Backup copy issue
Nov 9, 2020 19:14:06 #
I Put all my LR Folders onto a 2tb Seagate External hard drive from my Apple Laptop. I bought another Seagate external hard drive to backup the HD #1. When backing up #1 to #2 the transfer stops part way through the transfer and indicates the transfer can't be completed because an item in a file is in use.
I started all over again but instead of trying to transfer all of my files, i decided to break it down and transfer individual files, one at a time. The same note came up and when searching for what was open, it was from a file that I wasn't even trying to copy and was a couple of files ahead in my file que. Before starting the transfer process I made sure nothing was in use.
Any thoughts what is happening and how to proceed?
Right now I have all my files on one hard drive and am very nervous.
I started all over again but instead of trying to transfer all of my files, i decided to break it down and transfer individual files, one at a time. The same note came up and when searching for what was open, it was from a file that I wasn't even trying to copy and was a couple of files ahead in my file que. Before starting the transfer process I made sure nothing was in use.
Any thoughts what is happening and how to proceed?
Right now I have all my files on one hard drive and am very nervous.
Nov 9, 2020 20:21:36 #
What file was in use? An image file or some part of LR? You might reboot the computer and open nothing except two OS windows where you drag the source folder from the source window into the target target and release for the copy.
Nov 9, 2020 20:36:20 #
How are you copying the files, and is there anything else other than photos that you’re copying?
Nov 9, 2020 20:38:56 #
Nov 9, 2020 20:44:44 #
rbmitch123 wrote:
Drag and drop. Nothing but photo files.
How about using a backup or cloning ap instead? You’re going to need to keep the disks synced in the future. Unless you plan to manually do this every day, you’re going to need a regular automated way to do that in the future, AND a way to prevent accidental deletions that propagates from one drive to the other and a way to implement versioning to recover from copying corrupted data.
Nov 9, 2020 21:58:41 #
Nov 9, 2020 22:06:22 #
rbmitch123 wrote:
What do you suggest? Have you ever heard of carbon copy cloner?
I’m a Windows guy, so maybe a Mac guru can comment on an appropriate ap, but it’s worth putting some thought into your backup, and after that’s done, implement a 3rd disaster recovery copy of your data in the cloud. ICloud is the obvious answer for that.
Nov 9, 2020 22:09:22 #
You might consider researching larger external drives at this point, perhaps even one that will copy all data automatically to a second drive (RAID system). Or, as someone else has said, perhaps even a cloud backup. Maybe you can delete that troublesome file, put it somewhere off that drive, and try again and it might work. I just went through the process of moving files (90% photo) from one drive to another and it takes a lot of patience and some time: I still have more photos to move, from a 4T external to a newly purchased 12T RAID external that will be arriving shortly. 2T is not much external space for image storage if you take a lot of images and play around with them at all.
Nov 10, 2020 08:42:41 #
NCMtnMan
Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC
Something about the file did not register as being closed. If it is an image file, try opening it and see if it will. If it does then try saving it under a different name. See if that new one will copy and is okay. Then make a small change to the existing file and see if it will then save. Then try to copy it. If not, then you can just skip the bad one or delete it if it still won't copy.
Nov 10, 2020 09:31:45 #
"In use" can be annoying. Very often, I'll want to eject an external device, but the computer thinks something is using it. I keep closing things until there is nothing open, but it gives me the same message, so I just eject it. Computers aren't as smart as they would like us to think. 
Nov 10, 2020 10:15:34 #
I am a windows user and sometimes I get a similar message. My fix is to disable each external drive by clicking on the USB icon on the bottom task bar and removing each drive when Safe to Remove displays. Then I turn off the computer. Wait about 15 seconds and then turn it on. Once both external drives are recognized , I begin the copy again. This usually fixes whatever was causing the problem.
Nov 10, 2020 12:59:40 #
photoman43 wrote:
I am a windows user and sometimes I get a similar message. My fix is to disable each external drive by clicking on the USB icon on the bottom task bar and removing each drive when Safe to Remove displays. Then I turn off the computer. Wait about 15 seconds and then turn it on. Once both external drives are recognized , I begin the copy again. This usually fixes whatever was causing the problem.
Bingo!
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