Problem restoring PSE catalog to new pc

[Eileen339448229pa4]

BACKGROUND: 

Purchased new Win11 pc to replace Win10 pc.  Called Adobe to ask if my old v2015 Photoshop Elements & Premier Elements could be backed up & restored to v2024 on new pc.  Help agent assured me it could be done. He sent website links to show how to do it.  Downloaded programs OK.

RESTORE ATTEMPTS

Read instructions and knew this wasn’t going to be easy.  My v2015 was stored in a custom location and usernames for the pcs were different.  Talked with several Adobe help agents. First attempt was not successful.  Catalog was converted.  Restore Original Folder Structure worked except halfway down the path it created an extra user folder and another folder with the wrong username, sending my pictures to a location that doesn’t exist, preventing them from reaching new Pictures directory.  All pictures would be shown as “missing links”.  I was then told the v2015 catalog could not be restored directly--would be a two-step process of restore to v2020 and then to v2024. Was sent a link to download v2020; installation ok.  After several tries, it was apparent this restore was not going to work. There was no option to select “restore to new location” which I believe would bypass the username problem. Creating new catalog names did not work either. 

NEW PROBLEM

Gave up on catalog conversion. Asked help agent if I could uninstall both program versions, reinstall new v2024 and start over. Not happy to have to import and retag 12,000 files, but don’t see any other option.  He agreed, said my catalog was probably corrupt, and closed my case number.

Tried to uninstall/reinstall both versions three times.  Using Win11 instructions to uninstall without saving preferences, I get a “successful” result notice.  But on reinstall both versions automatically install corrupt catalog and I’m back where I started.  Both versions install to the default location. Using explorer to Program Data/ Adobe/ Elements Organizer /Catalogs, I find 4 catalogs:  “My Catalog”-v24,  “My Catalog 1”-v18, “My Catalog 1 1”-v24,  and my corrupt catalog-v15 from old pc.  My corrupt catalog folder also appears inside main “My Catalog” folder. 

HOW TO SOLVE 

1.  If I reinstall and can open the Catalog Manager, could I create a new catalog and then delete all the other catalogs – including the original “My Catalog” which has the corrupt catalog folder inside it too?     OR

1.   Is there a way to reinstall & do a clean uninstall that would delete Elements Organizer also before another reinstall? 

I’m way out of my league here.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Eileen

[Greg_S.]

I'm not convinced that your Elements 15 catalog is corrupt.  But starting over is fairly easy.  The real issue right now is whether all of the photo/video files from your old computer are copied (restored) to your new catalog.  If they are, and you are satisfied with their current folder locations, you can simply go to File>Manage Catalogs and create a new Elements 2024 catalog.  See this HelpX Article for further details.

Once the new catalog is created, you will be given the opportunity to Start Importing and the program will search your computer for photo/video files which you will then import into the new catalog.  Once the files are imported, you have the capability to move the files to a folder structure of your choice.  But this should all be done using the Folder panel on the left of the Organizer.  (There is no reason to do this, but it may make it easier for you not to have a structure that is too deep.)

Note that by creating a new catalog:

• You will lose all face recognition and Events and Places created in the original catalog
• You will lose all Albums
• You should accept the option to import any keyword tags, but the keyword tags will all be placed in the Imported Keyword Tag category and you will have to move the tags to a desired hiearchy if you want one.

If you really want to delete the catalogs, you can do this, using Windows File Explorer.  But I suggest you wait to do that.  They are not taking up much room.  And if you decide to give it another try to restore the prior catalog, it would be possible to do so.  Note that when Elements 2024 restored your Elements 15 catalog, it converted the catalog and made a copy of it.  (I'm not sure if a copy is made when a restore is made to a new computer, but I suspect that it is.)  You can use the old  backup catalog to attempt a new conversion to Elements 2024 and another copy will be made.

My final advice, for now, is that there is no point in uninstalling/reinstalling Elements.  The program is working.  It's just that something has gone wrong with the restoration of the old catalog on a new machine.  This process can be tricky, particularly with the instructions about where to restore the photos to.  So, there may just be some user (or Adobe Support) error.  You haven't given us enough detail to make a judgment about that.

