Lightroom/Backups Files

I removed all but the latest files in Lightroom/Backups. The earliest file was named 2006-09-25-1503. 09/26/05 is a date prior to my downloading and installing Lightroom. After removing the files I was unable to start Lightroom - it was apparently looking for the 09/25/2006 file that had been removed.
Can any of the files that I removed be safely removed?
I got LR going again by restoring my computer to a time just before I removed the files so my question is so I know what to do in the future.
Thanks - Bob S

You can delete the LR backups without any effect on LR (I do it all the time). You must have done something else.

Similar Messages

Forgot to move lightroom backup files

Hi, I recently changed my laptops and in the transition I goofed up with Lightroom 5 backup data. I copied over the lightroom catalog files but forgot to copy the lightroom raw images backup folder, like the ones named 2014, 2015, 1,2, etc. I have the original raw images from my camera sd card. Is there a way I can re-apply the changes I did in my catalogs to these original raw images? I tried the feature find missing raw images, but it did not work. Any suggestions on this?
Thanks!

Thanks dj_paige! I will try this tonight. I just took a quick glance and still have this question: I dont have the old backup folders (2014, 2015, etc) saved anymore. They are gone. I just have catalog files and raw images on sd card. Not sure if the above link works for this situation as well. Will try it and let you know. Thanks for the comment!

HELP!! I viewed my "backup" files, and now ALL of my photos are no longer "linked" to Lightroom.

I thought I was missing some files, so I viewed my backup files. I received a "warning" that Lightroom would restart and view my backup files. I did NOT receive any warning, that there was NO GOING BACK!! I've tried everything. I cannot re-link ANY of my photos. Well, I did just do one, and it told me all the other photos in the folder were corrupt and Lightroom would not be able to edit them (and no, it was not an exported .jpeg file). Fortunately, I am not concerned about this folder, that's why I tested it. I was forced to moved all of my photos from my C drive to my D drive because for some weird reason on this computer, my D drive is 5 times bigger and I ran out of room. When I did that, I was able to relink all the pictures. Sadly, it didn't keep my Folders, it just relinked them all by date. That I can deal with, even though it makes finding photos much more difficult, but I wasn't about to try to rename any of them and have to relink again.
Now, I can't relink any of them because it appears in Lightroom that all photos are back in the C drive and therefore, the new photos that I placed on the D drive are not there, and nothing will relink, period, not even the ones that were originally on my C drive!
I have never been so aggravated in my life. I LOVE Lightroom capabilities. I have version 2.3. When I look it up on the online help, all I get is how the photos are in whatever location they were saved, but they are linked, etc. I already know that part. I seriously wish I had NEVER looked at my backup files. I don't think I'll bother backing up stuff anymore because apparently looking at the backup messes up everything.
I fully anticipated that I would be able to go back, choose my folders on my D drive and have all of my current photos available. Sadly, not.
My user name should be FREAKED OUT!

Thanks! I've been practicing deep breathing between yelling at my computer. I use Windows 7. I was in my "regular" Lightroom photos, and I couldn't locate some pictures I took last December. So, I thought, well, why not look at the back up files? I'm normally excellent at remembering exact steps, but I'm so worried about all of my thousands of photos, I can only explain what I think I did. I went into Windows Explorer, and chose the backup files. When I did, I received the warning about Lightroom restarting and loading the backup photos. I hesitated for a full minute, but thought, well, isn't that what backup files are for? So, I selected it. Lightroom opened the backup photos without any problem. But, when I went back, and tried opening the photos that were linked to Lightroom, they were no longer linked. When I click on the formerly linked photos, they just open in Windows Explorer, not Lightroom. When I open Lightroom, it has says all the photos are "missing." All of the folders are listed in my C drive (in Lightroom), not where they'd been moved to on my D drive. The one photo I relinked, stated the photos in that folder could not be edited in Lightroom. So, I'm afraid to try to relink anymore of them. Also, as I said, any photos that I originally imported to my D drive are not showing up in Lightroom at all.
I would say, I normally learn software quickly. That was my experience with Lightroom. I installed it, went through all of the online training sessions, and have loved it. Admittedly, I'm sure there are features that I don't make use of that many people do, but I'm just a passionate photography nut, not a professional.
The online help basically explains the linking, and even how to relink if you "move" a file, a folder to another location. It doesn't cover this, or not where I can find it.
I've think I've given up on yelling at the computer, now I just have knots in my stomach about getting photos relinked. I have probably 80% of them exported, with the adjustments I made, but that does not make me feel one bit better.
Thanks!!!

