sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

I still have a dilemma regarding the use of an external drive. Got one, it works fine, but cannot figure out how or if it is even possible to make an external a Lightroom default hard drive for photos. I can put photos and take them off by exporting and importing no problem. But, is there any way to set Lightroom (4) so that LR thinks the external is what it should use by default like it now does with the C drive?

My other option, I guess, is to put all the older photos that I rarely look at but still want to keep on the external, clean out the C drive and use it as usual. Then I could periodically clean out C providing room for new, incoming photos. Maybe this is a better idea anyway.

I have searched the internet etc. for answers to this question and get a lot of advice about how to move in and out of the external but nothing on this particular question.

I am not a computer wizard by any means and any advice on this would be greatly appreciated, (I never miss a day checking UHH, what a great site.)

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

As far as I know, LR will default to the C drive no matter if you use an external or not. (when importing photos by copying or moving)

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

I think you're correct......

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

computers are as dunb as dodos,if you don't like where the editor likes to save your photos, tell it where you want them.what i do is,save all my photos to folders on my external drive ,i put shortcuts to the folders on my desktop.use lightroom to open the photo from the shortcut,when finished with pp rename and save back to that folder.you'll find the renamed photos on your external drive.

profpb Loc: Venice, Florida

In LR there is a option for a second copy. Check the box and select the external drive location.
It on the top right panel under the check box for don't import suspected duplicates.

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

Where is your Lightroom catalogue located? Is it on the C:\ drive? If so, moving it to the external drive would probably solve your problem because LR, by default, opens the last used catalogue. HOWEVER, you will have to reconnect the photos in your various drives to the catalogue again.

I have my photos and my catalogue on a second internal hard drive. It always opens to that drive and, when I import photos, that is the default drive.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Think i've got it figured out. Just takes me longer, have to do everything wrong at least once to get there...LOL
It looks lik my default drive is now the external by using a "go" button on upper right corner of import screen that someone pointed out.

Thanks to all for your responses and great help.

Soda

rebride

Yea, thanks.