Restore issue

[Bill OMD]

Hi Everyone

I've just had to have a new motherboard (which includes the solid state SSD in my Dell PC.  I backed up all the files and selected replace in original locations when I restored them.  I've just downloaded my Elements 24 and have tried to reinstate the catalogue.  

Actions were......

File

Restore Catalogue

Hard disc (with bacup on plugged into a usb)

Locate backup File...........  G:\PE backup 2 7 24 \Backup.tly

Restore to......... ticked "restore original folder structure"

and there it stops. Nothing happens, the Restore icon remains greyed out and the only option available is cancel.  Can anyone help please?

Thank you

[Greg_S.]

Be patient.   Although nothing seems to be happening, it can take a long time before the first status bar appears.  To confirm my theory, look in the Task Manager to see whether there is any Organizer activity and/or Disk read/write activity going on.

[Bill OMD]

Hi Greg
Thank you for trying but there’s no activity going on in task manager
against elements - which is the only application I have running.
Good thought though….

--
Bill Harley

[Personal information removed by moderator.]

[Greg_S.]

Do you have exactly the same user name as the old motherboard/hard drive? If not, that may cause a problem.  The fact that you have a new hard drive may also be an issue because the Organizer keeps track of files using the hard drive's Volume ID number, and obviously that has changed.

Have you tried restoring to a new location (folder) but Restor[ing] the Original Folder Structure?  That may be worth a shot.

[Bill OMD]

Thanks again Greg.
I’ll give that a look over tomorrow but almost certain that everything that
counts is the same.
I’m beginning to wonder if the backup is corrupt although there’s no reason
it should be.
Try again tomorrow….
--
Bill Harley

[Personal information removed by moderator.]

[Bill OMD]

Hi Greg

It's half embarrassing but I had what looks like two issues.  The first was that I downloaded PSE from Adobe and started using it - Organiser came up fine and acted naturally - Then I had the problem.  This morning I thought I'd load Editor in case it made a difference, and Editor then asked me to put in the serial number to "activate it".  I did this and then the restore process told me I couldn't write to the location I was trying to use.  I created a new folder and - hey presto!   Then abput 75% of the way through the restore it stopped and said I had an error - it didn't say what error or what to do about it but asked me to send the report to Adobe with a note about what I was doing.  About 20% of my pics were in the catalogue with no associayed tags imported so I assume I've got a corrupt backup.  Perhaps I expect too much from Win and legacy apps like PSE which aren't on line but I would have thought Adobe could make this more "me proof" - I'm now in the process of importing the files into a new catalogue and hoping that Adobe writes Keyword Tags into exif.  Thanks for your  helpful comments yesterday

[Greg_S.]

Bill, don't feel in the slightest bit embarrassed.  The Organizer backup/restore process is perhaps the most user-unfriendly part of Elements.  I am currently going through my own catalog backup/restore disaster, and we see many reported user failures on this forum.

I may end up doing the same as you and create an entirely new catalog.  But with about 250k media files, that is a daunting task.

When you import your files into the new catalog, you should be given the opportunity to import the keyword tags. Those will appear in the new catalog under the Imported Keyword Tags category.  You will then have to rearrange the hierarchy of tags.  Face-recognized People tags should also be converted to keyword tags, but you will lose all face recognition associations and will need to perform that task again.

Good luck.

[Bill OMD]

Thanks Greg, it's not exactly pleasing that others suffer too but it sounds like I'm in good company at least.

Sitting here looking at the tags, noting the face identification is missing  and wondering if PSE is actually worth the effort any longer - and I've only got 205 of the images you have.  

Good luck with your reorganisation.

Thanks again

Bill

[Bill OMD]

Correction - 20% not 205