Lightroom, changing computers, external HDs, help?

[jsrockit]

Hello all. I'm using Lightroom 3 and I'm going to be upgrading my computer soon. I received my copy of Lightroom 3 through the purchase of a camera. I cannot seem to find a complete manual anywhere. Therefore, I need to ask the following (unless someone points me to a manual that covers the following):

1) How do I move my library of photos and changes I've made to those photos from one computer to the other? I know how to move photos obviously, but where are the changes I've made to my photos in lightroom stored? Once I move everything, how do I make lightroom recognize the changes again on the new computer?

2) How do I use an external drive as my main drive with Ligthroom? Up until now I've stored my photos, which I've made changes to in LR, on my internal HD and used my external HD to backup the photos. I'm not sure how to point LR to the external drive.

 

[kdemas]

In regards to #2...

Connect your external drive(s) and they will appear in the left hand pane in Lightroom along with you internal drive. In the left pane, grab the folder(s) you wan to move and drag them to the external drive icon in the left pane, and they will be moved. It's that easy (at least that's how I've done it).

Hope that helps!

Kent

 

[jsrockit]

Thanks guys. George, then I can move that Catalog back to the internal drive of my new computer? How will LR know to apply the changes I made to my old photos on the new computer. This is where I'm having the issue. I just don;t want to start from scratch.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Depending on how big your drive is, you can either:

1) Export the catalog without checking the "export negatives" and "include previews". Leave the catalog in the same drive. Then move the new drive to the new computer. If it's a Windoze machine, it'll be tricky, because the new hard drive may not be the same "letter". That will just be a headache.

2) Export the catalog checking both options. Save on an external hard drive. Re-import in new computer from external hard drive. This will be the option with the least headaches.


There is an option to "Import Catalog" right above "Export as Catalog" in the File menu.

 

[JHenry]

I only use one LR3 catalog, and frequently move it between my desktop and a laptop. To do this, all I do is copy the most current/recent version of the "Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat" and "Lightroom 3 Catalog Previews.lrdata" files onto a portable hard drive (that portable HD also happens to be one of my backups with all my pictures).

Then, just open LR by double clicking on the "Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat" file that you copied to the portable hard drive; if you later move that file to your new computer, double click on it once it's on the new computer.

As for the changes/edits, as long as LR can find the files (which is why you should copy and move them to the new computer using the same folders and structure), LR will automatically find them. It might be the case that LR would have a problem finding the top most folder (say if you renamed your hard drive on the new computer), but in the Library module you can right click on a drive if LR thinks it is missing and manually "find" it.

Hope that helps.

 

[jsrockit]

Thanks guys. I'm feeling a bit more confident now. Is there a full manual out there for lightroom?

 

[Doug]

Try this link to Adobe Lightroom Support and Tutorials online:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/search/index.cfm?loc=en_us&term=lightroom%20tutorials&cat=support&product=lightroom

 

[jsrockit]

Thanks all... this worked flawlessly.