Restore created a duplicate nested Pictures folder - Need Help

Report · Dec 20, 2023

I recently purchased a new Windows 11 computer. I backed up the My Catalog file on the old computer to an external hard drive, installed PSE 2020 on the new machine along with my Pictures folder, which was also backed up on the external drive, and then did a restore. At that time I was unaware of the user name assigned to the computers. The old computer user was Joe, the new computer user is gill2. Within my Pictures folder, I now have a new folder named Users with "Joe" nested inside. Within that folder is a duplicate Pictures folder! PSE now points to the duplicate Pictures folder to upload and edit photos -> C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures. Changes I make in one folder are NOT duplicated in the other.

How can I get Elements to use C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\? -- Thanks in advance.

Report · Dec 20, 2023

You say that you backed up the My Catalog file (I assume you mean folder) and your My Pictures folder to an external drive and then did a restore. It is unclear to me whether you used the Organizer to perform these operations or whether you used some other backup or copy procedure.

There are other solutions to you problem but the cleanest way for you to get to where you want to be is to start over. Do a full backup of your catalog using the Organizer's Backup procedure. Then, when you restore that backup to the new machine, use the option to restore to the Original Location. Now, here is where it may get a little tricky because you have different User names set up on the two computers.

(It has been so long since I have performed such an operation that I'm not sure whether this will work for you. Perhaps that is what you have already done. If that is the case, I suggest creating a new user account on your new machine with exactly the same name as the one on the old computer (Joe). If you then log in under that account - I suggest you make it an Administrator account if possible - there should be no problem with restoring the catalog to the new computer.)

For further information about the backup/restore procedure see this HelpX Article.

If this doesn't work as expected, I can give you some other steps for you to make the changes manually.

One final point: It is not clear to me what you mean when you say PSE now points to the duplicate Pictures folder to upload and edit photos. If you are talking about Watched Folders or the default for saving files, these can easily be changed.

Report · Dec 21, 2023

I backed up My Catalog on the old computer using the function in the Organizer. It was a full backup (not incremental) to the external drive. The Picture folder on the old computer was backed up to the external drive via the SyncBack backup program. Once I got the new computer up and running, I copied the Picture folder to the new computer. Then I installed PSE 2020 on the new computer. I then opened the PSE Organizer and used the Restore function. I am not sure if I was given the option to restore in the original location. I remember that I was not able to "Restore Original Folder Structure", it was greyed out. I had accessed an MS webpage similar to the help link you provided above in advance.

Regarding your point in your last paragraph, I believe I can only edit photos in the folder: C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures

If I create a new user account, will all of my documents, videos, downloads, etc. be accessible for that user or will I have to toggle between the two accounts?

Thanks for your patience. For me a computer is like a car, I can drive it and fill it with gas. Anything beyond that is out of my wheelhouse.

Report · Dec 20, 2023

Hi @Joseph5C9E

I recently purchased a new Windows 11 computer. I backed up the My Catalog file on the old computer to an external hard drive, installed PSE 2020 on the new machine along with my Pictures folder, which was also backed up on the external drive, and then did a restore. At that time I was unaware of the user name assigned to the computers. The old computer user was Joe, the new computer user is gill2. Within my Pictures folder, I now have a new folder named Users with "Joe" nested inside. Within that folder is a duplicate Pictures folder! PSE now points to the duplicate Pictures folder to upload and edit photos -> C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures. Changes I make in one folder are NOT duplicated in the other.

How can I get Elements to use C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\? -- Thanks in advance.

By @Joseph5C9E

You are not alone.

In my view, the problem has not been only the change of your user name. There has also been changes from Microsoft (Pictures vs My Pictures...)

The result is that the length of the full path name is increased unnecessarily. Just compare the full path with the user name to the 'shortcut' starting with Pictures or My Pictures. You get four subfolder steps without pictures. By the way, many PSE users don't realize that the default folder steps are just a Microsoft shortcut for the full user hierarchy.

That's the reason why I have always been advocating NOT using the Microsoft default for pictures, but to create your own photo master folder just under the root drive of your chosen disk. I believe that choice is also recommended for Lightroom users.

To shorten the length of the full path including the unnecessary subfolders steps, it's generally possible to use the drag and drop function to move a whole master folder with its subfolders to a new master folder in the folders tree panel.

Report · Dec 21, 2023

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure that I totally understand. Are you suggesting that I create a new folder in the C drive? Here:

Would I drag just the Pictures folder (from C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures) to that location? How would I get Elements to find it?

Thank you for your patience. I appreciate your expertise.

Report · Dec 22, 2023

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure that I totally understand. Are you suggesting that I create a new folder in the C drive? Here:

Would I drag just the Pictures folder (from C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures) to that location? How would I get Elements to find it?

Thank you for your patience. I appreciate your expertise.

By @Joseph5C9E

Yes.

I recommend to create your own master folder just under the C : root (something like My Photos then to drag the ...\Joe\Pictures subfolder over My Photos.

