Photoshop Elements 14 - reconnect missing files

[mec4cast]

Tried to do a backup on an external hard drive and it said that I had about 12,000 items are not connected. I understand abut moving the files around within the photoshop program but I had some computer problems and the person working on my computer disengage one drive and moved my pictures.  I think this was when the problem started. I attached a picture of the file explorer showing I have more picture files than what is shown in the organizer (there is a picture of that as well)  I tried importing the files that arent in the organizer but it says its either in the catalog or it cant reconnect them.  Should I remove all the pictures from the organizer and start all over?

[cz35895897 · Accepted solution]

I would try from scratch. However let me tell you what happened to me. I had a directory structure build up before I got PSE. When I imported the structure into PSE, It told me same thing as it did you. Already in the catalog, cannot reconnect.

File explorer clearly showed that I had more files than what PSE showed. Finally picking on a small directory I was able to confirm that I in reality had duplicate files. (for example same photo in Friends and in Coworkers direcories) PSE appears to use several criteria to determine if a photo already is in the catalog (name, date, size, etc). Search for a message by MichelBParis who explains well what PSE considers a duplicate. If PSE thinks it found a duplicate it will not import it. You can use the editor, or some other software to test a small directory or one file to confirm that it is indeed not a duplicate. One thing I would do before starting from scratch is to write the metadata into the files that are showing up as you run the risk of losing any tags that the existing catalog may have.

I have used something called Visipics (free) to find duplicates previously. Just be aware that if you delete duplicate pics outside of the Organizer, you will have do run the reconnect command , then delete the resulting missing files from the resulting dialog box that pops up, manually.

[mec4cast]

I had photoshop elements 14 find the missing files.  It took a long time but it found all the files.  Now I am not sure what to do - its still not connecting them.  Took a screen shot.  Now in the file explorer all my files and pictures are there. Dont understand.

[mec4cast]

I do have a tly file on my external drive.  Should i delete everything in the organizer and import everything back off my external hard drive.  I do also have all my pictures in my picture folder in file explorer.