Elements 2020 Backup/Restore - disc "does not contain a valid backup"

[Justina0D4D]

I am trying to move my catalog to a new computer (from Mac OS 10.15/Elements 2020 to Mac OS 10.15/Elements 2020). I have backed up the catalog to an external drive after ensuring that there are no missing files.

On the new Mac, I select the directory to restore from and specify a destination directory. The option "Restore Original Folder Structure" is checked.

I get an error, "The disc in drive LaCie does not contain a valid backup."  Note: the prompt says "Backup File", but the interface only lets me select a directory; Backup.tly DOES exist in the selected directory.

A previous response to a post about restore for Elements 19 - "https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-elements/elements-organizer-19-backup-quot-drive-does-not-c... - noted that the user had to select the actual Backup.tly file in order to get it to work. I have not been able to do this, even though the file is in the chosen directory. The selection window is not allowing scroll, and search does not find Backup.tly. (A search using Finder has no problem finding Backup.tly in that directory.)

Thanks in advance for you help.

[Justina0D4D]

Solved: After another half hour of fighting with the Restore prompts, I finally got it to grab the Backup.tly file by clicking the right arrow button in the selection window (once I'd selected the appropriate directory) and waiting what seemed like an interminable amount of time for it to respond. This was not intuitive to me at all, so hopefully this will help someone else.

Multiple times I force-quit Organizer after it appeared to get stuck while trying to figure out what keystrokes might work.

[JungleJimAB9AB]

Thanks, your follow-up was helpful. I also experienced DOT tly file NOT FOUND under similar conditions but using my PC running Windows 10 Pro. I am using Elements 2020, so the issue still exist in a later version than yours. I just did another full backup this time but I'll try the RIGHT mouse button trick you used and were successful with, if I run into this problem again. Thanks for posting.

[MichelBParis]

@JungleJimAB9AB 

Thanks, your follow-up was helpful. I also experienced DOT tly file NOT FOUND under similar conditions but using my PC running Windows 10 Pro. I am using Elements 2020, so the issue still exist in a later version than yours. I just did another full backup this time but I'll try the RIGHT mouse button trick you used and were successful with, if I run into this problem again. Thanks for posting.

By @JungleJimAB9AB

I don't use Macs at all, so I am prudent to give advice in similar cases. From various old posts I imagine there is a difference between Win and Mac: in Win you only select the folder and the .tly is automatically selected whereas in Mac you have to select the .tly precisely, which seems to have been the problem of @Justina0D4D .

The general rule is that a backup without the backup.tly file is not complete and is unuseable.

That file is the last created in the backup process. If it's not in the backup folder, there may be a program error, but I guess that most of the time, the user aborted the restore too soon. Be patient and wait until you are sure the restore is totally written to disk.

Always have a look to check if the .tly is there, otherwise your backup is not valid.