Unable to complete installation of catalog on new computer from a NAS

Report · Feb 18, 2025

I backed up Photoshop Elements 21 (?) images and catalog to local NAS from a desktop windows 10 computer. Installed Photoshop Elements 21 (?) then copied the backup.tly to a laptop windows 10 and restored to the laptop. All worked great, copying all the images and folders to the laptop and preserving all my albums. Until going mobile, then all the photos show as disconnected. Apparently, despite the fact that the restore copied all the files to the laptop, it is still loading the images from the NAS (confirmed by looking at the properties within PSE). How do I get the catalog to connect to the local images?

I have used earlier versions of photoshop elements. Everything on the laptop indicates it is photoshop elements 21 but querying the program indicates is is 19.0.0.0. Core and language version 19.0 (20210807.m.158016) Is this 21 or 19?

Report · Feb 18, 2025

It's version 19, but is called "Photoshop Elements 2021": Prior to PSE 2024 versions and year released was always two off.

20210807 the date is the year, month, and day that version was finalized. Typically two weeks later that version gets released to the public.

You wouldn't like my answer about NAS drives so I will others fill you in on that.

Report · Feb 18, 2025

@Glenn 8675309 said: It's version 21, released in 2019.

Glenn, I don't like that answer either. 😉The OP is using Elements 2021, which is actually version 19 of the program.

@CanoeRat said: All worked great, copying all the images and folders to the laptop and preserving all my albums. Until going mobile, then all the photos show as disconnected.

What do you mean by going mobile? The Elements Web was not released publicly until Elements 2022 (version 20), although there may have been an earlier Beta version that was issued to a limited number of users. And the Elements Mobile App is more recent than that.

You say that all of the images and folders were copied to the laptop, but then you say that images are still being copied from the NAS? Which is it? Has the Restoration of the backup been completed or not?

What options did you use for the Restore process? Did you restore the backup files to the original location or to a new location? And did you Restore the Original Folder Structure? If you don't understand what I am asking about, take a look at this HelpX Article.

Based on what you have told us so far, I don't think this information is relevant, but I am not afraid to be the messenger who brings you the news that Adobe does not recommend using a NAS to store catalog files. But it sounds to me like you do not intend to do that.

Report · Feb 19, 2025

I restored the original folder structure to a new location (the old computer to the laptop by way of the NAS) so all the images are on the laptop but it isn't looking at the images there, it is looking back at the NAS to get those images still. I am currently importing the local images in to the catalog. Hopefully, the catalog will add the album info. Then I plan on removing the NAS images from the laptop catalog. I assume I need to go folder by folder to do so.

When I was setting up photoshop on the laptop, it was alway connected to the NAS so it worked, albeit a tad slowly. When I took the laptop on the road, weirdly enough, all my data was now offline. So no, I wasn't trying to use a mobile app, I was just taking the laptop away from the mother ship. After I saw my original catalog was not functional on the laptop, I started a new catalog so I could work with my new images. I understand there is no way to merge the catalogs. That's ok if I am incorrect as the old catalog was getting pretty unwieldy, even my old high powered computer working with local files.

Report · Feb 19, 2025

OK. So you did not backup your catalog using the Organizer. As I understand it, you copied the files from your desktop to your NAS and then copied the image files from your NAS to your laptop. It's still not clear what you meant when you said that you copied the backup.tly to a laptop windows 10 and restored to the laptop. In any event, whatever method you have used for the transfer, if you did not follow the Backup and Restore options found in the link I provided to you, you will lose all of your Albums and any face recognition you have performed.

If your goal is to use the same catalog on both your desktop and laptop, you need to use an external drive.