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H
hpg1
Inspiring
April 22, 2023
Answered

Migration Confusion

  • April 22, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 919 views

I have read about migrating Lightroom Classic to a new computer, but still have a few questions. Currently, because I have an older system, my images and associated XMP files are on multiple smaller drives (let's call them Drive F, G, H, I, and J), and when I migrate to the new system I have purchased I want all the images to be on one single larger internal drive and to also have a backup of that drive on an external drive that is essentially the same structure as the internal one to make backups easier.

 

Let's say I were to copy all my files from the current 5 drives (F-J) onto a large single external drive (which I would then use as the backup). I copy it to that drive using the same file structure (ie instead of copying the files individually I just copy all the folders to the external drive so the file structure remains intact. For the sake of argument let's say that Windows assigns and calls that external drive Drive K. Then I copy the contents of Drive K to the large internal Drive E on the new system. So now all my images, xmp files etc are on drive E with the original file structure as they were when on Drives F, G, H, I and J.

 

Now I go to Lightroom Classic on the new system with a copy of the old catalog that I have copied over to the new system and open it. The files will all be unlinked because there are no Drives F-J. If I start telling Lightroom where to find each parent folder, it should repopulate all the data, correct? If this is so, will it also change the file/drive hierarchy on that left Library panel to remove drive F-J and make a new Drive E there? After I tell it where everything is do I have to manually delete those drives that no longer exist or will it happen automatically? Is this the correct way to make this move when you want to change how your files are distributed over the drives that you have? There are also some folders I would like to combine, but I am guessing this is best done in Lightroom after doing all the above to get set up?

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Howard

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Rob_Cullen

"so I think I am good on going ahead without creating the new ones."

Yes, you will only have those three parent folders (on each drive?) to 'update location..' (maybe 15 parent folders?)

"After I do the transfer will LR Classic delete the old Drive letters in the library FOLDER panel,"

Yes. As long as there are no images remaining that have not had a folder update.

"I assume when I link up it will automatically create a new drive E in the library panel."

Yes.  [Update Folder Location...] will create the E-drive heirarchy in the Folder panel.

 

1 reply

Rob_Cullen
Community Expert
Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 22, 2023

Your general understanding of the process is good. And I have a suggestion.

The process would go easier if- on each drive F-J you have the multiple image folders all within one 'Parent' folder. eg. on F-drive there is a parent folder called {Funny Stuff}. On G-drive there is a parent folder called {Great Stuff}, etc.

 

Now the Copy of F-J drives to the new E-drive will require you only to copy the FIVE parent folders with Windows File Explorer (Or a sync app like SyncBack Free.).

And in the moved Catalog (now on E-Drive) you will only need to relink the FIVE parent folders. {Funny Stuff},{Great Stuff}, etc. Using [Update Folder Location...]

 

To achieve this, if not already the case, you would need to create a parent folder on each drive and move image folders into the 'parent' before you copy to the new E-drive. Done within the LrC Folders panel!  (You do not want to be re-linking hundreds of sub-folders.)

 

And, yes, to "combine folders"- do it after you have successfully completed the 'move' to E-drive and the Catalog is relinked to the new locations.

FYI-

Move Lightroom to a new computer? | The Lightroom Queen

Edit: Before you start the process- be sure you have Catalog backups, and do not delete files on drives F-J until all is OK in drive E.

 

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
    H
    hpg1Author
    Inspiring
    April 22, 2023

    Thanks so much Rob....my catalog currently contains about 120,000 photos on those multiple drives, but on each drive there are only three parent folders (with hundreds inside each of them), so I think I am good on going ahead without creating the new ones. After I do the transfer will LR Classic delete the old Drive letters in the library panel, or will I need to do that manually? I assume when I link up it will automatically create a new drive E in the library panel.

     

    Thanks so much for giving me the 'courage' to go ahead with this 🙂

    Rob_Cullen
    Community Expert
    Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 23, 2023

    On last thing Rob....

    I am attaching a photo of the contents of the folder with my Lightroom catalog. My understanding is that I should move the red arrow files into the new folder for the Lightroom catalog...is this correct that I need the red arrowed files?  Also, I wasn't sure about the files with the blue arrows?

     

    Thanks again.

     

    Howard


    Looking at your screen-clip, I have marked in green boxes all the files that would normally exist for the current version of your catalog. So these are the ones you need to have on the new system. The others are obsolete (and could be archived)

     

     

    Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
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