Why do i get the following message when i attempt to open my backup file for lightroom cc? "Lightroom cannot use the catalog named "Lightroom Catalog" because it is not writable and cannot be opened". This message just started coming up after downloadi

why do i get the following message when i attempt to open my backup file for lightroom cc? "Lightroom cannot use the catalog named "Lightroom Catalog" because it is not writable and cannot be opened". This message just started coming up after downloading lightroom cc (previously using lightroom 5)...am i backing up properly or not???

Open Pictures folder and move the files named lrcat-journal and lrcat.lock to Desktop.
Make sure that , they are not inside Pictures folder any more and try to open backup from Lighrtroom and check..
Any LRcat file with .lock extension , move it to Desktop.

Reinstalling the backup file in lightroom 4.4

Hello everyone. I accidentally deleted my backup file from the folder that light room created in my folder. I have it backed up in my Time Machine but I can't find a way to ask light room to look at it again. I can put it back in to its place but light room isn't seeing it or I just can't figure out away to ask light room to see you again can anybody help please.

i have the images. And the catalog i am assuming is my photos yes i have thoes. They didnt get daleted the only thing that got daleted is a file in may mac that is in my picturs folder , in a folder called lighroom then in that folder there was one called back up. That one got deleted, it was 11.2 gig big, the catalog on my external harddrive that holds all my pics is like 400gig big is still there, but the file i deleted looks like it held all my settings and adjustments I've made to my pictures or catalog. I have all my pics. but when i opened lightroom for the first time after the delete it did not see any of them, its like it didnt know where they were or like they were gone like no catalog at all, just like a new install. but they were on my external and still are. I hit the + sign on the folder menu and clicked add folder and navgated to the folders i was missinf and its adding them right now. but they are like new, non of my adjustment are there, its like i lost all my adjustment i made. So i added back the file i deleted but lightroom doestnt seem to care.

Lightroom loses files on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive

I am using Lightroom 5.7 on a PC in Windows 7 64-bit.
A couple of weeks ago I installed a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system as I was running out of internal hard disk space. I set up a logical drive on the NAS for Photos. In Lightroom, I dragged the photo files over onto the new drive. The catalogue and backup files remained on the internal hard drive.
My photos are arranged chronologically, in directories (years) and subdirectories (days, named using the format "2014_12_31").
Since moving the files to the NAS, Lightroom has been giving me error messages when in the Develop module that it cannot find files. The previews view fine in the Library module, and the files are still there when I look for them in Windows Explorer. The errors do not occur within entire directories (years) subdirectories (days) - only some files within individual subdirectories are affected. And, only files from 2015 seem to have the problem. And, when I drag the directories back to my internal hard drive (again, within Lightroom), the errors disappear and everything works fine.

