Lightroom Catalog error

I'd previously been running Lightroom 3.6, and one day last week, I loaded photos to it, but it said it couldn't read the catalog. I didn't move/delete/rename anything involving Lightroom, at all, but I did make a copy several files on my internal storage drive, (including the folder that housed all of the LR stuff) and placed the copies on an external hard drive. Possibly related/possibly coincidental, I also use Corel PaintShop Pro, which had a malfunction a few weeks ago. Since then, I've done the manual uninstall that Adobe recommended, deleting any related LR files from both my hard disk, and my storage drives. Then I tried uninstalling/reinstalling LR 3.6 & now I just tried 5- neither of them will even load because it says the catalog is invalid. It seems to just be reverting back to the defunct 3.6 catalog, which I thought I'd deleted! I've done a search for the .lrcat files associated with the new LR5, but there are no catalogs to be found. My clients are getting antsy, and I need my software back...ANY suggestions??

Uninstall/reinstall usually has no effect on Catalog Problems.
You said, rather vaguely, you copied "several files" to your external HD. If one of them was a catalog file, find that file on your external HD and double-click on it.
If that doesn't work, I would recommend finding your most recent backup of the Lightroom 3.6 catalog file (*.LRCAT), and then double-clicking on it to open it.

Similar Messages

Lightroom wont open due to catalog error

I have been trying to open lightroom but I keep getting a catalog error and I read all of the forums to help my problem but I just dont understand how to fix it. I have uninstalled and installed almost three times and it still hasnt fixed it. I was learning how to use lightroom then I was just seeing what a catalog was I guess I did something wrong and i got the error. it says cant open dadsfamilypictures 101.jpg.ircat it was a whole file of pictures. Can someone fix this for me! I dont know how to get it to work. Thank you!

Yes that worked I just had to rename the prefreneces! Thank you that was alot easier than looking at half of the stuff on here. I can now use it after ive been trying to figure this out before christmas! Thank you!

Error. Lightroom catalog can't open

Hello I keep getting the error: 'The Lightroom catalog named Lightroom 5 catalog cannot be opened because another application already has it opened' when opening Lightroom. There is no other application using it. there is only one file available, no back up as I have been uploading a 5.3TB catalogue over the past 4 days and didn't shut down. the RAW files sit on a separate hard drive to the laptop where the Lightroom catalogue is. I cannot now access that catalogue. I had a crash prior to this happening ... can anyone help out there?

I just wonder whether it was GB not TB!!!!
JimHess wrote:
Good grief! That flew right by me. That is one huge catalog. I wonder if there is a "practical" limit to catalog size.Or I wonder if this is terminology confusion. Catalog size vs. library size.

Cannot open any of my Lightroom catalogs. "Error occurred when trying to change modules."

Bought a new 2013 Mac Pro and did a new install of Photoshop and Lightroom. Then physically moved my data drives over from Mac Pro (10.8.6), but LR won’t open any of the existing catalogs on the new computer (10.9.5). Followed steps 1-5 at http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/kb/error-changing-modules-lightroom.html
Cannot do step #6 (no access to more than one user at a time).
Please help.

TimOlive wrote:
LR is also unable to open a small LR catalog it created on the internal Macintoch HD SSD, back when this copy of LR was installed.
How and where did you create that small catalog? Sorry for the question, but you do have licensed version of LR 5 and you only use it in your old computer? In other words, you do not have a second copy installed on a laptop, do you?
If you have a licensed version and have only install it in your old computer and you cannot create a brand new catalog on the SSD with the enclosure disconnected (forget about the catalog already on the SSD drive), it is likely to be the installation. If this the case, try downloading the 5.7.1 and reinstall (Adobe - Lightroom : For Macintosh : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.7.1). I would recommend to do the reinstall with the enclosure disconnected, after it is done check if you can create a catalog on the local drive, if you ca connect the enclosure.

"Lightroom catalog was not found" error... help pls!

Hi All-
I have a new PC and moved all my Lightroom folders over from my dead laptop.
Whenever I open LR, I get a message saying "lightroom catalog was not found," and am given options to locate an existing catalog or load the default catalog. When I load the default catalog, everything is fine -- all my photos are there, all my adjustments are intact, etc.
Then I quit LR, reopen, and get the same tiresome message.
How do I keep this from happening? I'm concerned that some setting is pointing to the wrong location, and I fear the consequences...
Thanks!
-Gian

