Restoring Backup in Elements 14 - Do I need to overwrite existing image files?

[davida87898247]

I have had to reinstall windows 7 on my computer. Now Elements Organizer 14 says "No Media available". In the Catalogs subfolder I now have two folders;  "My Catalog1" and "Temporary" with a PSE14DB file of only 111 KB . Fortunately I did a full backup of my Catalog just prior to the Windows 7 install. All my original image files that  have imported are in the same locations. Will I need to overwrite them during the restore process? I have tagged all of the images in my catalog. Is the tag information in the image files or in the catalog "tly" file or catalog backup file?  Is it safe to overwrite my original imported image files?  Need some advice and help.

[MichelBParis]

In the Catalogs subfolder I now have two folders;  "My Catalog1" and "Temporary" with a PSE14DB file of only 111 KB

How big is the "My Catalog1"?

Does it contain a catalog.pse14db file of significant size?

Did you try to change the current catalog to My Catalog1 from the catalog manager?

[davida87898247]

My Catalog1 is a folder with two other folders; FaceAnalysis and WaldoData. The FaceAnalysis folder has one folder called json. All folders are empty. THe WaldoData folder is empty. There is no pse14db file of considerable size.  I had a catalog of over 35,000 images.   I have not tried to change the current catalog in the catalog manager.

[Greg_S.]

How did you reinstall Windows?  Was it from a full disk image backup or did you do a clean install?  If the latter, did you restore from backup any other folders/files such as your catalog(s). 

All my original image files that  have imported are in the same locations.

Can you explain what you mean by this.  Are your media files installed on a separate drive/partition than your C:\ drive?  How were the image files imported?

In the Catalogs subfolder I now have two folders;  "My Catalog1" and "Temporary" with a PSE14DB file of only 111 KB .

Are you able to search for and open either of the catalogs using the Catalog Manager?