PSE 2023 on Mac will not backup to an external SSD

[kenf51]

I have posted my backup problem here already and received no help.  I have "chatted" for 3 hours with Adobe tech support about the problem and they are so far unable to help.  I have a MacBook Pro (M1) running OS 15.1 (Sequoia).  I have Adobe Elements 2023 core version 21.1.  I can do a full catalog backup on the internal Mac disk but PSE crashes every time I try to backup to an external SSD.  Since I am having so much difficulty with this problem and I am very uncomfortable with having only an internal disk backup, I want to try a work-around.  I have copied a successful backup file from the internal disk to the external SSD and I want to try it and see if it will restore correctly.  I do not have another computer to try this on so I will have to use the same Mac.  I have plenty of disk space on the Mac so that will not be a problem, I am just worried about losing or corrupting my current catalog in the process.  

My question: Can I create a new catalog within PSE on my current Mac and then restore the backup there from the external SSD as a test, without jeopardizing my currently functioning catalog?  Will I be able to designate another location for all new files related to this test restore so they are not mixed with current files?  If successful (or unsuccessful) will I be able to simply and completely delete the newly restored test catalog and all related files afterward?

Thank you,

-Ken

[Monte307]

I have never been able to do a successful backup and restore on a Mac with a silicon chip.  What does work for me is simply to do a file system copy of the catalog folder and the repository folder to an external SSD.

[kenf51]

Thanks for the reply Monte307, but that is discouraging.  So you do not do incremental backups, just a full drag and drop copy of everything, every time?  Then you are saying that with only those two folders; "Catalogs" and "Pictures" (my photo "repository") copied to my external drive, I can run PSE and all my photos, tags, faces, locations, etc will all be there too?  If I did that procedure, how would I test it to see if it works?  If the folders are on an external drive can I just navigate to the drive and "open" them from within PSE like I would any internal catalog?  I may end up doing that too, if I can't get PSE to do a regular backup.  Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to explain your procedure.

-Ken

[Monte307]

Yes, everything (photos, tags, faces, locations, etc) gets backed up and restored.  I verified it works by copying them back to their original location on my hard drive.   Yes,  it is discouraging to have to resort to this sort of workaround, but the 'proper' method never works for me.

And just to be clear, I don't access or open the files on the external drive backup via PSE, rather I restore them to their original location outside PSE (using filesystem copy).