Yes, right clicking on the problem folders and showing in explorer does show the connection is to the correct folder location.
A couple more points that may be worth mentioning:
When I was having this problem earlier this week, the missing photos seemed to be spread randomly within different folders and subfolders (folders are year, with subfolders for each day I have photos). I followed the advice in the document you referenced yesterday, and went back through each main folder (there are about a dozen of them, one for each year plus a few miscellaneous folders) and used the "update folder location" function. This worked well I thought - except I realized later on that one year (2014) still had the photos missing - but this time, it seems to be all photos within that year folder, not just a few random ones. There is no "?" on the folder, or "!" on the individual photos, they show fine in preview, but clicking on the develop module every photo has the message "cannot find file". When I right click on the folder, or individual files to follow the location of the file in explorer, the location is correct - and as far as I can tell the locations and structure is consistent with the folders for all the other years which Lightroom has no problem finding. That is, I can see nothing "unusual" about the folder for 2014 in the way it sits within my filing structure.
And here's the kicker - last night I made a copy of the entire 2014 folder that was on the NAS external drive (where Lightroom can't seem to locate the files) back on to my internal drive (this took a couple of hours). This morning, I forced Lightroom to lose the link to the folder on the network drive by simply changing the name of the folder from within windows explorer, and then the "?" and "!" warnings popped up in Lightroom indicating it could not find the folder and files. I then used "update folder location" to point Lightroom at the copies that were now on the internal drive, and the problem disappeared (all files were located).
Finally, I then broke the link to the folder on the internal drive by changing the name of the folder on the internal drive from within explorer, renamed the folder on the NAS drive back to "2014", then opened up Lightroom again (and of course it indicated the files were missing) and used the update feature again to point Lightroom back to the folder on the NAS. And, again, the missing files errors pop up for every photo within that folder - but no "?" or "!" warnings are shown (recall these are an exact copy of the files that it had no trouble finding on the internal drive).
I tried playing various games with Lightroom last night, forcing it to break linkages by renaming folders, etc, and every time when I use the update file location feature it has no trouble reconnecting, whether the folders are on my internal drive or the NAS. So, this functionality seems to be working within Lightroom and I know how to use and abuse it. BUT, it steadfastly refuses to reconnect with the 2014 folder when it's on the NAS, but has no trouble reconnecting when pointed to an exact copy of the same folder on my internal drive.
I'm kind of at my wits end here. There seems to be some sort of bug in Lightroom that makes it lose it's wits when connecting to photos on a NAS drive. Or, I'm doing something really wrong that isn't obvious......

What Gets Saved in a Lightroom BACKUP??

Win XP Pro -
Have lightroom 1.0. Its asking to backup once a week. What am I backing up???
I usually import new pictures onto my D: drive into their own folders from my camera card. At other times I import pictures on the D: drive and have lightroom import them but leave them where they are. I have 2 other drives I can use for backup if I need.
Am I just backing up the links to the pictures and the adjustments I made in Develop...OR...am I backing up the original pictures too??
Any preferred workflow on this? I know I dont want an unprotected drive failure situation with my D: drive - but what is the best thing to do?
I backup my original pictures on the D: drive onto a data DVD for archive immediately after import - so at least I have originals I can get back to. Does lightroom backup these original pictures too?
Thanks

What elements are in the library file??
Im guessing the library file has pointers to images in the grid view and their rankings?
How about any development adjustments I make to the originals? Are they saved in this library file possibly too?
So, to do a real smart backup - it seems like I have to replicate all my original images and their directories - AND this LIBRARY file. Whats its name and location?
If I back up all my folders and pictures from my D: drive onto my backup e: drive - wont the pointers now be invalid paths - and I wont be able to get to them??

About lightroom backups

I just found out that the weight of my lightroom backups is more than 50 GBs which is killing my computer and making LR terribly slow.
anyone knows if it is normal? how can i down size?
I'm using LR 2.5 and i have around 30,000 RAW images in the catalog.
Thanks 4 ur help
Ette

I think you are confusing backups of LR catalogs (essentially the metadata that LR uses to process an image) and back ups of the actual image files themselves. Two very different things.
You LR catalog back ups that are created according to the schedule you set in preferences are just back ups of the catalog, not the image files themselves. These will be located where ever you have directed LR to put them and would usually be on a different disk to wherever your working catalog is located. They will usually be separate folders created and named with the date they were created. You only really need to keep the last two or three of these if everything is working fine..the others can be deleted.
The LR previews data does not get backed up by LR and you don't really need to back this up as LR can regenerate previews whenever you require them.
Image files themselves can be backed up on import otherwise LR itself does not perform back ups of files. Always ensuring you have at least two copies of every file, in separate locations is basic to any work flow. I have three. The one in my catalog, the files located on an external disk for use with my laptop as well as my desktop. A copy of all the files made at time of import to an internal hard disk kept for that purpose and a further copy of all the files on a web server.
As far as converting to DNG goes this can be done on import or at any time within LR. With files not in a LR catalog this can be done using the free DNG converter software.
You will find some useful stuff by clicking on help in LR itself, this is the page that deals with backups.