OK, I must be doing something wrong, because everything I'm trying fails.
Here's the blow-by-blow:
Launch LR4
Error Box: The catalog at location (C:.....) [catalog address on old machine] could not be found. Would you like to open an existing catalog or use the default one?
Select: Use Default Catalog
LR4 Launches, everything is fine
Catalog Settings --> General says I am using a catalog at c:\Users\Gian\Pictures\Lightroom named Lightroom 4 Catalog.lrcat
Preferences --> General --> "When starting up, use this catalog:" --> Load Most Recent Catalog
Quit Lightroom
Re-Launch LR4
Same error message, referencing location of catalog on old PC
Select: Choose a Different Catalog
Highlight Lightroom 4 Catalog.lrcat in c:\Users\Gian\Pictures\Lightroom. Tick box at bottom of screen: Always load this catalog on startup.
Click "Open"
LR opens, everything works fine
Catalog Settings --> General says I am using a catalog at c:\Users\Gian\Pictures\Lightroom named Lightroom 4 Catalog.lrcat
Quit Lightroom
Re-Launch Lightoom
Error Box: The catalog at location (C:.....) [catalog address on old machine] could not be found. Would you like to open an existing catalog or use the default one?
Use Default Catalog this time...
LR opens, everything works fine
Catalog Settings --> General says I am using a catalog at c:\Users\Gian\Pictures\Lightroom named Lightroom 4 Catalog.lrcat
Now I try changing Preferences --> General --> Default Catalog --> "When starting up, use this catalog:" --> Load Most Recent Catalog, specifing c:\Users\Gian\Pictures\Lightroom\Lightroom 4 Catalog.lrcat
Hit OK
Quit LR
Relaunch LR
Error Box: The catalog at location (C:.....) [catalog address on old machine] could not be found. Would you like to open an existing catalog or use the default one?
What am I missing?
Argh...
-Gian

Lightroom was unable to optimize the catalog - Error Since Loading v1.3

I just installed Lightroom v1.3 over Lightroom v1.2. Since then, I have been unable to optimize the catalog. When I try, it looks like it is working for a while, and then gives me this message. 'Lightroom was unable to optimize the catalog and must quit. The next time you run Lightroom, it will check the catalog for problems."
I have tried multiple times to restart Lightroom and Windows and reoptimize, but same message. I tried with a two week old catalog file, but still get the message. I uninstalled v1.3 and reloaded v1.2 and tried with the current catalog file and with older catalog files, still get message.
Lightroom v1.2 and v1.3 runs, but I have noticed things running slower with v1.3 and I have to restart more often due to Lightroom slowdown. I need to be able to optimize to keep things running as fast as possible.
Lightroom Catalog.lrcat is 1.3 GB
Approximately 75,000 images
Windows XP Profession Service Pack 2
Pentium 4 2.80GHz
2GB RAM
Normally, I back up the database 2-5 times a week and optimize the DB 3-6 times a week, along with keeping the hard drive defragged.

Is your machine maxing out during these times? My guess is it's got 10-50,000 left photos to update to v 1.3. It may be not a good thing to switch between the two versions. Until more definitive answers can be found, perhaps running a new catalog for new work might be a good plan, using only v 1.3.

Lightroom: "An error occurred when attempting to change modules."

I'm a first time Lightroom(via the Cloud) user (used Capture One before this) and just downloaded it today. The first thing I saw was this error message
"An error occurred when attempting to change modules."
I've updated it to 4.3 and I've tried all the other recommendations I found here:
http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/kb/error-changing-modules-lightroom.html
I don't know what Nik products are but I don't believe I have any.
I'm on a Mac running 10.6.8
Removed this preference file I found here:
http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/kb/preference-file-locations-lightroom-4.html
So frustrating! Please, can anyone help me???

I can only quote from the webpage that you already visited RE: Permission.
You need to have full permission for reading and writing for the folders and drives that Lr is using - particularly the folder that contains the catalog (i.e. the database Lr is working with).
If you have full permission try re-installing Lr. Un-install it via your OS. And re-install it.
Also, occasionally downloaded programs can become damaged during download - for instance when the download has been interrupted.
Before you re-install, I'd recommend that you download Lr again and use this second download for re-installation.
From the webpage (particularly read the part about Macs):
Solution 5: Set correct permissions on Lightroom folder inside Application Support
The Lightroom folder inside Application Support could have the wrong permissions preventing Lightroom from writing to it which can cause this error.
Navigate to the following folder: /Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom
Highlight the Lightroom folder and chose File > Get Information
Under Sharing & Permission, verify that your have Read & Write Privileges. If not, click the padlock icon at the lower right, enter your password when prompted, then click the Read only entry and select Read & Write.
Important: (Mac OS) Apple made the user library folder hidden by default with the release of Mac OS X 10.7. If you need access to files in the hidden library folder to perform Adobe-related troubleshooting, see How to access hidden user library files.
Solution 6: Try a different user account.
Copy the Lightroom folder into a new user account or other existing account on your computer. Then, restart Lightroom. The Lightroom folder is in the following locations:
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Application Data\Adobe\
Windows 7, Vista: [user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\
Mac OS: [user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/
Important: (Mac OS) Apple made the user library folder hidden by default with the release of Mac OS X 10.7. If you need access to files in the hidden library folder to perform Adobe-related troubleshooting, see How to access hidden user library files.

