# Switching from drive letter paths to UNC paths?



## turnstyle (Jul 29, 2011)

Hi all, I'm in the process of upgrading to a new computer.

The old computer opens a Lightroom catalog that contains a mix of files on the local hard drive, as well as files stored on a server on my LAN.

On the old computer, the LAN server is mapped to a letter drive, so Lightroom sees those files as something like Z:\path\to\pictures.

But I'm thinking about switching to just using UNC on the new computer -- in which case the path would instead become something like \\server\path\to\pictures

If I copy the catalog from my old computer (which has the letter drives set up) to the new computer (which does not) will Lightroom be able to adjust all the pointers to files on the LAN server?

Are there any particular reasons to prefer mapped letters vs. UNC paths for use with Lightroom?

Thanks kindly,  -Scott


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## Mark Sirota (Jul 29, 2011)

Lightroom will not automatically find the files at \\server\path\to\pictures.  They'll show up as missing.

The process for telling Lightroom about the new location depends on whether Z: is still available at the time you do this.  Either way, right-click on the highest-level folder in the Folders panel that represents something on Z:.  From the context menu, choose "Update Folder Location" if Z: is still available, or "Find Missing Folder" if Z: is unavailable.

Navigate to the new \\server\path... location for that folder and you're good to go.


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## clee01l (Jul 29, 2011)

If you have the parent folder exposed in the LR folder panel of the old computer, it is pretty simple   In the example where you might have Z:\ParentFolder\ showing in the folder panel, just right click on it to expose the context menu and choose {Update Folder Location...} form the menu In the popup  dialog, navigate to the "Network" section. Find your UNC  "\\ServerName\"  and navigate to the same parent folder (i.e. "\\ServerName\ParentFolder\" and select it.  You have now updated the old computer LR catalog to UNC's .  This is the catalog file that you will want to  transfer to your new computer.


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## turnstyle (Jul 29, 2011)

Thanks, that sounds fairly simple. How would the process be different if Z: was mapped on the new computer? From your explanation, it doesn't seem like that would help much -- eg, all I need to do is navigate to the top-most folder and update its location?

Is there any benefit to using UNC vs. mapped drive letters for use with Lightroom and files on a local server?


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## turnstyle (Jul 29, 2011)

Just to clarify one point -- it seems like Mark would have me move the catalog and update it there, whereas Cletus would have me update the catalog on the old PC, and then move it (I was planning on the move first, then update approach) -- does this matter much? It seemed a bit "safer" to move first, then update paths...


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## clee01l (Jul 29, 2011)

turnstyle said:


> Thanks, that sounds fairly simple. How would the process be different if Z: was mapped on the new computer? From your explanation, it doesn't seem like that would help much -- eg, all I need to do is navigate to the top-most folder and update its location?


before I replied, I tested the answer that I gave.  In my case, "//STORA/ was mapped as drive P:\.  LR was happy to make the switch without complaint.





> Is there any benefit to using UNC vs. mapped drive letters for use with Lightroom and files on a local server?


There might be some benefit using UNCs if sharing a catalog between a PC and a Mac, but only is all the images were on the UNC.  (Macs understand UNCs but not Drive letters).


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## clee01l (Jul 29, 2011)

There probably not much difference.  Except with Mark's approach you have to deal with the dreaded (?)s


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## turnstyle (Jul 29, 2011)

clee01l said:


> There probably not much difference.  Except with Mark's approach you have to deal with the dreaded (?)s



Sorry, I'm pretty sure you're just joking there, so forgive me for checking -- by the "dreaded (?)s" you just mean that the files it expects to find via mapped drive (which wouldn't exist) would show up as unresolved -- and once I update the top folder to the UNC location, that would then be all set.

That right? ie, the "dreaded (?)s" are scary when you didn't mean for them to be there -- but in this case, it's nothing to be concerned with, yes?


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## Mark Sirota (Jul 29, 2011)

Right.  Nothing to be scared about, either way works fine, there's no difference in the end result.  I suspect he was just saying that sometimes those question marks causes panic among those who aren't expecting it.


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## clee01l (Jul 29, 2011)

Mark Sirota said:


> Right.  Nothing to be scared about, either way works fine, there's no difference in the end result.  I suspect he was just saying that sometimes those question marks causes panic among those who aren't expecting it.


That is want I was alluding to.


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## b_gossweiler (Jul 30, 2011)

Scott,



turnstyle said:


> Is there any benefit to using UNC vs. mapped drive letters for use with Lightroom and files on a local server?



I advice people to use a dedicated drive letter for network shares for the following reason:

LR and Windows together make a real mess about case-sensitivity in UNC notations. Depending on the way you access the network share using an UNC path, the recorded path name in LR can end up in all lowercase, all uppercase or mixed case. If this happens, you end up with the same folders showing twice in the folder panel in LR, as LR is (unfortunately and wrongly IMHO) case sensitive for UNC paths.

I personally would assign a drive letter (no matter which, you can reconnect as explained before) to the network share on the new computer and always import using the drive letter.

Beat


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