How to migrate PSE 14 from Windows 10 to new Mac, photos on NAS

Report · Nov 26, 2017

I am trying to work out how I might migrate my Photoshop Elements 14 from a Windows 10 PC to a new IMac. My particular issue is that all of my photos are stored on a Synology NAS although the PSE catalog is on the desktop.There is plenty of guidance on how to migrate doing a backup/restore but that mainly seems to assume the media is on the same drive as the catalog and involves transferring the catalog and photos together.

Is there a way to migrate the catalog and reconnect to the photos on the NAS without having to move all of the photos?

Whilst I have worked in Windows for a long time, Mac OS will be new to me so this adds to my uncertainty.

Any help or guidance gratefully received.

Report · Nov 27, 2017

Just a suggestion as I am not a Mac user and I would not want to use a NAS for storing my photo files in Elements (a NAS for backup would be fine for me).

Based on how the drive identification is written in the 'catalog.pse14db' sqlite database file, my guess is that the backup and restore migration process would work for you. I would restore on a new 'custom' location on the NAS for safety.

- The restore process should restore to the path in your NAS while updating correctly the drive identification of all pictures in the catalog

- as you have mentioned, the catalog folder should also be restored on the NAS along with the restored image files tree.

Since using a catalog on a NAS does not work (on Macs?) You could simply copy the restored catalog folder somewhere in your desktop and use it from there; it will be seen in the 'custom' section of the catalog manager when you navigate to its location. The simplest way in Windows to open the organizer with the catalog copy is to double click on the 'catalog.pse14db' file; maybe something similar on Macs.

Moving a catalog does not change its contents, so all your files will be hopefully recognized.

You might try the process first by creating a small test catalog because the backup and restore process may require several hours with a relatively large library.

Report · Nov 28, 2017

Thanks for your response.

To clarify, the catalog is actually on the PC, not on the NAS. I am wondering whether a simple file copy of the catalog file to the iMAC, following installation of PSE, will be successful and retain the pointers to the media on the NAS.

I do anticipate, at some stage, moving the photo files off the NAS, either onto the internal SSD of the iMAC or onto an external SSD. So, this configuration should not be long term.

Report · Nov 28, 2017

martinb10796502 wrote
Thanks for your response.
To clarify, the catalog is actually on the PC, not on the NAS.

Yes, that was my understanding.

I am wondering whether a simple file copy of the catalog file to the iMAC, following installation of PSE, will be successful and retain the pointers to the media on the NAS.

No idea, as I said I don't use Macs or NAS, so I can't help. A copy of the catalog folder on the iMAC would be ok in my opinion, but I have no way to know if the drive identification for the NAS in the catalog database is the same in Mac or Win. It would be easy to try.

I do anticipate, at some stage, moving the photo files off the NAS, either onto the internal SSD of the iMAC or onto an external SSD. So, this configuration should not be long term.

What is reported to work is to have both the catalog and photo files tree on an external drive switched alternatively between computers.

If you have a simple external USB drive with enough capacity, you coud

- do a full backup

- restore on the external USB drive (not optimal to use the same external drive for the backup folder and the final restore)

- plug in alternatively on both computers

- Use the catalog manager to locate the restored catalog folder and open that catalog.