LR catalog disappeared

[RoRo]

I restarted my computer last week.  When I tried to open LR (mine is the pale blue "Lr" in the middle of black square w/pale blue border and square corners; opens with a purple flower on a black background and says Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop Lightroom CC), it's showing NO catalog at all.  I get a message that says "Lightroom must be upgraded before it can continue syncing with Lightroom mobile." I do pay the monthly fee and updates are done automatically. My Creative Cloud desktop shows this icon as v 6.0 and up to date. But it also shows icons LrC v 12.4 and LR (brighter blue w/rounded corners) - both of which are up to date.  If I open the latter LR, it shows 93 random photos of mine, but doesn't look at all like what I've been using with the develop module.  Can someone help me figure out how to get my catalog back...and the edits that have been done on all my photos?

[Rob_Cullen]

You have TWO versions of Lightroom-Classic installed!  v6.14 (aka CC 2015.14) and v12.4

And you need to run the 12.4 Version to allow Cloud Sync features. (v6 won't do.)

Uninstall v6.0 from the Desktop App. You don't need it any more.

As for Catalogs- search your system with File Explorer and search for Files that have the .LRCAT file-type, these are Catalogs (if more than one). By default may be in a sub-folder of the Pictures folder.

When you open any 'old v6' catalog with v12.4 (by a [Double-Click] on the .LRCAT file) it will ask you to upgrade the catalog. That is OK to do (AND Rename!)- and continue to work with v12.4

CATALOGS- HOW THEY WORK

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/create-catalogs.html

This 'Lightroom' in your CC App is the Cloud Version

Do not run, or use it, until you have Lightroom-Classic 12.4 operating successfully, and you are aware of the differences! COMPARE LIGHTROOM & LIGHTROOM-CLASSIC FEATURES 

[RoRo]

Thank you for your response! I've been trying to read up on all that you sent and I've concluded that me and Lightroom are like me and my farm equipment...I'm pretty good it running it and minor repairs, but I really stink at fixing the major stuff!! 🙂  I did uninstall v 6.0.  I attempted to bring over the catalog, but wasn't completely successful.  Nothing after 2018 was brought over, and part of my collections are missing (pics attached).  I tried to look at the .lrcat file and it all seems "old" as far as the date goes (4 pics of what I get when I search).  I back up my catalog at least weekly, so I'm confused.  Do you have any insight on what I'm doing wrong and how I can get the last 5 years back into the catalog?  Again, many thanks for your help and trying to work with a clueless soul like me!

[Rob_Cullen]

In your screen-clips , the latest Backup was January 2022! So if you backup weekly, there must be something later than this somewhere. On another drive maybe?

When you find a recent backup- post back for more advice.

RESTORE A CATALOG FROM BACKUP

A 'tidy up' is long overdue with your files. You have multiple catalogs, the 'largest' of which is-

But size may not determine if it is indeed the 'latest', containing all your year folders.

And you have many Backup files.

The only way to tell is to open each catalog (by a [Double-click] on the .LRCAT file) and note its contents.

Be aware that LrC v12.4 will want to create an upgraded version of each Lr6 one you open- Give it a name that makes sense to you (a -v12 suffix?). When you find the catalog with all your photos- note it carefully, and remove all others to an archive.

I also see two ".LOCK" files in your clips. These "LOCK" files will prevent a Catalog from opening with an error message. DELETE any "LOCK" files before you try opening similar named catalogs.

[RoRo]

     After some time spent searching I came up with some more recent stuff...2 of the most recent stuff attached.  The latest was 6/12, but there are multiple things listed and I'm not sure what to use.  Also some zip file from 6/11 on back.  Can you advise which one I should use to restore?

     Also, the large file you mentioned is from 6/25, which is the date I tried (only partially successfully) to restore the catalog from the most recent thing I found.  Maybe I didn't manage to do that right??

[Rob_Cullen]

Well I am getting lost and confused like you-

Did you Uninstall v6.0 Lightroom? Then you can be sure that opening any catalog .LRCAT file will be using v12.4 Lightroom-Classic.

So this catalog  "Lightroom Catalog.lrcat" appears to be the one you have been using and consistently making Backups. (6/12/2023   and the 'largest' at 833MB)

But there is a corresponding "Lock" file, so this catalog will NOT open until you delete the LOCK file.

The last backup of this file (shown in your clips) is dated 6/11/2023

Now you also have an 'Upgraded' v12 Catalog 6/30/2023  364MB,  But I do not know how or which catalog you used to upgrade to this v12. (Twice, in fact, indicated by the -2-v12)

So try this- (after uninstalling v6.0 in the CC Desktop App.)

1) Delete that .LOCK file with File Explorer

2) [Double-Click] the mouse on  {Lightroom Catalog.lrcat}  (the one that is shown as 'Type: Adobe Lightroom Classic')

It is also preferable that you make screen-clips with the Windows OS Snipping Tool:  (Not by photographing) and use the Icon [Insert Photos] above the text box to add your screen-clips (ie. Do not 'Attach').

Windows Snipping Tool: 

[RoRo]

Ok, so now I am confused....again/more.  And sorry, should have been using the snip tool all along.

Yes, I did attempt a couple of upgrades on 6/25.  On the first one I'm pretty sure I did NOT rename the catalog (I just missed that step in your instructions).  But I did rename on the second one, and it was also a more current .LRCAT file I had found.  Even so, it was still only 2018 I think.  That was all BEFORE I found the 6/2023 ones at a different location.

I did uninstall the v6.0 (I think on 6/30). 

My delete of the "lock" file did not act like it was successful, but afterward when I searched the drive for .LRCAT files, the "lock" one did not show up.  So I hope I'm good on that.

In the above instructions, you say to double click on this file

In doing so, it opens up LrC with the partially upgraded catalog (from what I did on 6/25 that shows only through 2018).  And it doesn't do anything else.

My issues started (catalog disappeared) in mid-June.  Should I try to upgrade using this

which is from 6/12.  Or try to upgrade using the zip file like this one you reference above from 6/11?

Sorry if I've misunderstood your directions!

[Rob_Cullen]

"

My issues started (catalog disappeared) in mid-June.  Should I try to upgrade using this which is from 6/12.

Yes, Give it a try. No harm can be done. The upgrade makes a copy of the catalog that it upgrades. (Rename it very distinctly in the upgrade dialog!)

Or try to upgrade using the zip file like this one you reference above from 6/11?

It was a backup from a day before the {Lightroom Catalog.lrcat  6/12} was last used, but it may have all the data if you did not do edits, imports, etc, on the 12/11.

Note directions in the link  RESTORE A CATALOG FROM BACKUP !- Do not let a backup extracted from the ZIP overwrite the existing .lrcat file. Use a different folder to extract.