Moved photos to back up, can't get the catalog into LRC

[bruceb76700895]

So, my computer drive is too small to house all my photo files, so I've moved all the photos to a larger back-up disc.  When I open the back up disc in LRC, the catalog won't load.  Here's the catalog in the original photo folder on the computer's harddrive (not on the backup disc)....

The catalog is in a read-only file but that's always been the case.   What do I do to allow LRC to see this catalog?  I've tried New Catalog and copied the original from the computer harddrive.  What gives and thanks.  You can see I have to metadata at all.  Cheers.

[bruceb76700895]

Sorry, when I hit Create nothing happens.....?

[GoldingD]

so I've moved all the photos

You moved the photos, or did you move the catalog, those are two separate issues.

When I open the back up disc in LRC, the catalog won't load.

If you moved the photos, then why are you attempting to load a different catalog?

• Lightroom Classic catalog FAQ | Adobe
• Create and manage catalogs | Adobe
• Where Does Lightroom Store Photos? | Shoot dor Edit
• Where should you store your photos? | The Lightroom Queen
• Manage photos within folders | Adone
• How to Move Image Files and Folders in Lightroom | Pretty Presets
• Adobe Classic Find missing or moved folders by Ian Lyons | Computer Darkroom

[JohanElzenga]

A catalog cannot be in a read-only folder, because Lightroom constantly writes to the catalog. It looks like Lightroom wants you to create a new catalog for this reason, but that won't be the solution. You need to make sure that the Lightroom catalog folder is Read & Write.

P.S. The reason why hitting the Create button does not do anything is because you did not give the new folder that is going to be created a name yet (the File Name field at the bottom of the dialog is empty).

[bruceb76700895]

Thanks to both who responded.

GoldingD:  My LRC catalog has always been separated from my photos, although it does live in the Photos folder.

J.Elzenga:  I made certain the catalog was read/write and tried to reload as a new catalog, without any luck.  Is the folder into which one loads a new catalog (it's not knew, it's the original catalog) read only?  And how would I change that?  Yes, I added a name ...."catalog."

Thanks again, 

[JohanElzenga]

Like I said, the catalog folder (and obviously also the catalog file inside that folder) must be read & write, so it is on my system. I use a Macintosh computer however, so I am not the person to ask how to correct things like that on a Windows system. On the Macintosh just changing the folder settings is not enough, you also must instruct the computer to apply those changes to everything inside that folder. Maybe that is necessary on Windows too?

[bruceb76700895 · Accepted solution]

Yes, it's that way on Windows also and I did so with this folder.  

The drive I'm using contains all my photos and docs and was originally the 4tb backup for the 3tb WD Book I used to connect to.  Unfortunately, the 3tb is full and I was thinning the earlier photo files  when it decided to crash.  I'm considering another Book, but am currently using the 4tb, a portable drive, on which I'm continuing to thin the earlier photos (I have two grandchildren who live locally and you know what that means concerning the size of one's photo drives).  Could it be that LR doesn't recognize this drive?  Other than that, I may have somehow corrupted the catalog and may need to start over and reload the photos (I trust not.)

Thanks 

[bruceb76700895]

I did not mark this as the correct answer, as the problem still exists.  Can someone remove that Correct Answer and reply to my latest post?