MISSING RAW FILES

[MARKRUTLEY]

[MARKRUTLEY]

I accidentally deleted all my RAW files from my 2024 folder including the Re-Cycle Bin and External Hard Drive. However, I can see the pictures in Lightroom Classci Library as seen in above screen shots but the folders containing these images and many more are empty? How is that possible? Can these images be retreived please? Many thanks in advance. 

[dj_paige]

First, look in the trash/recycle bins. If you don't find the photos there, restore the photos from your backups.

You are not seeing your photos, you are seeing thumbnails (also called "previews") created by Lightroom Classic previously for the purpose of showing you the grid in the Library Module.

[MARKRUTLEY]

Hi dj_paige, Many thanks for the message. As I posted above I deleted them from the trash/recyle bins and also my external back up drive. If Lightroom is "seeing" the "previews" where are they stored? Many thanks, Mark 

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

Originally, you did not call your external drive "backup". If you deleted the photos from your backups, this is something you really need to stop doing immediately. In fact, deleteing your photo files anywhere ought to be done very very carefully.

You can extract these previews, which are lower resolution versions of your originals, via this plugin: https://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/preview-extraction

[MARKRUTLEY]

Yes it was an error on my part which I have never done before in 20 years of photography. The external hard drive is the "backup" drive. Many thanks for the link I will give that a try. 

[MARKRUTLEY]

Ah got it now. I selected all the images on the screen and not the folder ran extract previews and they all came back. Very many thanks indeed for your assistance. Best Wishes, Mark

[MARKRUTLEY]

Hi dj_paige - that didn't work as the folders are empty. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography · Accepted solution]

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/extract-previews-for-lost-images-lightroom.html 

[MARKRUTLEY]

Hi Rikk many thanks for the link will give that a try. 

[MARKRUTLEY]

Hi Rikk, No luck with that as the folders are empty.