LRC dropping files

[ImaRetiredTeacher]

Hello fellow photogs,

I am having a major issue with LRC. After processing images from a particular shoot, when I came back to them the next day, they were gone. I lost all my editing and had to re-import them. I have the box that tells it not to import duplicates checked, so it's obvious they were in fact gone! Even the Collection and its Collection Set were missing. 

It's obviously frustrating to lose hours worth of work. Has anyone else had this problem or is LRC acting up in any way?

This is a new computer running Windows 11, (roughly 2 months old) so I'd like to think it has nothing to do with it. I do pay monthly and am starting to wonder if buying the program might stop weird things from happening. The most recent update was supposed to stop the crashes when masking, but there has been no change for me. After I mask, I automatically restart my computer because I know the crash is coming!

Twice I have had it make permanent changes to images. I believe that happened during crashes. Luckily, I had not yet formatted my card. I'm almost afraid to format...

Thanks in advance to all you super knowledgable people who will help me figure this out 😃

[Moderator moved the thread to the correct forum]

[RALPH_L]

Wrong forum. It sounds as though you have the wrong catalog.

[ImaRetiredTeacher]

I made no changes between sessions. Files are in exact same location and I do all my work off one catalog.

[Jill_C]

It seems that perhaps you have a corrupted catalog. Images are not stored in the LRC catalog. Only the edits are stored in the catalog. The image file is still on your hard drive and LRC does not change it in any way. LRC is only available via subscription. You cannot purchase the program. 

[ImaRetiredTeacher]

I understand they stay where they are, but I shouldn't have to import them twice, right? And I did have two photos that were changed permanently, but it happened during a crash, so I assume that was the issue.

Any idea how a catalog would be corrupted?

[Abambo]

Any idea how a catalog would be corrupted?

By @ImaRetiredTeacher

Plenty of ideas, but I doubt that this is an issue. Maybe you should try to optimize the catalog.

What are the basic data of your computer? (OS version (exact), Memory, disk space, free disk space) and what is the version of your Lightroom? 

If you think it is the Lightroom Classic version, you can always go back to a minor prior version:

The catalog will stay compatible. Check also if your device drivers (graphics card) are current. They may expose some problems if not at the right version.

(BTW: I will transfer this to the Lightroom forum. You will get more qualified help there.)

[Abambo]

Out of my head: when you import files the go to a collection kind of "last import". I would suggest, you go to the directory where the files have been imported too, according to your import settings. I will check, when I'm on my laptop…

[ImaRetiredTeacher]

Thank you. I've had nothing but problems since the last update.

[Abambo]

Check “previous import”. It is clear that that works only on the previous import. So if meanwhile you did a different import, that will be the one appearing there.

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@ImaRetiredTeacher wrote:

Thank you. I've had nothing but problems since the last update.

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What is your configuration?

[GoldingD]

Luckily, I had not yet formatted my card. I'm almost afraid to format.

You should be making 3 backups of those photos (and 3 backups of your catalog) Apparently you do it. Why?

Backup 3/2/1, 3 backups on 2 different drives and 1 offsite drive/location. Say two different hard drives (but not the one you keep your photos on) and a third hard drive you ship elsewhere (family, friend etc) or a offsite server, or say the cloud. 

[Abambo]

You should be making 3 backups of those photos (and 3 backups of your catalog) Apparently you do it. Why?

Backup 3/2/1, 3 backups on 2 different drives and 1 offsite drive/location. Say two different hard drives (but not the one you keep your photos on) and a third hard drive you ship elsewhere (family, friend etc) or a offsite server, or say the cloud. 

By @GoldingD

This is confusing, even to me. Please notice that @ImaRetiredTeacher is (according theur own sayings) an absolute beginner in this. 🤔

[GoldingD]

A test.

1. Do not start LrC, instead use your copy of Windows File Explorer and navigate to your catalog location. Double click on that catalog. LrC should start, and it should open that exact catalog (not some other catalog)

2. Accomplish some imports. Accomplish some edits, accomplish some exports.

3. Close LrC.

4. Repeat step 1. Inspect.

5. If that worked, shut down the computer. Turn it off. Wait a few then turn the computer back on. Repeat step 1. And inspect.

Point of the above is to run LrC with absolute assurance that the same catalog is being used.