I'm getting message Lightroom encountered error when reading from its preview cache needs to quit. Lightroom 5 on Windows 7

I'm getting message Lightroom encountered error when reading from its preview cache needs to quit. Lightroom 5 on Windows 7

To delete the preview cache, do this:
1. Quit Lightroom.
2. In your Operating System, locate your Lightroom catalog. Typically catalogs are in /Pictures/Lightroom on Mac and My Pictures\Lightroom on Windows.
3. Find the folder whose name ends with "Previews.lrdata" and delete it. (note, you may also have a folder whose name ends with "Smart Previews.lrdata." You shouldn't need to delete that one.)

Lightroom catalog backup find missing file location- please help!

Hi,
Before I start, if anyone can answer this question I would be so grateful. I would cry!
Ok, so let me start.
Recently I cleared my whole entire mac and backed up everything on a hard drive. when I reinstalled lightroom on my clean mac, I also imported the catalog that I backed up. It all worked fine, and this post isn't about a lost catalog, or accidentally deleted photos.
So, what is hapenning is. When I imported my catalog I got an error message, for all the photos and folders. this:
So I found re-finding the folder, or finding the "missing file location" (which is so annoying because I wished Lightroom just backed up the pictures along with the catalog). But when I found the folder, only some photos showed up and some still displayed the exclamation mark.
Now I do have all the photos with the exclamation marks in folders on my backup hard drive, BUT they are all unedited raw versions. I honestly cannot go back and edit 2000 photos, especially after me having to clean all of the photos when my camera had over 30 spots of sensor dust on the photos. So those backup photos are what lightroom backed up, but I want to know how I can recover the photos in the lightroom catalog with the edits APPLIED.
May I PLEASEE get help on this. I am SO STUCK and do not want to mess up ANYTHING at all!
I would appreciate so much for ANY help! PLEASE!
Kind regards,
Josh

Please post on the Lightroom Forum.

HELP! Need to restore corrupt file/recover deleted file from LIGHTROOM Catalog

Hi,
I recently edited a wedding I finished and sent to her via WeTransfer. It showed that she opened the file, so I deleted it off of my computer. A few days later she said she couldn't open the file because it was corrupt (at this point I couldn't resend because I had deleted it as stated).
She sent it back to me to see if I could try opening -- but every time I try to open in Lightroom it reads:
Unexpected Error Opening Catalog
The Catalog could not be opened due to an unexpected error.
Can ANYONE help me recover this file?? I've also tried to run a Data Recovery software to retrieve it from the trash, but it won't recognize .lrcat files (it brought up all of the .jpegs, photoshop, .tiff files etc -- but no lightroom catalogs.
I REALLY really really don't want to have to re-edit 1000 photos again.
Thanks so much in advance for any advice xo
LB

City where you were born? wrote:
Thanks Rob --
Just did the scan (mind you I have NO clue what I'm doing), but I dropped it in the SQLite and clicked "expand" and it came up "Idle".
I've attached the two messages I got :
Uh, yeah - it's not an archive and so you don't want to try and expand it as if it was one.
I'm not sure which SQLite app you are using. I think SQLite Spy is Windows-only, but for Mac, maybe:
https://www.sqlitepro.com
Other Mac users may have more recommendations.
Once you get a real SQLite app, then open the .lrcat file with it.
R

Shared Lightroom catalog with Mac OS X Lion

I keep my Lightroom catalog on my Macbook Pro so I have access to my pictures while travelling. But for editing, I use a desktop PC running Lightroom on Windows 7 on the same catalog. My process for doing this is:
On the Mac, enable SMB sharing.
On Windows, mount the SMB share.
On Windows, use "subst" to map the SMB share to a new drive root.
(This avoids Lightroom's spurious error about not supporting network volumes.)
On Windows, launch Lightroom and open the catalog on the mapped drive.
This worked in Snow Leopard. But after upgrading to Lion, Step 4 gives me an error:
Lightroom cannot use the catalog named "Lightroom 3 catalog" because it is not writable and cannot be opened.
This could be caused by incorrect permissions or because another Lightroom application is using the catalog. You may try to correct the problem or you may select a different catalog.
Permissions seem OK: I can edit the catalog and the Previews.lrdata folder in Windows Explorer. And I see no stray .lrcat.lock file that might prevent it from opening the catalog.
The Mac version of Lightroom can open the catalog just fine, so I suspect Lion's new SMB implementation broke this somehow.
Has anyone got a shared Lion -> Windows catalog to work?

