# Catalogue back up stuck



## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

Hi guys,
I wonder if you might be able to help please.
Just got back from holiday and have been importing a fair few images, about 1000.
After doing a fair bit of work, I thought i would exit and make a back up catalogue, which I normally do to a USB stick.
But it seems to get stuck, as below:





When I then cancel it, it just gets stuck again, I left a good 5 mins, the only way to shut it down was via the task manager.
I have tried a different USB stick, but its the same.
Afterwards, if I check the USB stick the folder seems to be there:




Once I have closed it down via task manger, then I reopen Lightroom, then I get this message?






I would just feel a lot happier, if I knew it can completed a back catalogue, fully and correctly.
Thanks for any advice or help,
alex


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## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

Now when I try and open Lightroom, I get this message:


 

If I chose a different catalogue as below, it just goes back to this message again, I check in task manager, but there does not seem to be any other Lightroom running?


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## Paul McFarlane (Sep 22, 2019)

Crashing LR has left a lock file that LR checks when opening, so it thinks it's already running. By the catalog you'll see a fname.lrcat.lock file, delete it (only the lock file!!!)

With the backup, two things: first, fir peace of mind, physically copy the catalog to another location (when LR is closed, just so you have a definite backup) Them try changing the backup location to your hard disk - just for the moment - to see if that works (in which case it's writing to USB rather than the backup itself)


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## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

Hi paul,

Thanks I was just starting to get a bit of a a panic 

I have these: should I just delete the "lock" one ?


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## Paul McFarlane (Sep 22, 2019)

Yes, only the lock one (and *NOT* the one that just ends .lrcat, that's the catalog!!!)


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## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

OKies, let me give it a go....


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## Paul McFarlane (Sep 22, 2019)

Alex Mac said:


> I have these: should I just delete the "lock" one ?


Page 396 of your Classic book explains the different files around the catalog file btw


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## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

You super star......that seems to have sorted it, I backed up to my normal documents folder, perhaps I need to try a different USB stick... 
I had uploaded a lot of images, and was deleting the rubbish ones, when Lightroom seemed to get stuck, thats when I tried to do the back back up.

Is there a link on the forum somewhere to explain the catalogue process a bit more, if I am honest I kinda understand the basics, but not in detail  
Here are the folders in my Pictures - Lightroom - folder:
I guess I only really need   Lightroom 2018 ircat folder?
But I see the Lock catalogue has reappeared?


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## Paul McFarlane (Sep 22, 2019)

Take a read of Page 396, then you'll understand the Previews files, etc.

Old 2017 - obviously that's nothing to do with the 2018 catalog, best to investigate what's what there. The other files are all good though (and if you delete them [excluding the actual catalog file]) they will rebuild anyway.


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## Alex Mac (Sep 22, 2019)

Cheers for your help Paul, I will go and have a good read.....as I should do


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