Lightroom, External Drive, and RAW Originals Woes

Lightroom (5.7) isn't recognizing the RAW originals on either of my external drives where I've stored them for a few years. I fear I did something to create the problem, but not sure wha,t and I'm not sure what to do at this point. My routine file management steps are as follows: store each shoot's photos on the laptop's hard drive, create smart previews after weeding out the bad stuff, move original files to an external drive when the laptop's storage capacity approaches 75% or so, work with smart previews when processing photos. It's been a year or so since I needed to transfer files from the laptop to the external drive. When attached to the laptop, LR would not recognize (or could not find) the "RAW and LR" folder storing the originals. Both external drives were connected (one is a backup). One external drive has several "RAW and LR" folders (see screenshot), which are older backups.

Also, I've not been able to find a large majority of the my 2017 files on either external drive. I still have the smart preview version on the laptop, and that's all I've really ever needed. I suspect the originals have been deleted somehow.

Several months ago I renamed some of my photo folders on my laptop via Finder. From what I recall, these folders didn't have any connection to LR.

Here's a few screenshots.

So LR can't find your raw files. Most likely the folders got renamed.

Go to the external drive and confirm that the files are present, and note their location. Then in LR, right-click on "RAW and LR" with the question mark, and select "Find Missing Folder". A window will open up - now navigate to the folder where the files are.

I'm trying to understand your folder structure on the ED. I'm set up by year like you are and it looks the same as your first screenshot. Your folder example should look the same. You should see the parent folder the way you named it - E RAW and LR. Then RAW and LR and the years - once

Leaving 2017 aside for now. What are all these titles? LR's catalogue is not set up this way. You have several and the years 2014, 2015, and 2106 repeat in each one. Some have extra lines. What is in All Years?

Just an example of mine. I didn't start using LR until 2012 so the previous years are on the drive, just not part of the catalogue so I X'd those out. I created the folders from 2012 until present using LR, not the OS.

Like Archibald said try to establish links using the question marks first and see where this takes you. If no success I would suggest to try and sort out what you did setting up your folder structure. Not sure how that will go. The key thing is LR needs to know what is going on. If you make any changes using the OS LR it needs to be updated.

Good info here to follow. The long and short of it is if you need to move or rename folders after importing images int Lightroom, you must do it within Lightroom. If you do it through the Finder, you'll have to show Lightroom where they are.

Just had a memory of another issue. Don't know what OS you're using, but back in Yosemite days, I had a disk permissions problem on one of my externals, Lightroom couldn't access the folders, so they all had question marks. Repaired permissions and all was back to normal.

ThreeHounds wrote in post #18734760
Just had a memory of another issue. Don't know what OS you're using, but back in Yosemite days, I had a disk permissions problem on one of my externals, Lightroom couldn't access the folders, so they all had question marks. Repaired permissions and all was back to normal.

Looks like a Mac to me. I chose a different view on mine. I have has permission issues with other stuff.

This is just to help the OP. Above I had already clicked on Photos, My RAW collection. Here I selected Photos (highlighted) and this came up. Just wanted to again illustrate those parent folders with dates above each RAW and LR folders that you don't see in the LR screenshot. It goes from drive E RAW and LR to RAW and LR. There is a question mark at top main parent folder - RAW and LR. So it is stuck right at the start.

Yeah, definitely Mac, just didn't know which system. Last couple of versions have pretty much done away with permission issues. No option to even repair them, the disk utility does it behind the scenes.

Sorry for bumping so much. Using LR you may consider linking the parent folder RAW and LR to one of the RAW and LR folders in one of the groups and see what happens. 2014, 15 and 16 may re- establish links. Looks like you copied them over a few times. I don't know which one you should try first as I'm not sure if can undo it.

If you are really stuck you may want to ask here. Some knowledgeable people.

https://www.lightroomq​ueen.com/community/

Next time create a new year folder using LR and when ready just drag your stuff into it using LR. No need to make additional copies using the OS. LR will take care of everything.

ThreeHounds wrote in post #18734860
Yeah, definitely Mac, just didn't know which system. Last couple of versions have pretty much done away with permission issues. No option to even repair them, the disk utility does it behind the scenes.

Is based on what I see in your post LR is not looking for A, it is looking for B.

You have repeats of that. #5 shows all of them. I don't completely understand the complexities of LR's hierarchy and you copied 1 to 2 to 3 and so on will it recognnze 5. If #1 is the first one you created it should pick that up. Maybe someone else can pipe in.

How much do you have in Super Moon and the other folders besides 2014, 15 and 16? You could bring those in later. Not sure if there is a way to merge them to maintain your edits. I know how to merge one catalogue into another. There usually ways to do stuff. Got to get the priorities in order.

Once you re-establish the the correct link to RAW and LR I would do a search or look through each folder to see if you buried 2017 somewhere.

Then just in case I would copy everything and then get rid of everything in your main folder. All you need is this - second image - with all subfolders in each year. Later just create a new folder for the new year using LR.

Anyways that is a starting point. You are going do something to re-establish the link. Hopefully this gives you an idea of what is going on.

Anyway that is what I'm seeing. Maybe at the Lightroom Queens site they can provide more insight. I know there are some plugins, etc that can help with this type of stuff, just not sure about this situation. The some times suggest using ratings to find things but that may be labour intensive in this situation.

You may find this helpful.

https://helpx.adobe.co​m …erformance-lightroom.html

Also in in Preferences - Performance there is an Optimize Catalogue button. Not sure if it will do anything now but good do once in a while.

All the OP has to do is what Archibald stated in post #2. It's that simple.