Changing storage locations - I don't want anything stored on my (c) Windows boot drive!

[shawninvancouver]

To maximize the life span of my critical boot drive, I have a dedicated 1 TB SSD drive (e) for storing all HD-intensive applications and data. How do I set all the Adobe apps to use only my e: drive, particularly Adobe Lightroom?

Despite maybe hundreds of people asking the same or similar questions, I still can't figure this out.  

Notes:

1. I don't need the cloud storage. For some reason, Lightroom uses over 200GB of space in the Adobe Cloud. I don't know why, nor do I want this! FYI, I ran a partial scan of my NAS photo storage before stopping it when I discovered it was eating up my c: boot drive space. 
2. My entire photo library is over 1 TB (stored on my local Synology NAS), which exceeds the capacity of my e: drive. This means that I don't want Lightroom to duplicate all the files.

Questions:
1. How do I change "Local storage on: c:  TO e:?
2. Where is the Cache (79GB) stored and how do I ensure it's on e: drive?

3. What are copies of "smart previews" - I am assuming they are a kind of thumbnail? How do I configure Lightroom to store these smart previews on e: drive?

4. Storage Location for originals?? What is this exactly? If I point it to my NAS photos library, Adobe appears to insist on creating its own folder hierarchy "Z:\_PhotoLibrary\Lightroom CC\3383393df4cf4c088ea6bfd3a1093719\originals  WHAT IS THIS? I don't want this! I don't want Adobe Lightroom to modify my current organization of my photos.

I just want a photo manager that is better than File Explorer which allows for quick listings and previews, smart searching of content, quick opening to edit, etc.  As simple as it was, boy oh boy, I sure miss the old Lightroom or even Google's remarkable Picasa! 

Thank you, all. 🙂 

[Rob_Cullen]

"I sure miss the old Lightroom"- Sounds like you really need to be using Lightroom-Classic.! (v12.5 of the "old" Lr.)

COMPARE LIGHTROOM & LIGHTROOM-CLASSIC FEATURES

[shawninvancouver]

Thanks, but since I am paying a lot (like all of us) for this software, I would much rather solve these problems so that I can use the latest versions going forward. 

[JohanElzenga]

Thanks, but since I am paying a lot (like all of us) for this software, I would much rather solve these problems so that I can use the latest versions going forward. 

By @shawninvancouver

You misunderstand what Rob says. There are two versions of Lightroom. Lightroom is a new app that was designed to store images in the cloud and uses special cloud-based features such as subject recognition. It needs the cloud for this. Lightroom Classic is the latest version of the Lightroom you knew and was used to. It is not 'old' or 'obsolete', it is just as current as Lightroom. It just got a new name. Adobe likes to confuse prople! It's clear that this would be the version for you, meaning you would have to contact Adobe and change your Lightroom Plan to the Photography plan, which costs the same and includes Lightroom Classic and Photoshop (and Lightroom and 20GB cloud space to play with it, but you don't have to use that).

[Conrad C]

In case it isn’t clear by now, local-based Lightroom Classic 12.5 continues to be developed in parallel with cloud Lightroom. If you watch what happens when Adobe announces new features, they are typically released simultaneously to Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Adobe Camera Raw, so none of those three is being left behind. I continue to use Lightroom Classic and am able to maintain full local control of all files on any connected local volume, with little stored in the cloud, with the latest features including AI Masking, AI Denoise, and Super Resolution.

[Wurstkrapfen]

There are things the mobile versions can't do, at some point the desktop version is needed if you also use the mobile version.

[Rob_Cullen]

"the desktop version "- And this is where more confusion arises!

Lightroom v6.5 on a PC or Mac is also known as Lightroom-Desktop...!

Lightroom v6.5 on a PC or Mac stores your imported images in the Lightroom Cloud, and works the same as Lightroom on mobile devices (iPhones, iPads, Android devices)

Lightroom-Classic v12.5  is totally different- stores your files on local drives.

COMPARE LIGHTROOM & LIGHTROOM-CLASSIC FEATURES

So the statement should instead read like-

"There are things the mobile versions can't do, at some point the Lightroom-Classic version is needed."

And LrC is only available in the 'Photography Plan'.

[Wurstkrapfen]

Don't tell me what I want to say!

There are functions the web and mobile clients can't do, neither is LR Classic able to do it, at some point the Cloud Desktop app is needed to manage the cloud storage (with all the annyoing cluttering of drive C:).

What I said is what I mean. This is not the forum space to talk about Classic, why would I bring it up and why do you?

[JohanElzenga]

The reason why several people brought up Lightroom Classic is because we believe you are using the wrong Lightroom if you make the following statements (and I simply copy/paste from your initial message):

1. I don't need the cloud storage. For some reason, Lightroom uses over 200GB of space in the Adobe Cloud. I don't know why, nor do I want this! FYI, I ran a partial scan of my NAS photo storage before stopping it when I discovered it was eating up my c: boot drive space. 
2. My entire photo library is over 1 TB (stored on my local Synology NAS), which exceeds the capacity of my e: drive. This means that I don't want Lightroom to duplicate all the files.

You would be much better off if you used Lightroom Classic and the Photography plan than what you use now. But if you don't want to hear that, so be it.

[Wurstkrapfen]

This was not my initial message. You are quoting someone else. I do use the cloud apps very often. It still sucks that the Desktop version insists on wasting so much space one C: that can't be moved by settings in the program.

You ansered to my messasge that "Cloud Desktop is needed for some features the mobile app can't provide" implying I don't know what I was talking about and meant LR Classic instead. Which is wrong and has no place in this forum section that is NOT about LR Classic.

[JohanElzenga]

Right. You highjacked the thread. I did not notice that and thought you were the OP. The suggestion to use Lightroom Classic is very relevant to the OP.

[Wurstkrapfen]

No really hijacking, just making the point that using this software is not really optional and therefore the issue of the OP is very valid.

[JohanElzenga]

You were making a point about Lightroom mobile, which is not what the discussion is about. You also missed that the OP said "I sure miss the old Lightroom" which is the reason that several people pointed out that Lightroom Classic is the current version of his "old Lightroom", so he should use that rather than Lightroom desktop. Enough said.

[Nomarz]

The new version 7 of Lightroom (not classic), allows working with local files, then I decided to use it.
But the cache is drive C, where I have  operating system and little space
Does anyone know if there is a possibility to change the cache drive, other form C: ?