Restoring Catalog

[raphaels28255986]

Hi guys,

I received an alert that says: REPAIR CATALOG  The Lightroom Catalog-2-2-v13-3” is corrupt and cannot be used until it is repaired.

The repair process may take several minutes.

…… It has been several hours and the wheel is still twirling.

I have a Macbook / Sequoia 15.1.1

And I have the backup drive.

What’s your best advice?

Thanks a lot,

[raphaels28255986]

And ... I use SuperDuper!

[dj_paige]

Restore a recent backup of you Lightroom Catalog.

[raphaels28255986]

Thank you, dj.

Just stop the repair, connect my LR drive and my backup drive, and reverse the back up direction?

[dj_paige]

If the process takes hours, that's just not right, and there's no point to continue.

I would unzip the backup catalog file, copy the unzipped file to the same folder that the original catalog was in. If this is a problem caused by a failing hard disk (quite likely) then perhaps you want to unzip the backup again, and copy the unzipped catalog file to some other folder.

[raphaels28255986]

Thank you jd.

And ... none of what you suggest I understand or know how to do. 
Is it possible to turn my backup drive into my main LR drive as it is and then create a new backup drive?

[dj_paige]

It is possible, but across the internet and wihtout seeing how you have this set up, I don't really have instructions.  What is on this backup drive? Photos? Catalog files? Other stuff? How is the backup drive created and updated?

[raphaels28255986]

It’s a duplicate of the drive that got corrupted. And I use SuperDuper! to create it.

So I can (could) just reverse the process.

[dj_paige]

As I am not familiar with Super Duper, I cannot help further.

[raphaels28255986]

 

[raphaels28255986]

Hi dj,

Here are screenshots from a) my original drive called "LR" and, b) from by backup drive called "BKUP".

As you can see, they are mirror images of one another - I use SuperDuper! for that as mentioned earlier.
So what would be best for me to do here in your opinion? Thanks.

[dj_paige]

I can't see your file attachments (or anyone's file attachments). You have to use the "Insert Photos" icon to include screen captures in your reply.

[raphaels28255986]

[dj_paige]

Is it possible to turn my backup drive into my main LR drive as it is and then create a new backup drive?

I don't think I know enough to answer yes or no. It is possible that if your current catalog which is corrupted is backed up to the other disk, then probably the catalog on the backup disk is also corrupted. But I don't know because I don't know what Super Duper does.

However, you have many backup catalogs on both of those disks, it's possible that many of those might be usable. I gave instructions on how to use the backup catalogs. If you don't understand a step, then ask specific questions.

[raphaels28255986]

Thanks dj.

Do you mean use this catalog for instance?

It's the latest.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

Yes you could restore that one, and if that doesn't work, try a few of the older ones.

[raphaels28255986]

Thank you dj.

I'll go back to your original instructions and do my thing.

Wish me luck.

[raphaels28255986]

Hi dj,
So ... I unzipped the latest backup catalog and right clicked the Legacy Catalog.
I see "Paste Item" - is that the copying mechanism you refer to in your instructions? Is that what I ought to do and then try to open my LR library as usual?

[raphaels28255986]

Oops, of course I copied the latest backup catalog before going on to the Legacy catalog.