Can't Add Photos on Import only Copy as DNG or Copy are available

[MarkLewis]

I have always Added photos to my catalog and now all of the sudden "Move" and "Add" are greyed out and not an option, I can only Copy as DNG or Copy. What do I need to do to get the Add option back?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum.

Lightroom will not let you add files to the catalog that are located on removable drives (or that appear to be a removable drive). Normally these drive are thumb drives or SD/CF cards. Sometimes Windows will see an attached external hard drive and interpret that as a removable drive.

In a normal import, you will insert camera card and choose to copy that to a destination that is a permanent location in your Windows file system.

 

[MarkLewis]

Ahh, thanks clee01l. So I need to come up with a new workflow. I moved my LR Catalog and photos to an external SSD so that I can use it on a home and a work computer.

 

[clee01l]

Ahh, thanks clee01l. So I need to come up with a new workflow. I moved my LR Catalog and photos to an external SSD so that I can use it on a home and a work computer.

I think the problem may be a Windows setting that sets some flag that the volume is removable. I have been weaned from Windows for about 5 years so my knowledge of arcane Windows settings is "stale". Hopefully some knowledgable Windows person will step in and tell us how to accomplish convincing Windows that your SSD is not a thumb drive.

Addendum: My HDD is showing up as a "Removable Disk Drive" - [Solved] - Storage
How can I stop my SSD drive from showing as a Removable drive? - Windows 10 Forums

 

[MarkLewis]

Thanks, it looks like those are for internal drives but I'll read through and give it a try. Much appreciated