THat will move, that means copy each individual media file to the new destination, and when everything is copied, that will delete the files in the original destination. No risk to lose the originals in case of a power failure.

That will take time since each item location (drive and path) will be updated in the catalog.

Your original catalog folder won't be moved, only updated

Report · Dec 23, 2023

I think I understand. Bear with me, I have 20 years of photos on my hard drive (94.1GB, 20,552 files) and I don't want to make a mistake.

Using File Explorer, I create a new folder at C. C:\My Photos

Then I drag only the Pictures folder (located at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures) over to the My Photos folder, in effect, moving it there (resulting in C:\My Photos\Pictures). This will take some time. Do I need to create Users/gill2 or Users/Joe in that MyPhotos folder?

Once the move is complete the Pictures folder at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures will disappear. Elements will automatically adjust/update the path to C:\My Photos\Pictures. Is that correct? My catalog is located at C:\My Catalog if that is an issue.

Once the move is complete, I will still be left with the Pictures folder at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures. Can I safely delete that 94.1GB folder to free up space?

Thanks for your help.

Report · Dec 24, 2023

Of course, it's a good idea to start the drag after a recent full backup...

No problem, as indicated in my previous answer, the batch 'move' first copies the dragged files folders to the new destination, then, only when that has been done successfully, it deletes the original files from their location. You won't have to delete anything yourself afterwards.

It's like a 'transaction', which is not validated until it's totally successful. You can always 'roll back' to the initial state.

That happened once to me, with a power failure during the (rather slowj) copy process. The original files were still there and I only had to start again the whole process.

Report · Dec 24, 2023

Great! Thanks.

Regarding my other questions:

1. The new file will be at C:\My Photos\Pictures - there is no need for me to create a User/Joe folder - Correct?

2. Will Elements My Catalog automatically find the Pictures folder or is there something else I need to do within the PSE program?

3. Can I safely delete the Pictures folder at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures once the process is complete?

Thanks again.

Report · Dec 24, 2023

Great! Thanks.

Regarding my other questions:

1. The new file will be at C:\My Photos\Pictures - there is no need for me to create a User/Joe folder - Correct?

2. Will Elements My Catalog automatically find the Pictures folder or is there something else I need to do within the PSE program?

3. Can I safely delete the Pictures folder at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures once the process is complete?

Thanks again.

By @Joseph5C9E

1 - Yes. The idea is to move the files included in your catalog (not other files which may also be in the original system Pictures folder) one by one into a newly created master subfolder also called 'Pictures'. The new folders hierarchy is recreated only from and under the Pictures subfolder. The original Pictures system folder stays unchanged except that the photos in the catalog are moved to the n ew location. No global move of folders, only transfer of files in an original folder to a new location with the same hierarchy.

2 - The process results in moving each file individually AND updating the catalog to point to the new location. That explains why the catalog is updated but not moved from its original folder location.

3 - You don't need to (the moved files are no longer there). You don't want to if it contains photos not already in the catalog. From other sources or in different catalogs.

Report · Dec 24, 2023

Sorry, I'm a bit confused.

1. When you say "move the files . . . one by one" does that mean I must move each of the 20,000+ files (photos) individually? I was under the impression that I would simply click on the Pictures folder and drag (or cut and paste - see below*) the entire folder with all its subfolders to My Photos.

2. When you mention "the process", would that be dragging & dropping the entire Pictures folder? And by doing so, all the files are copied individually in their appropriate subfolders to My Photos? And that PSE will automatically point to C:/My Photos/Pictures without any intervention from me? Sorry, I just don't want to make any incorrect assumptions. If this is all correct, then I think that answers my question in point #1.

3. I understand that the pictures would no longer be at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures after the move. The folder I am considering deleting is the duplicate at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures.

* When dragging folders or files in Windows 11, the only option is to copy, as far as I can tell. So, I'll have to right click on Pictures and choose Cut (Ctrl + X) and then Paste (Ctrl + V).

Thanks for your patience. I appreciate all the help.

Report · Jan 10, 2024

I followed the procedure as best I knew how. The Pictures folder at C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures is now located at C:\My Photos\Pictures. I dragged the folder to the new My Photos folder and selected move.

I opened PSE Organizer. My Photos does not appear in the folders list on the left. That list defaults to C:\Users\gill2\Pictures. Farther on down the tree the C:\Users\gill2\Pictures\Users\Joe\Pictures is still there. I can click on any of those subfolders and see the thumbnails of the contents however, double clicking on a photo results in a "file disconnected" alert and then the whole subfolder is moved to C:\Users\gill2\Pictures at the top of the tree. Is this happening because I moved these folders outside of the Organizer?

I'm stumped. How do I get the Organizer to point to C:\My Photos\Pictures?

Report · Apr 09, 2024

Sorry, the suggestion from MichaelBParis did not work. Perhaps I did not explain my problem thoroughly or I did not understand the technical language in the solution.