Resetting (or 'Trashing') the Lightroom Preferences file

Hi,
in an effort to make the edit-in option in LR work, I found instructions that I need to reset the preference file for LR. I followed the following directions, see below.
However, even with holding the option key down on my iMac, as directed, I cannot find the folder and file. I do not have a Library folder under my username, but only one under hard drive, and in there I can find com.adobe.photoshop files, but no LR file. Can anybody help me?
Lightroom Help /
Preference and other file locations in Lightroom 5
Adobe Community Help
Products Affected
Lightroom 5
Contact support
Give feedback
What's covered
Important information for all platforms
File locations in Mac OS X
File locations in Windows 7 and 8
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Important information for all platforms
The files and file locations given here are defaults. Some of these locations can be customized in the Lightroom \Preferences or Catalog Settings dialog boxes.
While troubleshooting, when possible, rename files instead of deleting them.
If possible, back up catalogs on a different hard disk or volume from the disk where your catalog is located. For more information on backing up in Lightroom, read Back up a catalog in Lightroom Help and watch Backing up your catalog on Adobe TV. (The video was produced for Lightroom 4 but still applies to Lightroom 5.)
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File locations in Mac OS X
Note:
The user Library file is hidden by default on Mac OS X 10.7 and later. For temporary access to the user Library file, press Option and choose Go > Library in the Finder.
The Lightroom application file
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.app
Preferences
/Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Lightroom5.plist
Catalog
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 5 Catalog.lrcat
Preview cache
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 5 Catalog Previews.lrdata
Smart Preview cache
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 5 Catalog Smart Previews.lrdata
Catalog lock file
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 5 Catalog.lrcat.lock
Note: The lock file prevents the catalog from being overwritten when in use.
Catalog journal file
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 5 Catalog.lrcat-journal
Note: Open catalogs use the journal file to check for incomplete database records. Do not delete the journal file unless you're deleting its associated catalog, as well.
Catalog backup
/Users/[user name]/Pictures/Lightroom/Backups/[date and time of backup]/Lightroom 5 Catalog.lrcat
Presets and templates
/Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/[preset or template folder]/[preset or template filename.lrtemplate]
Serial number
/Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Lightroom 5.0 Registration

Try making hidden folders and files visible temporarily following the steps described here Quickly Show/Hide Hidden Files on Mac OS X Mavericks & Yosemite | Ian Lunn - Front End Developer, it applies to Mavericks but I think is also valid for Yosemite (but not 100% sure). Please don't use a external drive when hidden folders and files are visible as there might be a bug with LR5.7.1 on Yosemite when they are visible (not fully sure).
When you are done with the preferences, make hidden folders and files invisible again.

Lightroom Backup problem

Lightroom does not backup my catalog. I think I move Backup folder to the wrong place. It does not give me the Backup dialog when I exit. This is how I set it up to Back up.
Where should the Backup file be located for Lightroom to find it and backup my catalog?

I would check the settings in Catalog Settings. If the dialog box is not showing, then it probably isn't set to make backups every time you exit Lightroom.

Backup files - AllPhoto

I have a number of folders in the My Pictures folder that have nothing in them by a AllPhotos file. This file appears to be getting larger in the newer folders. Is this a backup file? Can I delete the older files? Thanks in advance.

I would guess that 'Allphotos' is the name of your lightroom catalogue, and that those "mystery" files are backups. The name of the folders is the date and time that backup was taken.
I would suggest changing the location that the backups are kept to be on a different volume from your lightroom catalogue. You can set that location when you are given the option on exit to back up your catalogue:
If your backup is on the same physical disk as your catalogue and that disk drive fails, you'll be in trouble.
Hal

Are Backup Files "full" or "incremental"?

