Create jpg from previews or screen shots of lost files

[grahamp44661668]

I imported a bunch of CR2 images into Lightroom, creating standard previews in process. I then worked on some of them. Some time later, for an unknown reason, many of the CR2 files disappeared from my hard disk. Those are irrecoverable, and no backups. However, I can still view the images in Lightroom, although of course they are all identified as missing files. It is tantalising that the original files have been wiped but I can still bring up what look like pretty good quality screen-filling images, including all my edits, in the Library module. Of course nothing shows up in the Develop module. Is there any way I can convert those full-screen views into a jpg file? One clumsy possibility might be to take a screenshot and then somehow save that as a jpg - but is there a slicker way, and one that can retain as much quality as is there? I use Windows 10 and Lightroom Classic (i.e. desktop).

Thanks, Graham Pears

[Just Shoot Me]

Yes there is a option, system, to create small files from the previews.

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

But I would investigate Why you lost those images. Could be some type of hardware failure.

[grahamp44661668]

Thanks so much - that seems quite amazing. I will definitely take a look at that.

I have had someone take a thorough look into possibility of recovering but it does seem they are gone - but as to why, that really is a mystery. In fact I lost some files out of each of 4 adjacent folders on the HDD. Cannot understand how or why. He has been able to retrieve many of the files I intentionally deleted from within Lightroom, but none of tthe ones that simply disappeared, which of course are the ones I want. 

All best, Graham

[grahamp44661668]

Well, thank you, that did work, up to a point. Managed to recover jpegs of most, which is great and pretty astonishing I must say, but annoyingly not all - and the ones I most wanted seem to be the ones missing. I can see the previews in the LR Library, but they refuse to be converted/extracted even though those before and after do come across without a problem. It appears that the images I have edited are the ones that won'd do what they're supposed to - but I'm not sure if that is the cause in all cases. Also, in some cases, at least, I had created virtual copies before editing, and then worked on those copies. I can see the original preview and the edited virtual copy - but not even the original will extract. But there seem to be quite a few previews that cannot be extracted and I am wondering whether this extraction script will not work on any image that has been developed in LR, whether original or virtual copy. I noticed that some/all of those with virtual copies said they were part of a stack, so I tried unstacking and running the extract script again, but still it would not work. Any thoughts gratefully received. Thanks. All best, Graham

[Todd Shaner]

You can try this free LrC plugin by Jeffrey Fried. Not sure it will do any better, but worth a try.

http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/preview-extraction

[grahamp44661668]

Hi Todd - thanks very much. Will certainly give that a try. All best, Graham

[grahamp44661668]

Hi Todd - a bit of a break, but I have just installed Jeff Friedl's plug-in and that seems to have done the trick - was able to recover the files I had worked on / developed. So thanks v much for your help. Very much appreciated. All best, Graham

[Todd Shaner]

Good to hear that worked for you!

[Todd Shaner]

"Some time later, for an unknown reason, many of the CR2 files disappeared from my hard disk."

Did you move or rename any folders or files from outside of LrC using Windows Explorer or some other app? When you do that LrC loses it's connection to those folders and files.

[grahamp44661668]

Unlikely, unless I had a mad 5 minutes and forgot what I did. But the problem is not that Lightroom can't find them, it is that they are no longer on the drive. I agree that if I had deleted them from outside LR - in Windows Explorer etc - that would confuse LR - maybe I did , but seems v improbable as I just don't do that. I havesince taken multiple backups of all my 200,000 images, on 3 other HDDs - and I will not trust the original drive again. Data recovery guy and I have both searched the original drive by capture date and by image number, and I know he has done a much more sophpisticated search than I am capable of. Sad fact is, the raw files are gone.

[dj_paige]

Make backups from now on.