Folders missing after migration

[RobinFaichney]

I moved all my image files from internal to an external drive, intending to leave them there while using LR on a new pc. The int->ext move was done properly according to instructions found online and everything seemed fine at that stage.

Having connected the ext drive to the new pc, installed LR and put the catalog onto the int drive, I double-clicked on the catalog file and LR opened up with the Library module looking as expected, with question marks on the folders.

However, after I went through the Find Missing Folder procedure on one of them, the others disappeared. Unfortunately, the missing ones contain the vast majority of the image files. (The actual folders are there on the ext drive, they're just not showing up in the Folders pane of the Library module. The number against All Photographs in the Catalog pane looks about right.) Where do I go from here?

[john beardsworth]

Look at the drives in the the Folders panel. Your folders have probably now been listed under a different drive, which you haven't yet noticed.

[RobinFaichney]

Thanks John but I don't believe that was the case. There was a massive discrepancy between photo numbers in the Catalog and Folders panes.

Anyway, I went back to the old machine and reorganised the folders so there was only one at the top level, now I'm back on the new one and everything seems fine. I believe LR might have a problem where there's more than one top level folder on a drive. Just saw this in these migration instructions: Relocate any other top level folders (you should have one for each drive), until all of the photos are online.

[rebadurchee]

I have experienced similar difficulties when I moved a large number of files within LR, including chaotic file structures.  After a lot of agony a friend with a lot of experience in LR told me that for a large number of files I should do it outside of LR and then use the file finder within LR to reconnect them.  This is, of course, heresy because all file management should be done within LR.  However, others have told me of their difficulties when a large number of files are involved.  I tried it and it worked flawlessly for me.