Moving LR files to a new hard drive?

[ironimages]

Ok, So I just got a new 1TB hard drive and moved all of my LR folders on my PC via windows to the new 1TB HD drive (I:) but now LR cannot see them as they are (I:) and not on the original drive (J:) So the question is how do I point LR catalog to the new (I:) drive, do I have to re-import the files? Talking about 20,000+ files. Got to be an easy way to do this?

[DavidB]

Ok, So I just got a new 1TB hard drive and moved all of my LR folders on my PC via windows to the new 1TB HD drive (I:) but now LR cannot see them as they are (I:) and not on the original drive (J:) So the question is how do I point LR catalog to the new (I:) drive, do I have to re-import the files? Talking about 20,000+ files. Got to be an easy way to do this?[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=190935\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The folders will show up in the Folders section in the left panel of the Library module as red (inaccessible).  Right-click on the red folder, select "Locate missing folder" and tell it where the folder has moved to.

[Goodlistener]

Your life will be easier if you set up a sort of "Root Directory" for  all images which will be cataloged in Lightroom. Think of it this way (if you like)

LIGHTROOM IMAGES
   2007
      Miscelaneous
      shoot title one date
      shoot title two date
      and so on....

    2008
       Miscelaneous
       shoot title one date only its going to be a 2008 date
       shoot title two date in  2008


So "LIGHTROOM IMAGES" is the "root".  If you move that  then everything comes with it, and if you point the lightroom catalog at it, it finds all the subdirectories. Mac OS calls them "Folders" but its the same thing.

[Nat Coalson]

I strongly agree with Goodlistener - having top-level folders in the heirarchy makes life MUCH easier.

When you update the location for a top-level folder (and maybe one or two subfolders) everything should start synching back up automatically.

You can move files from one drive to another in LR... if folders from both drives have been imported and are in the Folders list; just drag and drop. (This copies and then removes from the old drive location. I don't know a way to copy in LR and leave both copies intact...)

[ironimages]

Thanks very much guys, the right click and change drive letter seems to work just fine. I should have just moved them in LR that would have been they way to do it. Ahh always a next time.