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Adobe organizer trying to get catalog after Windos os failure

Community Beginner ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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Hi, my Windows crashed and i had to re-install everything on a new hard drive in order to keep all my data intact from my previous Hdd. So all my data are safe but i would like to know how to import them on my new hard drive. I used the person or people feature and tag about 200 persons, everytime i closed the application it would ask me to save and i did. But where is that file? I can't fin any folder named catalog in my adobe folders. Can anybody help? Thanks.

Win 10, Adobe organizer 2021

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correct answers 5 Correct answers

Community Expert , Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

Is this a question about Photoshop Elements?

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Community Beginner , Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

And i forgot something, if your answer stay's the same, which file do i bring back to my new drive when you say ''So, I suppose you can copy back your photo folder tree in the exact same location as in the old drive.''

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Community Expert , Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021
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And i forgot something, if your answer stay's the same, which file do i bring back to my new drive when you say ''So, I suppose you can copy back your photo folder tree in the exact same location as in the old drive.''


By @denis6C19

The catalog is the whole folder containing the catalog.pse19db main database. You need to copy the whole catalog.  It's not a single file.

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Community Beginner , Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

Thanks Michel, everything is up and running as it was before my crash. Doing my first real catalog back-up!!! Thanks again.

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Community Expert , Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

I am so happy for you!!!

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Community Expert ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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Is this a question about Photoshop Elements?

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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Yes, organizer program that comes with Photoshop element 2021

 

Moved to the correct forum... Mod
To ask in the forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/

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Community Expert ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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From your description, it looks like you have not created a full backup from the organizer which is the only recommended way to restore your photo files AND your catalog from a disaster. You have taken advantage of the recent feature of PSE2021 to create a copy of your catalog folder in a folder under the ProgramData\Adobe\Elements Organizer\Catalogs\_Autobackup_

 

You could as well search for the catalog folder itself. It's by default in this \Catalogs folder, with a file named catalog.pse19db.

 

Your problem is the same as the one of all those who don't have a real full backup folder. You may be able to recover all your photo files and probably the catalog folder itself, but if you have to copy back those files in a new drive, all the links in the catalog won't find the original drive and path of the new drive. All your files will be 'disconnected' and it may be extremely hard and long to reconnect all your library with the reconnect feature in the catalog manager.

 

Can you find either the _Autobackup_ or the original catalog folder with the catalog.pse19db?

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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Thanks for the quick reply, i do have those 2 files, what is the best way to bring them back to the organizer, cut and paste to the new folder that were created or do i go and kind of restore them from the software?

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Community Expert ,
Jun 19, 2021 Jun 19, 2021

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So, to summarize:

- you have not lost any information since you have a copy of both your photo folders tree AND your catalog folder

- but the photo files copies are no longer in the failed disk but on a new one. You can't copy back your photo folder in the original drive. The result is that your catalog still searches your photo on the wrong disk and can't find the new location.

 

Solving the issue means updating the contents of the catalog database to the new location. In the catalog, each photo file has a record storing the 'path' in the folder tree AND the identification of the drive by letter, internal serial number and disk name. To a certain extent, the organizer provides a feature for 'reconnecting' the files to a new location;  you have either to start an automatic process which may last for days scanning all your drives or you can guide the process by navigating to the actual top folders. Many users have spent many days for that task with only incomplete reconnecting.

 

Otherwise, updating the contents of the catalog database (catalog.pse19db) requires understanding the details of the sql database and using external tools. Users acquainted with sql will be able to create queries to replace each file record with the new drive and path identification provided they know the identification of both the new and the old drive.

The two fastest tricks I can suggest are:

- to fool the catalog by using Windows to assign the old internal number of the old drive to the new one. No guarantee about collateral disasters for other softwares.

- to use both simple Windows tools AND an sql management utility to update directly the 'volume_table' in the catalog.pse19db. The prerequisite is that the folder tree (the (paths) are exactly the same on the new drive. That takes only a couple of minutes when you are used to it, but there are a number of traps. Obviously not a solution for every PSE user and that must be performed on a catalog folder copy.

 

So, I suppose you can copy back your photo folder tree in the exact same location as in the old drive. I suggest you try first the normal 'reconnect' function of the organizer by guiding the search according to the help files starting with a copy of your original folder which you can store on the original (hidden) location or anywhere else (in custom location). You double click on the catalog.pse19db file to open the organizer with the original catalog copy. This shows all files disconnected and you can start the process.

https://psekb.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-do-i-reconnect-missing-files-in.html

 

 

 

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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Just a fast info before i try anything, my original pictures always were and still are on a separate hdd (2 disks in raid 1 setup) so that drive letter and path never changed and all the pictures never moved, does that change anything to your answer? 

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Community Expert ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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quote

Just a fast info before i try anything, my original pictures always were and still are on a separate hdd (2 disks in raid 1 setup) so that drive letter and path never changed and all the pictures never moved, does that change anything to your answer? 


By @denis6C19

Yes, this is a very important information.

I have no personal experience with a similar raid 1 setup, but when the files are on a distinct drive (internal or external) it's enough to restore the catalog folder and you should have nothing to reconnect.

Remember you can copy or move your catalog folder where you want, that does not change the links which should still be correct in your case.

Once again, double click the catalog.pse19db file and you should be fine.

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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And i forgot something, if your answer stay's the same, which file do i bring back to my new drive when you say ''So, I suppose you can copy back your photo folder tree in the exact same location as in the old drive.''

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Community Expert ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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And i forgot something, if your answer stay's the same, which file do i bring back to my new drive when you say ''So, I suppose you can copy back your photo folder tree in the exact same location as in the old drive.''


By @denis6C19

The catalog is the whole folder containing the catalog.pse19db main database. You need to copy the whole catalog.  It's not a single file.

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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Thanks Michel, everything is up and running as it was before my crash. Doing my first real catalog back-up!!! Thanks again.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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I am so happy for you!!!

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