Photoshop Elements 10 reload to a new pc.

Report · Mar 14, 2023

I recently had my computer quit on me. I had ALL my pics/vids backed up on separate drives, but, the Photoshop Elements 10 Catalog didn't seem to quite make it.

I have gotten to a Windows Image Backup of the drive, where I found Elements Organizer Catalogs (and other Elements folders). I was able to Download my Elements 10, and Install it. I got to be able to see all my pics, which are still in the same folder setup, as before, Except they are Now on a Separate drive from the OS, and under Microsoft's Onedrive (ex: d:\onedrive\pictures\photos).

Some of my Tags are now there, after an Import, but LOST most of the People/Places/Events tags. As well as the People Recognition. If I have access to my Original Elements files (including Catalog), where could I Find and Bring IN the data for Tags (people, places, events) and the Facial recognition data? Would it be as easy as just Copying and replacing New data files with Old ones from the Backup (System Image).

I have LOTS of pictures with people that I would LIKE to remember, but to go thru Each one (18,000), to do the "Who is this?"??!!?? If that info is avaiable from my Backup and can be re-linked into My Catalog, that would save a Lot of time (possible Eye Doctor visits included (;->>)

I was working on a nice Win 8.1 64bit laptop. Now have a nice Win 11 64bit desktop.

Report · Mar 14, 2023

If you still have the catalog folder intact, you can simply open it with all of your People/Places/Events data in it. Search your computer for all files named catalog.pse10db. Double-click on the file (in your old catalog folder) and it will open in Elements 10.

If that doesn't work for some reason, I believe your new catalog will contain your People/Places/Events tags IF you accepted the option to import all keyword tags when you imported them. They will be found under the Imported Keyword Tags category.

Now, I'm not sure about this because Elements 10 was one of the first versions to use these special system tags and there were changes made in later versions I believe. If you are having trouble finding them, I will do some more testing for you to figure it out.

Report · Mar 18, 2023

I'm going to look for that catalog....db file.

Imported pics brought Imported Keywork Tags that aren't attached to anything. Is there a data file that puts the pics into Specific Event/Places folders in the Catalog? I had lots of things Sorted under Places and Events. (Example: Aunt Joan/2000/BDay Party. Aunt Joan/2001/BDay Party/luncheon..)

My Programs and Catalog were all on the C drive before. Now trying to keep just the OS (Win) on C, and Programs/Data on D (Separate physical drive).

Thanks for the help.

Report · Mar 19, 2023

I got to be able to see all my pics, which are still in the same folder setup, as before, Except they are Now on a Separate drive from the OS, and under Microsoft's Onedrive (ex: d:\onedrive\pictures\photos).

By @Mark28839470ba3y

Nearly all users do wrongly believe that's enough to restore or copy a folder tree structure elsewhere (on a separate drive, partition or master folder), even with the same drive letter to fool the organizer to link to the previous locations of the files. Unfortunately, the catalog contains the internal Windows identification of the original drive as well as the full path folder path. That's because drive letter identification is not enough to be sure it's the right drive. If another device has caught the same letter in between, your drive has a new letter. With your library used on many CDs, which was the rule for the first versions of PSE, 20 years ago, Adobe decided to add the internal serial number of the drive in the links to each media file.

In your case, You have found the previous catalog folder. As you suspected, if you copy your folder tree exactly in the same drives as before, the catalog will work as before and you should recover all your tags and organization if the external drives are connected to the computer. Even if the drive letters have changed, the organizer chooses in priority to identify the drive by its serial number.

To better understand, just try a DOS command:

vol D:

to get the hexadecimal value of the internal serial number for drive D.