Lightroom missed importing folders of images

[LibraR]

I had to do a clean install of OSX Monterey on my iMac and before doing so I copied/backed up my images in Lightroom classic to an external HDD.    

Now on the fresh system in I have copied the 'Lightroom' folder back over to 'Pictures' folder on my iMac HDD and now Lightroom is missing folders on the pane on the left, but these folders are in the the the back up folder (lightroom) on my hard drive.   It is like Lightroom has missed importing these folders/images into lightroom isteself.  

How do I fix this?

Do I just import the folders manually or can I use a previous catalog (not sure which one) to fix this?

[dj_paige]

I think more detail would be helpful here. You said you copied your images to an external HDD. Did you also copy the catalog file(s)? You don't mention that. If so, what happens when you open the catalog file? You don't even say you opened the catalog file.

Your title mentions importing folders, were you doing an import of some sort? If so please explain.

When you say folders are missing, does that mean there is a question mark icon on the folders? Or does that mean the folders simply don't appear in LrC.

Please note: There is NO IMPORTING photos or folders in this process. This is so important, I am going to say it again. There is NO IMPORTING photos or folders in this process. No matter how badly you think you should import photos or folders, do not import photos or folders.

[LibraR]

Appoliges.  I backed the whole folder with catolog files (copy and paste) to the external HDD before the frest installation of OSX Monterey.   I have copied that same folder back to my iMac HDD on the fresh system.

The folders are missing in LrC - 'dont appear'.   In one instance,  so inside the Lightroom folder  i have one called Motorsport, and inside this I have sub folders each titled a year, e.g 2006, 2007 2008 etc.  I am missing 2018, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 - which all have subfolders inside of them. 

(but these 'missing folders are in the Lightroom folder in Pictures on my iMac's HDD)

[dj_paige]

Okay, please comment on these issues as well:

• what happens when you open the catalog file? You don't even say you opened the catalog file. Is it a blank catalog file? Is it a catalog which contains some (but not all) photos?
• Your title mentions importing folders, were you doing an import of some sort? If so please explain.

[LibraR]

Point 1) when I first opened Lightroom Classic it asked me to update the catolog to the latest version. which I have now done.

Point 2) no imports at all.

Below I have attached the Lightroom folder on my imac that Lightroom Classic uses... and also the folders in lightroom Classic 

[GoldingD]

In your first screen capture, how is it that you have a v14 catalog? Is that a name you applied? Or a name a lrC upgrade applied. Just checked, and at least in the U.S. v14 is not yet available (nore even hinted at). You are not using a Beta copy are you? Appears odd.

[LibraR]

...I named this myself...Im now guessing by your comment I maybe should not have...  (Can I rename it?) 

[GoldingD]

...I named this myself...Im now guessing by your comment I maybe should not have...  (Can I rename it?) 

By @LibraR

Nah, it just adds a bit of confusion to community members looking at issues as that is how a catalog upgraded to v14 will look. So I had to ask, just in case. You can name them as you see fit. Other members when they see that will just have to inquire as to make sure.

[dj_paige]

Hello @LibraR I would like to continue helping but my web browser cannot display your file attachments. Please use the "Insert Photos" icons to include your screen captures in your reply.

[LibraR]

[LibraR]

What should I rename that catolog to if 14 is wrong?   v3.3??  or 

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

What should I rename that catolog to if 14 is wrong?   v3.3??  or 

By @LibraR

Name of the catalog is irrelevant, and is not the cause of your problems.

when I first opened Lightroom Classic it asked me to update the catolog to the latest version. which I have now done.

Thank you for the screen captures. Your 2018 through 2023 folder under Motorsport are not there, the most likely reason is that you have upgraded the wrong catalog file, you need to find the one with those folders and upgrade that catalog.

Also, the screen capture you provided does not support the statement that you made that your operating system shows these folders under Motorsport.

[LibraR]

Thank you for your help.  I don't know what you said above, but it somehow triggered something and I think I have 'fixed' my Lightroom.    I copied over (replaced) the Lightroom folder from my backup external to my iMac and looked closley at the catolog files and opened the lastest one from when I last did anyting in LrC. and so far so good.  

It does look like I need to 'declutter' the old lightroom cotalogues - Do I remove (back up to external) the older versions looking at the date modified age.    This attached is JUST the catologue files.  You can see this evenings activity.  Do I remove and/or delete (permanetely) 2018-2019, 2022,   leaving just 29th Oct 2023 and Today (08/01/24)?  or..... any help here would also be great.  

[GoldingD]

Well that brings up, and your screenshot bring up a observation.

Old catalog.

It is fine to keep the old catalog, previous catalog, but you might want to move them to a different hard drive. Some keep the old catalogs as protection, a form of backup. Now as you are probably not actually using them, and they eat up hard drive space, you might want to move them to a different hard drive, or the cloud, or a NAS, wherever you can keep them safe.

As for keeping say two versions of the same catalog using the same LrC version, if you will continue accepting the LrC default name/rename structure during upgrades, then yes, probably drop the v14 bit and use something else.

By the way a catalog does not have to be named "Lightroom Catalog" the name can be anything you like as long as OS file name limitations are adhered to. A nice descriptive name that makes sense to you works.

You may have noticed that LrC can eat up lots of hard drive space, just the catalog and the Library previews eat up space. Eventually they may just eat up all the hard drive. So file management is called for.

[GoldingD · Accepted solution]

Additional file structure observations

Looking at that screenshot showing all those catalog. Is that all under one folder? Perhaps if you scroll up the folder would be apparent. or are all those folders separate folders in your MAC Hard Drive. Curious

• I note that you have a folder called backups on whatever hard drive that is. Are those your LrC catalog and Photo backups? Bad location, they should be on separate media, be that a different hard drive internal, or external, a NAS, the Cloud, where ever, and preferably multiple. That hard drive breaks, your originals and your backups break.