Lightroom Classic won't start

[robertpbrisbane]

When I try to open the program I get the blue circle for a couple of seconds then nothing happens. I have logged out and back in with no success, reloaded the program again no success. It was working fine last week and now nothing. I am using windows 10 with the latest update for Lightroom.

[GoldingD]

Have you checked for a lock file?

[robertpbrisbane]

Not that I can see (with my limited knowledge)

[robertpbrisbane]

I have just found 2 locked files which I have removed with no success, but now there are 2 files disappearing and reappearing (flashing). 1 with "shm" at the end of the name and the other with "wal"

[GoldingD]

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/lightroom-error-catalog-cannot-be-opened-lrcat-lock.htm...

[johnrellis]

"there are 2 files disappearing and reappearing (flashing). 1 with "shm" at the end of the name and the other with "wal""

Those are a normal part of LR's operation and will get created when LR starts and deleted when LR exits.

[GoldingD]

shm and wal files created at catalog start, used by the SQL database that is the catalog,  can be ignored. If deleted, they will just get recreated. 

[robertpbrisbane]

I have removed all locked files and still Lightroom won't open. Here is a screen shot of the folder with the catalogue, not sure why there are so many. Maybe this is the issue?

[johnrellis]

Those .lrcat-wal and .lrcat-shm files are a symptom, not a cause. LR is starting, then initializing the database (which creates those files), then terminating abnormally (preventing those files from getting deleted as they normally would).

[GoldingD]

And to double check, when in the file manager you just posted a screenshot of, you double click on the latest catalog, nothing happens?

P.S. I notice you have a backup folder in that drive. Is this where you are keeping your backups of your catalogs? On the same hard drive as the catalogs> Bad form, if this hard drive goes Kaput, so does the backups. Backups should be on other hard drives, preferably multiple hard drives, including external.

[robertpbrisbane · Accepted solution]

Still nothing when I click on the latest catalogue, I do have and update backup catalogue on external hard drives. I just clicked on the latest backup and boom!!! it worked. Shouls I delete the original catalouge and move the backup into the main file?

[Rob_Cullen · Accepted solution]

Don't delete the original catalog just yet. Move it to another location.

But yes, COPY the 'backup' catalog from the backup location to the {Lightroom} folder and [double-click] on this .lrcat file to 'Open' it.

[Rob_Cullen]

Post a screen-clip or the report from  the MENU: HELP > SYSTEM INFO....

On my Windows Laptop with 8GB of RAM, a large Catalog is quite slow to open. If I so much as click the mouse before all data in LrC is visible and 'loaded' (thumbnail info, badges, folders, image histogram, etc) my LrC goes into a "Not Responding" mode for a long period of time (1-2 minutes).  Do you allow the Catalog to fully load?

A Queenslander? 🙂

[Rob_Cullen]

Worth a try!_ I might suggest that you stop the sync with OneDrive for all files in the Lightroom Catalog Folder. LrC does not 'like' files syncing (to OneDrive) while it is accessing same, especially the Catalog.

Every tiny change to the Catalog is attempting to sync as changes happen.

[Buffalogrr]

I'm having the same problem. It was working fine until it wasn't. That may have been some time around the installation of LR Downloader...which has been deleted. Or, not!  Here is what I've tried.... I have tried deleting the lock file, restarting, reinstalling LrC and ARC. Can't get the preferences [ALT-SHIFT] thing to work. LtC won't start with ARC, the shortcut nor the catalog. Sometimes, I get three LrC files running in the Task Manager, but usually only one. Regardless, neither is functional. I've also created an exception in the AVG anti virus. Now what?

[Rob_Cullen]

No answer, just some info-

"Can't get the preferences [ALT-SHIFT] thing to work."

You must hold down both [ALT] and [SHIFT] and keep holding as you start LrC, until you see this dialog appear-

Note: If you have other Apps or windows open on screen the dialog may be hidden under the other window.

Or you can use File Explorer to manually delete the Preferences {.agprefs} file-

C:\Users\{YourUserName}\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences

(The Startup Preferences file keeps track of the Catalogs you open- No need to delete)

"the installation of LR Downloader.."

The Lightroom Downloader is mostly for Lr (Cloud based) users intending to cancel their subscription and need to download their photos from the Cloud Storage. It is of no use for LrC users!  LrC can automatically 'Sync' all photos from the Adobe Cloud.

"I get three LrC files running in the Task Manager,"

Unusual. I see one App running, with three sub-components- all ok.

"LtC won't start with ARC,"

If you mean ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) then LrC does not 'open' files from ACR. LrC will only open Catalogs.

ACR is only required if sending files to Photoshop. ACR is a Plugin for Photoshop.

As a final resort for problems you might run the Adobe Cleaner Tool App and start with a fresh install of all Apps.

Be sure you backup catalogs first.

CLEANER TOOL LINK

[S01AC]

My Classic won't open either. It starts up in "Background processes" but the app does not open. I tried resettng the preferences and that did not work. I unistalled and re-installed the app twice and the same results, not launch. This just doesn't make sense. I also had Classic running on a laptop and that crashed on me after the program launched. What's up with Lightroom Classic?

[kates18752130]

My classic won't open on my iMac either. Uninstalled, reinstalled, manually deleted the prefs...just get the endless spinning rainbow wheel. I even updated my OS to Ventura to see if that would work. It didn't. I'm at a loss. Tried everything on line that I can find. Help us Adobe!!

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

This is an old thread marked 'Solved' it is very unlikely to be related to your issue. See the solution at this link: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-lrc-12-2-1-fails-to-start-launch-or-is-extre... 

[kates18752130]

OMG! THANK YOU!!  That finally did it! The metrics.json file had to go! 

[Ray26308017vri5]

Thank you!!!!

This fixed this issue for me. I have been unable to work for 2 days.