Metadata missing

[jeffh42336014]

I recently updated my computer (intel-based iMac to the new iMac m3). In the process, I lost most of my metadata. The keywords are intact, but the data for each photo are missing. Would you happen to have any ideas about retrieving the missing data?

[Jim Wilde]

Can you clarify which version of Lightroom you are using. You've posted this question in the Lightroom Ecosystem forum, which implies you are using the cloud-centric Lightroom Desktop app, which shouldn't be an issue when moving to a new computer. But if you are using Lightroom Classic instead, then the question really is how did you move LrC to the new computer (there are various ways of doing that without any data loss, but we need to understand the exact method you used).

So, the first thing to do is clarify the Lightroom version.

[jeffh42336014]

Thank you for getting back to me. I am using Lightroom Classic. Here’s a little history of how I got to where I am. This last fall, I upgraded my intel-based iMac to the new M3 iMac. At the time, I was backing up to a mechanical hard drive. Before recently migrating to the new computer, I consulted with a specialist and moved my files to an SDS drive. I also implemented Apple’s Time Machine. The idea was to have the older system ready to transfer the files onto the new iMac (which I recently did). All Apple-based applications and data transferred nicely, but non-Apple applications required new installations. All my Endnote and Word documents are fine. But not Lightroom. The Keword library is intact, but the corresponding metadata for each photo is largely lacking. You seem to suggest that copying, at some level, is what went wrong. If so, perhaps I could go back to the data on the original mechanical hard drive and start over.

Again, thanks for your help.