Transfer, copy files and catalog from drive to drive

[isom1920]

I'm using Lightroom CC, version 12.1, on a Windows PC. I copied all of the photo files from Drive E to Drive F and comfirmed they were copied currectly to Drive F.  The problem comes when I try to tranfer/copy the Catalog Folder/Files from E to F. All the files are on F but the new catalog does not recognize them. When I have done this in the past the new catalog on F would recognize all of the files on F but indicate that they were all missing. All I would have to do was to highlight the "missing" files and tell the computer to where to find them on F and there they were and with all editing changes there too.  Need a little help. Thanks

[GoldingD]

is the folder as shown in the folders panel, the parent folder?

[ManiacJoe]

After you copied the photo folders, and the catalog support folders, and the catalog to the new drive, you opened the catalog on the new drive, right? (Looks like you opened a new empty catalog.)

After you open the correct catalog, in the Folders panel, do a "Find missing" on the top-most folders so that you can tell Lightroom where all the folders now reside. (Lightroom knows the difference between a missing file and a file in a missing folder; you need to fix the missing folders first.) Lightroom will autofix all the folders under the top folder you relocate.

[dj_paige]

Catalog copied to F: does not mean it will recognize photo files on F:. It should still use the photo files on E: (which, if I understand you, are still there as well)

You need to tell LrC to use the photo files on F: You need to use the "Update Folder Location" command. See "Part 2 — Updating Folder Location" of this document.

[JohanElzenga]

Just a note, because you may feel that you are getting conflicting advice: if you copied the image folders to the new disk and you already deleted the folders from the old disk, then Lightroom will show 'missing' folders and images, and right-clicking a top folder will give the menu 'Find Missing Folder'.

If you copied the folders but did not yet delete the folders from the old disk, then Lightroom will simply show the folders on the old disk and so they will not be 'missing'. In that case right-clicking a top folder will show a menu 'Update Folder Location'.

Both menus do the same and that is what you should use: they relink the folder path to the folder you choose in the dialog that comes up, so select the corresponding folder on the new disk.