Install on new (2nd) computer questions

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jeorf

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1. Program itself: I use LR5 from a disk. Am I better off installing from the disk or migrating from the laptop that I've been using? (Talking Macbook Air and new Mac Mini)

2. Photos: Right now 2015, 2016 are on the laptop, with previous years on external drive. Obviously, the older ones can stay where they are. Again, better to migrate '15 and '16 or to put on the external drive and then copy them to the new computer? (note: I duplicate that external drive for backup. Other external drives hold backups for the entire computer, including '15 and '16).

If I migrate the program/catalog, etc, will the catalog on the new computer need to be re-introduced to the pre-2015 images on the external drive? I think that is a basic wrap-my-head-around the catalog concept question. Since it will be the same catalog (copied from the MBA), will it already know where the older images are?

3. File structure: A few years ago, when I first got the laptop, I worked with a LR person on the issue of a second catalog for travel and then putting it back on the main computer when I got home. Instead, I decided to keep the laptop as my main computer (husband was salivating over my older laptop). The "new" (main) catalog (that was for the trip and was going to be imported into the old catalog on the old computer) has a funky name "LR for Brazil". How do I change the name of that catalog (as I put the same file structure together on the new computer) without completely screwing everything up? I know I need to do it IN LR, I've changed names of folders but changing the whole name scares me.

Still trying to figure out the best way to use LR on the 2 computers. I think I've finally decided that LR on the MBA will only be used for travel, and all work at home will be on the MM. I guess, in that case, I make a new catalog on the MBA (such as "LR for India") for travel and, when I get home, import the catalog as a folder and transfer the photo files themselves to the MM. That make sense?

I have been putting off this whole process and researching/researching (I used to write papers on the night before they were due after months of research too...) and need to just do it. THANK YOU for helping me make the final decisions!!!
 
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  1. Download LR5.7.1 from the Adobe site. Keeping Lightroom Up-to-Date. If you don't have LR installed on the computer, you will need the the license number for the version that you own and if the LR5.x version was an update from an earlier version, you will need the license number that qualifies you for the update price that you paid.
  2. While you have a working copy of LR with all of your (scattered) files, use the Folder panel to drag the 2015 & 2016 folders to the external drive where the rest of your image files are stored. This will make moving everything easier later. The master catalog will have the current path to every image stored in the catalog file. If you moved everything to the EHD, then every time you open this master catalog, Look for the cataloged images on this volumeR will
  3. If the master catalog file is named "LR for Brazil.lrcat", there will be a folder beside it named "LR for Brazil Previews.lrdata". Quit the LR app. Find these two items using folder and change the "LR for Brazil" part of the file and folder name to what ever you like (mine is named "Master"). Once completed, open LR and then open this catalog. OR simply double click on the catalog file in Finder to open LR with this file.
If you are currently using the MBA exclusively and plan to replace it with the MacMini as your primary computer, then use the Migration Assistant to transfer all of your critical user data to the new computer. You may need to install the licensed apps like LR, but all of your LR catalog files, settings, presets and plugins will get copied to the new machine and you then can log on to the new machine with the same user ID & password. The MacMini will replace the MBA seamlessly and for the most part painlessly. After you are comfortable that everything is working properly on the new machine, you can turn the MBA into a travel computer. Your travel catalog with all of your settings, collections and publish services will already be there. It will be your old master catalog file. You can rename this catalog to something appropriate using the method that I described in Step 3 above. Since you probably do not want the image files that are still associated with the master catalog and still located on the MBA local drive, you can move these to the trash. If the travel catalog still has images referenced, then will probably show in LR as "Missing" with a (?). You can use LR to remove these from the catalog to empty the catalog for your next adventure.
 
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It sorta depends on what else you're doing.

I find using the Setup Assistant (what runs when you fire up the new computer the first time) the best way to migrate, since it means you have not set up user accounts that might conflict.

The migration transfers all applications, unless that's just changed. Hence if you want your other non Adobe applications to transfer, you'll get Lr as well. You can't pick and choose which to transfer. I'd recommend going that route, and if it all goes wrong THEN install Lr from a download or DVD. Last time I migrated it Lr worked fine.

Migration also means you migrate the application support files. So presets, plugins, etc should be carried over (although some can be stored in the catalog itself). If you do a manual installation from disk or download you'd have to manually copy those over if they aren't in the catalog. I've had migration ignore some of those files, not sure why. Just be aware that you might have to check before you rush out with the portable only to find you left your plugins behind.
 
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Thank you Clee01l and Rob211 - these are really helpful responses. I'll be bringing the MBA to Oakland in September and if everything goes crazy I'll look you up for advice!
 
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jeorf said:
Thank you Clee01l and Rob211 - these are really helpful responses. I'll be bringing the MBA to Oakland in September and if everything goes crazy I'll look you up for advice!
Click to expand...
The last house call that I made was in May 2015 in Stonehaven, Scotland. ;)
 
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I just noticed the OP is using ancient system software, 10.6. That could make use across two computers more problematic; not sure current Lr will even run on that.
 
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rob211 said:
I just noticed the OP is using ancient system software, 10.6. That could make use across two computers more problematic; not sure current Lr will even run on that.
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LR5 (from the first post) required a 64bit OS (at least OS X 10.7). So the OP needs to update her LR forum users profile. The new machine will be running OS X 10.11.5, so there is no problem there.
 
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Yep - old info... Mountain Lion on the MBA and El Capitan on the MMini.

A couple of questions - Clee - Best to download rather than migrate the LR program itself? (It is UTD on the MBA.) Thanks for the step-by-step!
Rob - I've already set up the MMini so beyond the setup migration. Can I assume that migration assist will act in the same way. (I do also have other programs - including PS.)

Probably will jump in feet first tomorrow....
 
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jeorf said:
...A couple of questions - Clee - Best to download rather than migrate the LR program itself? (It is UTD on the MBA.) T....
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From what I said earlier. Use the Migration assistant to migrate all of your critical user data to the new machine. This can include your apps or most of them. If the LR app migrates then you are good to go with LR5.7.1. Should there be any hick-ups with LR, you can then d/l and install 5.7.1 from the link that I listed. You might want to consider upgrading to LR6 AFTER you get settled in the new machine.
 
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clee01l said:
From what I said earlier. Use the Migration assistant to migrate all of your critical user data to the new machine. This can include your apps or most of them. If the LR app migrates then you are good to go with LR5.7.1. Should there be any hick-ups with LR, you can then d/l and install 5.7.1 from the link that I listed. You might want to consider upgrading to LR6 AFTER you get settled in the new machine.
Click to expand...

OK, got it. Thanks for the clarification.
 
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