LR 3 does not recognize all images for import.

[Photophil]

Hello, everyone. I'm new to this forum but perhaps someone can help me with a problem that is driving me nuts. I apologize in advance for the verbosity!

I purchased LR 3 a couple of months ago when B&H had a close out. I installed it on my Dell Vista machine. At the time, all my photos were on a separate internal drive, the "G" drive. I have about 25,000 images in separate folders by date, subject matter, etc. All of the image folders are in a parent folder called "Images." I was able to import all of these images without difficulty using the "Add" mode so they would stay in the same place. All was well, and I was (more or less) happily on my way to enjoying LR.

About 3 weeks ago, the HD (the C drive) in the Dell machine crashed. Since I'd had more than my fill of Vista, I purchased a new Window 7 HP machine. I loaded LR on the new machine, then took the "G" drive out of the Dell and put it in the HP, where it is now the "F" drive. In Explorer, I can see all the images, so the "F" drive seems to be working fine in the HP. Also, using Canon's free DPP, I can see and access all the images.

But when I attempted to import all the images into LR, it only imported folders with names starting with "J" through "Z." In other words, it completely ignored all the folders starting with A through I. At the end of the import, the image count was only about 9800 images, where it should have been about 25000.

I have tried removing the catalog then re importing, but it did the same thing. I even sent the LR catalog files to the recycle bin, then started over, but that didn't help either.

As it sits now, LR is prompting me to import, but the photo count is still about 9800. One interesting thing: When I click a image folder that starts with, say, M, I see all the images ready to import. But when I click a folder starting with A (through I) I get the message "No photos found to import" even though there are photos in the folder.

I'm mystified and more than a little frustrated as to why LR originally imported all the photos without a problem, but only sees less than half of them. Any real help some one can offer will be greatly, greatly appreciated. I really would like to use LR, but at this rate, it's about to go in the trash.

Thanks!

 

[b_gossweiler]

Welcome to the forum, Photophil

First of all, do you still have a backup of the catalog you used on your Vista machine available? If so, you don't have to re-import, but just use this catalog and update the folder location of "Images" to point to your F:\ drive.

If you really want to import again:
Can you see folders beginning with A-I in the import dialog? If yes, can you post a screen shot of the import dialog when pointing to such a folder in the import dialog?

Beat

 

[Photophil]

Welcome to the forum, Photophil

First of all, do you still have a backup of the catalog you used on your Vista machine available? If so, you don't have to re-import, but just use this catalog and update the folder location of "Images" to point to your F:\ drive.

If you really want to import again:
Can you see folders beginning with A-I in the import dialog? If yes, can you post a screen shot of the import dialog when pointing to such a folder in the import dialog?

Beat

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I do not have the old catalog available. As I understand it, the catalog is on the C drive, which crashed. As for the folders, when I click import, I do see all the folders A through Z, but if I click any folder A through I, it displays the message, "No Photos Found." I inserted the images, but I don't know why they appear so small. Each on is about 600 pixels wide. The first images show the folder Abingdon 06, but it says no pictures found. The second shows the first folder that shows images to import, Jerrell Plantation.

This is really a puzzlement. I think I'm going to try uninstalling LR then reinstalling it.

Thanks!

 

[b_gossweiler]

I inserted the images, but I don't know why they appear so small. Each on is about 600 pixels wide.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. Where do you see an image of 600 pixels? Can you check what image format the pictures in folders A-I have (are they CRW's)? Can you post a screen shot of the folder "Abingdon 06" in explorer (please select "Detail" in view).

Beat

 

[Brad Snyder]

Beat, I think the 600 px refers to the small size of the screen shots

 

[Photophil]

Beat, I think the 600 px refers to the small size of the screen shots

I see now that the screen shots I inserted are thumbnails. I just uninstalled LR, then reinstalled it, but it is still not seeing folders starting with A through I. I is almost like the folders were previously imported, but they were not, and I've uninstalled / reinstalled.

Were the screen shots helpful?

Thanks!

 

[b_gossweiler]

Can you check what image format the pictures in folders A-I have (are they CRW's)? Can you post a screen shot of the folder "Abingdon 06" in explorer (please select "Detail" in view)?

Beat

 

[Photophil]

I have "solved" the problem, but never did find out what the problem was. Yesterday, I spent over an hour on the phone with Adobe Tech Support, trying different things, but to no avail. After the call it occurred to me to check to see if LR could see all the photos in the back up of the Images folder. I back up nightly to an external drive. To my surprise, LR was able to see all my images on the back up. I then created a new folder on my internal hard drive, Images_Two. I then copied all the photos (and their folders) into this new folder, and LR was able to import all of them - nearly 25k images.

The only thing I can think of is that when the old C drive crashed, I suppose it is possible that directory of my images folder on the G drive became corrupted, at least for LR, but apparently not for other application. This experience does point out the need for a good, recent backup.

Thanks to everyone for their effort to help me with this problem.

 

[b_gossweiler]

Thanks for reporting this back.

Beat