Finding my catalog

Report · Jan 06, 2018

I've just re-installed windows and PSE 15.

All my photos are still on my laptop but there is no sign of the catalog. Any ideas where I can find this?

I don't want to have to catalog 50000+ photos again.

Report · Jan 06, 2018

Hi,

By default it would probably be in the following location

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Elements Organizer\Catalogs\

You could try searching in File Explorer for catalog.pse15db

You said that you re-installed Windows, are you sure you haven't deleted any data in error?

With 50,000+ images I assume you have a backup - you may have to use that if you can't find it.

Brian

Report · Jan 09, 2018

Hi Brian,

Organizer stores the catalog at C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Elements Organizer\Catalogs by default.

Did you take a backup of your Organizer catalog before reinstalling Windows? A new installation of windows typically wipes out Program Data. If you have a backup then you can restore the catalog through File menu -> Restore.

You can also access the catalog through Organizer(File Menu -> Manage Catalogs). It lists all the catalogs present at the above-mentioned location.

Thanks

Report · Jan 16, 2018

Thanks. I didn't have any luck.

I haven't lost any photos, the windows repair left that intact.

Plus I have a back up on another hard drive, just not in this country. Everything is also backed up to the cloud.

The problem is all the tags. Now that is a bit job re-tagging all those photos.

I've had similar problems upgrading to new versions of PSE. I started way back with V.2 and on two separate occasions upgrading has meant I have lost every tag and had to start again. Am wondering in a free version would be easier to use.

Report · Jan 16, 2018

Hi,

All of the tag information is stored within the catalog. The catalog is really a folder containing a set of files including the database.

If your catalog was saved in the ProgramData folder as said above, then the re-installation of Windows may well have removed the catalog (and tag information).

Normally, when you upgrade from one version of PSE to another, the existing catalog is copied and then one of the copies is converted to the new version. Hopefully you should not lose any tag information.

When you say all is backed up on to another drive (and the cloud), did you use the PSE Backup catalog function? That will backup the images and the catalog. If you haven't backed up the catalog using PSE then I fear you may have lost your tag information.

Brian