And just to emphasize my original point - the important thing is that the media files (photos/videos) have been copied to your new computer.  A catalog does not contain copies of the files.  It merely catalogs where they are located/stored on your computer.  The fact that they have been stored in a different location than the old computer is irrelevant.  I'm not quite sure how the files showed up as missing in your Elements 2024 catalog, but I guess that doesn't matter if they can be found in the fresh start catalog. 

I hope I haven't confused you further.

[MichelBParis]

@Eileen339448229pa4 

As you have found out, the problematic factors are to restore an old media folders hierarchy to a different new one.

- On your old computer, the default hierarchy was based on a description of the location of each  file.

Microsoft offers a default folder hierarchy for pictures.

C: > Users > [Your name] > Pictures followed by your own folder hierarchies of subfolders.

(Older Win users remember that at some time, "Pictures" was "My Pictures". That had the same result as changing the user name).

So, When you try to restore, the organizer automatically has to recreate the old (empty) folders hierarchy before filling it with media files copies and updating the new catalog with that new path description.

.

You'll find under your target new custom master folder a hierarchy starting with > Users > [Your name] > Pictures.

Everything will be restored with the first folders level, old user name and Pictures totally empty. There will be no missing files (the empty folders were created before the copy and the updating of the new catalog.)

You say :

" Restore Original Folder Structure worked except halfway down the path it created an extra user folder and another folder with the wrong username, sending my pictures to a location that doesn’t exist, preventing them from reaching new Pictures directory. "

I have never got missing files with that procedure for the above reasons and it's possible in the organizer to delete the superfluous empty folder steps for more clarity.

So, my personal advice is to forget the default Explorer default of 'Pictures' and to create your own master folder just under the root of your chosen drive (internal or external) as the custom destination folder. Just create a very small test catalog that way to see how it works.

The restore process will also place the restored catalog folder under your new master folder.

That way, if you choose an external drive as you destination, you'll be able to plug in alternatively your external disk to different computers with the same PSE version, and you'll have nothing to do to update the catalog in between. Only be sure both catalogs recognize the external drive with the same letter.

Note that Lightroom experts also recommend to store the LR catalogs on 'custom' location and not under 'users'.

Edited:

I did not see Greg's excellent answer while I was writing.

Just note that the solution to create a new catalog does not save the face recognition data  and other data while the above procedure does keep everything.

[Eileen339448229pa4]

Thank you so much for your reply.  Severe storms and power outages here prevented me from answering sooner. 

I’m very encouraged with your help and advice.  As you probably have guessed, I’m a long time (20 year) user of Adobe photo software, but a newbie at using Win 11 and installing/converting the Adobe software.  I’ve spent lots of time reading new/old/confusing help articles; talking/chatting/emailing with help center agents.  It’s all starting to make sense, and your reply is helping to clear the fog for me.  I have a few questions before I try this procedure again. 

1.   Will this still be a two-step upgrade from v2015 to v2020 to v2024?  I will need to reinstall the v2020 and v2024 software.    
2.   I agree with your suggestion to install to a custom location.  I have an internal secondary SSD drive.   Can you give me an example of how to set that up:  D:\first folder/second folder/ etc.  Will that location contain both the catalog folder and the Pictures-type media folder? 
3.   When I installed the v2020 and v2024 before, they automatically started converting my old catalog.  Is there a way to stop that so I can do the restore catalog procedure where I would choose “Destination To” the new D:\ location, create a new catalog name, and choose “Restore Original Folder Structure”. 
4.   Your “test catalog” seems like a good idea.  Would I create the new catalog named “Test” and a small “Test Pictures” file folder to use with the restore procedure before the main restore event?    Sounds logical, but remember I’m very new at all this and need explicit instructions before I create a bigger mess.

Please have patience with me and correct me when I go wrong. 

Many thanks,

Eileen

[Eileen339448229pa4]

I received an email from Adobe asking if my problem was solved.  Please excuse.  Apparently I didn't use the correct reply procedure.  I sent a reply January 10 using the reply at the bottom instead of the first reponse.  I'm not off to a very good start.  Can you see what I posted.  If not I will try again.  I do appreciate your trying to help me.  I'm going to be a real challenge!  

[Eileen339448229pa4]

Okay, go ahead and laugh.  I don't know which reply button I should be using.  I posted a reply on January 10 with more questions, but have not received a reply.