starting the chat.

Be assertive in requiring an actual Adobe Tech contacts you. Have them assist.

When Adobe calls (cross fingers) keep very good notes, maybe even have a video capture running, as to allow you to share info back.