LR 4 has a mind of it's own

[Chuck at work]

How do I start LR (4.4, 64 bit) without it trying to access anything?

The first thing I expect of Software is that it waits for me to tell it what to do.

When I want to save images I (first) manually copy them from the SD or CF into two large external drives where I have a date-centric folder setup that I'm accustomed to using.  Into an original main folder on one drive and as backup copies on the second drive.

Then, and only then do I want LR to add new images to the Total Catalog.

Somehow my copy of LR4 has decided that it MUST access and import only from the SD/CF slots on my computer. And there is nothing (no memory cards) there.

How do I turn this off and get LR to:

Not try to import until I want it to.

And only build a catalog from the external drive with the originals folder?

Thanks
cvt

[PhotoEcosse]

In Library Module:
File
Import Photos and Video
Click "Add" (not "Copy")
Source: select the drive and folder that you have saved your image files to (uncheck any that you do not want to import)
Click the "Import" button

It really could not be simpler

You say that you want to transfer your images from card to folders on an external drive yourself before importing to Lightroom. That is fair enough - as you say, it should do what you want it to do. But do be aware that you can, if you wish, combine that with the import process by using Copy instead of Add. LR would then move your files from the card to the folders and drive that you choose and import them at the same time

[Steve House]

If you don't want it to automatically detect a card's presence and offer to import images, go to Edit, Preferences and on the General page, untick the "Show import dialog when memory card is detected" check-box.

As Ecosse mentioned, it's very convenient to let LR do the copy from the card into your current folder system and import into its catalog all in one operation.  I shoot Nikon NEF in-camera.  My working folders are on my C drive, arranged in a folder tree by shooting date.  The working files are converted to DNG on import.  Meanwhile, the untouched camera-original NEFs are backed up without conversion to an external drive in a folder tree organized by import date.  LR does all four operations - copying from card to working folders, converting copied files to DNG, importing DNGs into LR catalog database, and backing up original NEFs to external drive - all in one pass.

[Chuck at work]

Thanks I'll try those things.