Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

I'm going to give up on LR 5.7 since I can't get any support and will go ahead with Adobe LR CC. Do I need to uninstall LR 5.7 first? Since all of my photos are on an external hard drive I will import them when I get CC?? I don't want anything to do with the Mobile aspect of CC so I will leave that alone. Any suggestions or tips before I download CC? Thanks in advance for your advice.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The LR products do not replace each other nor otherwise fail to co-exist at the same time. But, looking at your recent post, there's nothing about going to the subscription model that will address your HD problem. Well, other than creating a new monthly expense that you didn't need ...

You don't need to "import" the images to the new catalog. Rather, you should create a copy of the LR5.7 catalog file and point the LR CC to that catalog file. This way, all your edits inside LR will be known to the LR CC. But ... it seems your problems trying to move your images around will also transfer to LR CC too ...

You'd be better served solving your problems and understanding of creating a new HD storage than trying to throw money at the problem ...

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

I have a computer tech coming over Thursday to help with my huge problem that I seem to be getting more tangled in with everything I have tried.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I'm responding to your HD problem. I did the exact same thing last week, going from 2TB to 4TB of connected storage.

Background

My desktop for photo editing has 1TB of storage. I shoot RAW and have a process that typically involves RAW to 16-bit TIFF via Canon's proprietary DPP software with finishing in LR5. The majority of my images imported to LR reside in a removable HD assigned to drive J: on a Windows based system.

Key point

Drive letter = J (the alpha character is not relevant, just what value is known to LR).

Process

Using Windows, I plugged-in the old 2TB and new 4TB HDs. I copied all the files from the old 2Tb to the new 4TB drive. I then dismounted the old 2TB drive that had been mounted as the 'J' drive. I updated the drive letter assignment to the 4TB HD to 'J'. I opened LR and everything was as it should be.

Suggestion

If your tech understands LR and your hardware and OS (MS or MAC, etc), the process above should be clear without further discussion. You need to understand that you can't have LR "see" the same image on both the old and new drives at the same time. As described in the process above, unplug the old drive and rename the new drive. Then the new drive becomes your "master" to LR.

Background 2

At the most fundamental level, LR cares about only where the LR internal catalog file reside. At the next level up, LR cares that all imported files reside where the LR catalog says they should reside. It doesn't matter if the file is on the C: or D: or E: or X: etc. Every file has one exact and unique location as known and documented within the LR catalog of all imported files. Multiple drive letters can be used all at the same time.

You can change external drives seemlessly (see above) by simply copying the files from one drive to another and assigning the same drive letter to the new drive. Somewhat more cumbersome is to copy the files between the two HD equipment, let the drive letter assignment change; and then inside LR, update the file location for every copied file. To LR, this seems like you "moved" the files from say C:\pictures\2017 WashDC\file1234.jpg to F:\Travel Photos\DC_pics\file1234.jpg

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Lets hope the tech is familiar with Lightroom ;)

Good luck!

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

I've made such a mess of things that I'm sure hoping this computer tech can sort it all out. Thanks for your step by step guide.

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

I hope so too!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Adobe support will not get better when you switch to CC. It will still be hit or miss.

As for the "huge problem," I bet it isn't that bad at all. Relax and let the computer tech take care of it. Keep us updated.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You need to understand where you went wrong and learn how to fix simple problems with file management in order to avoid repeating those mistakes and making a big mess of things. It's like driving. You don't have to be a master mechanic to operate a car, but simple stuff like checking the oil and tire inflation and paying attention to engine coolant and brake fluid levels are basic tasks that everyone should have. File management is just like that.

BTW, LR CC and PS CC are quite a bit better than what you are using now, particularly PS. Do not fall into the mindset that a raw converter is capable of producing a finished image. It can't. Finishing is a task best relegated to pixel-level editors like Photoshop and Corel Paint Shop Pro. Proper finishing often requires the use of layers, masks, cloning, spot and area healing, applying local tone, color, contrast and sharpening adjustments, etc which is well beyond of most raw converters but easily carried out in Photoshop.

pahtspix

AMEN on Photoshop CC..I have never used Lightroom to any great extent..My work starts in the camera as a RAW file opened in Photoshop CC2017, and edited from there..Today's Adobe Photoshop is BETTER than ever..Virtually all images I capture are with the intent of making a print, and Photoshop has been helping me towards that end since 1999. I do however use some 3rd party plugins in addition for certain features. Topaz Denoise, for example, is the BEST noise removal tool I've found, and it's usually my 1st step following the opening any image from RAW..

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

I have remained pretty laid back about it all after the initial shock of "losing" my photos when I pull up LR. I think what surprised me most was the fact that LR 5.7 reverted back to 5.0 and for the life of me, I cannot get it to restore to 5.7. Hopefully, the "pro" can show me how to do this....I can still see that my photos are in my Seagate HD but I'm not touching them.

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

You bet! I have PS 2013 and use it occasionally and use LR on every photo because I just don't understand PS very well and obviously not LR either when it comes to file management. Maybe time to take some online courses this winter?! BTW I did get a Feisol tripod and the Benro ballhead fits perfectly with the legs folded up and I love them very much. Thanks for your recommendation on the tripod.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

If it's a big mess, simply create a new catalog and start over. If yo have LR setup to create sidecar files with each raw files, all your edits will still be there. You will loose all your organizing edits such as color code, keywording, ratings etc. But it seems that that's the part that is a mess so start over with a new catalog.

Make sure you have the check box "Automatically write changes into XMP" checked so that you always create the sidecar files. If not, the editing is saved in your catalog and of you loose a catalog all your edits are gone.

(Download)

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

When I first started with LR CC (when it first came out) and installed it and started the program the program asked if I wanted to update my current catalog, I clicked yes and now all my images, folders, etc was within LR CC. I made sure everything was working, kept a B/U copy of the old LR catalog and deleted the old LR program from my computer

Kuzano

Adobe is still Adobe, no matter how you are served. With Adobe it's all about the money. Nothing else. End of report.