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The selected folder or one of its subfolders is already in Lightroom. Do you want to combine...

Explorer ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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In the latest of my troubles migrating my Lightroom Classic setup to a new SSD, I now have this message, but I can't work out why, as none of the folders in question should have been in LR at all before trying to re-link the media.

 

Background:

I've always worked with my raw files stored on an external HDD due to limited space on my MacBook internal SSD. Recently, I installed a large SSD internally, and clean installed LR, copying over the old catalog. I then also copied over the raw files from the external HDD to the internal SSD using the exact same file structure - a straight copy.

 

The library correctly identifies the external HDD (original) when connected. However, when I leave it disconnected and direct LR to the parent folder on the internal SSD (new) I get the above warning. However, I haven't added any other folders or files to LR since copying them over from the HDD, so how can any of the selected folders or subfolders already be in LR?

 

I've done this in the past and not encountered any problems, so don't really know what to do, or the implications of asking LR to 'merge' the folders. As far as I'm concerned, there should be nothing to merge and I just want to retain the original library and folder structure.

 

Thanks in advance.

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LEGEND ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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"However, when I leave it disconnected and direct LR to the parent folder on the internal SSD (new) I get the above warning."

 

How are you directing Lightroom Classic to the new SSD? Please tell us the exact steps.

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Explorer ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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Screenshot 2021-05-21 at 11.03.00.png

OK, so 'flameboy' is the external HDD, which is disconnected, hence the ?s.

I right-click on 'Pictures' and select 'Find missing folder...'

In the dialog which follows -

Screenshot 2021-05-21 at 11.09.38.png

I select 'Pictures' (on the internal SSD). Then click 'Choose'.

Screenshot 2021-05-21 at 11.13.33.png

I get the above message.

The only other folder in the tree is shown below -

Screenshot 2021-05-21 at 11.15.05.png

'Other Lightroom Device'/'Imported Photos' was auto-created when I began usingLR mobile on my phone a few months ago. However, I assume these are not related to the message I'm having trouble with as they're not part of the external HDD file structure and never were?

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LEGEND ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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If you have backups of your photos (which I think you do because they are still on the old HDD), and a backup of your catalog file (which I don't think you have mentioned yet), then go ahead and click on MERGE. If you don't have backups, then make backups.

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Explorer ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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Yes, I have backups of both.

 

OK, will try that and see what happens.

 

Is there anything I should look out for in terms of potential issues afterwards? E.g., things like duplicate files/folders, etc?

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LEGEND ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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I guess so, duplicate or missing files/folders would be a concern. As this has never happened to me, I'm not sure what else to look for.

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Explorer ,
May 22, 2021 May 22, 2021

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This seems to have worked OK. I'm still confused why it happened as this was a clean install on a new machine and nothing else had been imported into LR.

 

My guess is that it's a slightly misleading warning message - I think that perhaps, although the selected folder and subfolders aren't already in LR, as the warning suggests, what LR is actually flagging up here is that the parent folder is different.

 

If this is the case, it would be really helpful if Adobe could change the warning to reflect that - if I had seen that warning, it would have been expected, as obviously I knew I'd changed the parent folder structure with it being on a new/different disk.

 

In any case, thanks for your help, much appreciated.

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