I backup every time I open Lightroom, now version 2.3. As a result, I have lots of backups in the Backup folder. I would like to delete the large number of old backup files. I think the backup process creates a "full" backup, not an "incremental" backup. If it is a full backup, I can delete almost all of the old backup files without losing anything. Am I correct?

The backup file is a full copy of the catalog as it existed when the backup occurred. Typically, you only need to kep them around a few weeks by which time they will be well and truely out of date. Therefore, deleting the older copies won't loose you anything.

How do I re-organize my lightroom image files

I realize that this may be covered in similar discussions, but nothing I've been able to find is exactly the same as my issue, so I'll try a new thread:
I'm on an Imac running latest versions of everything. I copy my images from the camera card to a hard drive folder (When this folder reaches 4gb, I create a backup DVD and and start a new folder). I move the images from the internal hard drive into Lightroom. (Approx. 10,000 images)
As the internal HD fills, I move the oldest original image files to external drives. These drives are also now filled, so I have purchased a 2Terrabyte LaCie Raid. This gives me 1TB of usable and will hold everything that is now on the internal and the externals. I will use the old externals for archived images in an off site location.
I would like to move everything that is image related to the new Hard drive. I will keep the Lightroom program files on the internal drive, but all the new and old images and their associated (sidecar) files I would like to move to the new drive.
What is the best way to accomplish this.
Thank you
Steve

In addition to Pete's excellent help, it might help to, before you move your files, right (or control) click on one of your highest level folders, and select "Add Parent Folder". In a typical folder structure, this will add a single top level folder that all your folders sit inside. Then quit Lightroom, move your images folder in its entirety in Finder/Explorer and then reopen Lightroom. Now right (or control click) on the missing folder and relocate the missing folder. This will save a lot of relocating. Also check out this article by Forum host Ian Lyons.

I am trying to get space on an external hard drive which has some old time machine back up files that I do not need but can not eliminate, even by going into the time machine, clicking on the backup file to be eliminated and using the drop down eliminate

I am trying to get space on an external hard drive which has some old time machine back up files that I do not need but can not eliminate, even by going into the time machine, clicking on the backup file to be eliminated and using the drop down menu with the gear box symbol to eliminate

I cannot find this 300GB "Backup" in the Finder, only in the Storage info when I check "About This Mac".
You are probably using Time Machine to backup your MacBook Pro, right? Then the additional 300 GB could be local Time Machine snapshots. Time Machine will write the hourly backups to the free space on your hard disk, if the backup drive is temporarily not connected. You do not see these local backups in the Finder, and MacOS will delete them, when you make a regular backup to Time Machine, or when you need the space for other data.
See Pondini's page for more explanation: What are Local Snapshots? http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
I have restarted my computer, but the information remains the same. How do I reclaim the use of the 300GB? Why is it showing up as "Backups" when it used to indicate "Photos"? Are my photos safe on the external drive?
You have tested the library on the external drive, and so your photos are save there.
The local TimeMachine snapshot probably now contains a backup of the moved library. Try, if connecting your Time Machine drive will reduce the size of your local Time Machine snapshots.

I backup my iphone on my pc and copy backup file into drive D then i setup new OS on my pc. after that i copy the backup file into itunes backup folder but itunes can't find the backup file to restore my iphone. how can i restore my iphone?

i backup my iphone on my pc and copy backup file into drive D then i setup new OS on my pc. after that i copy the backup file into itunes backup folder but itunes can't find the backup file to restore my iphone. how can i restore my iphone?

Don't you just love changes in interfaces?
I found the answer to my question.
When you attach a device (iPhone, iPad) to your Mac, in iTunes 12 in appears as a tiny icon in the second "row" of the iTunes display. Click the icon and the familiar iTunes display for the device appears. From there, on the Summary screen, you can see the dates of the backups of the device (iCloud and backup to the computer). You can also use the button to backup to the computer.

Lightroom/Backups Files

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