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bernadettes7139791
Participant
November 1, 2017
Answered

Lightroom issues using External hard drives

  • November 1, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 3976 views

I'm going to do my best to explain what is happening. This issue started earlier this week prior to updating to Classic CC. I was hoping that might fix it, but it didn't.

I currently store all of my wedding photos on one external hard drive and other photos on another external hard drive so I am using two different external drives at a time. Up until this week I haven't had an issue. However, it seems that Lightroom is mixing up the drives.

When I view which files are on each drive in my computer file explorer everything is there. However, when i pull up my lightroom library no matter if I have only one drive or both plugged into a USB port, shows files that don't exist on one drive but grayed out with ? on them. It also isn't showing files in the library that I had already imported from that drive and was editing less than a week ago. Even stranger, if I hit import all of the correct files that should be on the drive show as an option to import. Only problem is I already edited most of them, I don't want to start all over with the raw files. I also don't want to work with jpegs I already exported. I just want my original library back so that I can continue editing the files in the library that were previously there.

The files were not moved in any way on the drive, outside of lightroom either.

Why is lightroom mixing up two separate drives in the library and how do I get my folders back in my library to continue editing?

Please help.

I have tried restarting my laptop. Taking the battery out even. Closing and opening lightroom a whole bunch of times with and without any drives plugged in. Also updating to the newest version.

Thank you in advance!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer JoeKostoss

    Adding to the response by dj_paige​, sometimes the EHD does not load properly.  Check using Finder to determine if it is loaded.  If not, simple unplug the EHD and plug it back in.  It will usually load at this point and should be visible in Lightroom.

    3 replies

    P
    PrairiePearl
    Participant
    November 7, 2017

    bernadettes7139791  wrote

    It also isn't showing files in the library that I had already imported from that drive and was editing less than a week ago.

    I am having this same problem on Mac OSX.  It has been driving me batty.  Sometimes a restart of LR Classic will solve it.  Sometimes an entire system reboot will solve it.  Two other times I had to re-import the RAW files from the external drive they were originally saved to when I did the initial import.

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    November 7, 2017

    I'm not a Mac expert, but some drives "go to sleep" or are otherwise unknown to the operating system, until such an event happens (like restarting the computer) to "wake the drive up". There may be a way to "wake the drive up" that don't involve restarting the computer, but I'll let a Mac expert get into those details.

    B
    Community Expert
    Bill SpragueCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 1, 2017

    I'm with dj_paige.  My windows system has changed the drive letter several times.  I've never pinpointed when, but I suspect it is when I plug in a drive to the laptop when it is already running.  Where is usually happens is when I already have the primary drive plugged in and running when I plug in another drive used to backup up the first.

    Bill

      Todd Shaner
      Todd Shaner
      Legend
      November 2, 2017

      dj_paige has replied with the correct solution. Follow the procedure at the link provided by dj_paige and assign permanent drive letters using the higher letters O through Z. This way the drive letters E through N allow adding up to ten mass-storage devices before you run into the same problem. Letters O though Z are reserved for adding up to ten external drives.

      EXAMPLE

      C: System Drive

      D: DVD Optical Drive

      E: Memory Card Reader

      F: USB Flash Drive

      G: iPhone

      etc.

      O: Backup External Drive

      P: Pictures External Drive

      Q: 2nd Pictures External Drive

      Q: 3rd Pictures External Drive

      etc.

        dj_paige
        dj_paige
        Legend
        November 1, 2017

        If this is Windows, then Windows can change the drive letter used for your external drives, and that is the cause of the problem.

        The solution is to change the drive letters back to what LR expects them to be, and everything will be fine. How to Change a Drive Letter (Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP)

        In the future, if you assign drive letters near the end of the alphabet to your two external drives, this changing of drive letters should not happen. Then you would have to re-link the photos inside of Lightroom following these instructions (See Figure 4 and associated text): Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

          S
          shayb68441784
          Inspiring
          December 20, 2019

          Thanks for this tip dj! I've also had issues with drive letters changing. Love the idea of using higher letters!!

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