OK, I found a solution. The following page describes how to manually install an SMB implementation (Samba) that actually works. It requires installing Xcode from the App Store, installing MacPorts, and some command-line tinkering to configure Samba:
http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=24022
Once you've done that , follow the instructions in this post to create launchd entries that will start Samba at boot time:
http://forums.boxee.tv/showpost.php?p=205428&postcount=48
More details are here if you run into trouble:
http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=38629
While I can now access my LR library again from Windows, this is just the latest in a series of annoying bugs with OS X Lion. I am not a happy camper— but I'll save that for the Apple forums.

Lightroom catalog question

hi,
i need advice on the issue i encountered with importing a catalog into LR 2.5 and LR 2.6.
i recently deleted a catalog file from a laptop hard drive. i used laptop on my recent trip and upon return transferred all the photos to my desktop machine where i run LR2.6. i forgot to transfer catalog file from the laptop. later i cleaned up laptop hard drive. when i realised what happened (about 3 months of hard labor of processing pictures) i used a recovery software (iCare Data Recovery) to recover deleted catalog.
catalog file was found and supposedly recovered to hard drive.
however, when i try to open this catalog (file-->open catalog) i get an error message "The Lightroom catalog "catalog name" is corrupt and cannot be used or backed up until it is repaired".
i am given an option to Repair Catalog and upon selecting this option an error message comes up "The Lightroom catalog "catalog name" is corrupt and cannot be repaired at this time".
any thoughts on this issue?
thank you

nop, did not work.
i guess there is one positive consolation out of this disaster - i get to relive the wonderful holiday experience once again, although only in pictures
thank you Victoria

Move Lightroom catalog containing images located on a NAS

Hello,
I want to move my Lightroom catalog from my old PC to my new iMac.
The catalog contains only images located on a NAS.
I can connect to the NAS from both computer, but when I'm trying to ´import the catalog I get the message "Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error"
I use the same versions of Lightrrom on both computers.
Does anyone know how to solve this?
Best regards

Finally I figured out how to solve this!
I opened the catalog containing NAS images and pointed the missing files to the NAS-location.
Then I opened the main catalog and imported the NAS-catalog. It worked!
Thank you TubbeAh!

Is there a Lightroom Catalog Repair Tool?

I think my Lightroom catalog is fine but I did notice that the integrity check and optimization process took a really long time at one point. Seems to be back to normal now, and there were never any error messages.
Catalog has about 35,000 images in it and the backup is about 650 MB. A normal integrity check/backup/optimization routine takes about 3 minutes, tops. So when the integrity check by itself was taking 10 minutes, I was getting concerned.
I'm curious if there is a separate repair tool for the Lightroom catalog. Microsoft has this type of tool for Microsoft Outlook- called ScanPST it is designed to scan through and repair most problems with the Outlook database. It would be great if Adobe had a similar tool for the Lightroom database that did not require running Lightroom.
I can't believe the developers don't have an internal tool that they wrote for that purpose... trick would be getting them to release it to the general public. (If anyone knows where I can make such a suggestion where it might actually take flight, lemme know.)

MarloPix wrote:
I'm curious if there is a separate repair tool for the Lightroom catalog.
There is not. If catalog goes bad, your only recourse is a backup (I mean, other than ad-hoc repair, or giving to somebody at Adobe..), and if you're smart (er, I mean "concerned enough"), you'll save (xmp) metadata too, as you edit, to supplement a saved catalog backup, should the need arise. That's just my opinion - some people are comfortable relying solely on catalog backups, and don't bother with xmp.
Suggestion box: Recently active topics in Photoshop Family about Photoshop Lightroom
Keep expectations low: most suggestions go unacknowledged for years..
Rob

Technical question: Is it possible to work on the same Lightroom catalog across two computers and have the catalog sync? If so, how??

Technical question:
Is it possible to work on the same Lightroom catalog across two computers and have the catalog sync? If so, how??
Here's a little more information on what I am trying to do.
I have a desktop computer with 4tb worth of pictures that has Lightroom and Photoshop on it. I also have a laptop with Photoshop and Lightroom. I would like to be able to edit those same pictures with their current edits that are currently on my desktop on my laptop. If this can be done, I'm sure I need to be on the same wifi network for my laptop to be able to access my desktop's photo library. I am technically savvy enough to map a network drive, but how do I get my two Lightroom catalogs to sync when I make a change on one of my computers? Would i be working only on one catalog? Or two separate catalogs that would need to be manually synced to the other computer? Would it be beneficial to put my lightroom catalog on something like dropbox?
I'd appreciate any information or tutorials if someone knows how to do this.

I do this by having my LR catalog and photos on an external drive that I swap between the two computers. I am on Windows and have the same drive letter assigned to the drive on both computers.
Because the photos are on a portable drive I back up the portable drive to another hard-drive every night or after important work, because portable drives are susceptible to damage or loss.

Lightroom Catalog error

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for