# The dreaded error message



## Mr_RossDuncan (Aug 30, 2018)

Hi,
Can anybody offer a suggestion for a repeated error message I'm getting.
"Lightroom encountered an error when reading a catalog file and needs to quit."
I'm running the latest version, 7.5 Lightroom classic on a Windows 10 laptop.
If the computer goes to sleep while Lightroom is running, on wake-up the error message is there waiting for me.
Everything seems to work fine on a restart but it's starting to bug and worry me that a big fail is imminent. 
I've seen previous strings of forum chats relating to an error message about preview cache's but this error I'm getting does not seem to be a preview cache problem.
One clue to my error message may lie in the set up I'm using.
The Lightroom program is running off my computers internal hard-drive while I have the catalog and all it's extras, backups, previews, Lrcat. file and my pictures folder etc. running on an external drive.
Thanks for any tips.


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## clee01l (Aug 30, 2018)

I think Windows has a power saving feature to put disk drives to sleep when not in use. You need to turn that "feature" off.   
If the catalog file is in an unstable state when the disk drive shuts down, you may corrupt the catalog.  For this reason I would increase the frequency of catalog backups to daily and for sure every time LR exits.


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## PhilBurton (Aug 30, 2018)

clee01l said:


> I think Windows has a power saving feature to put disk drives to sleep when not in use. You need to turn that "feature" off.
> If the catalog file is in an unstable state when the disk drive shuts down, you may corrupt the catalog.  For this reason I would increase the frequency of catalog backups to daily and for sure every time LR exits.





clee01l said:


> I think Windows has a power saving feature to put disk drives to sleep when not in use. You need to turn that "feature" off.
> If the catalog file is in an unstable state when the disk drive shuts down, you may corrupt the catalog.  For this reason I would increase the frequency of catalog backups to daily and for sure every time LR exits.


Here is a video that explains how to change the power settings on a Windows 10 system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVOZZFjmTU

Phil Burton


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## Mr_RossDuncan (Aug 30, 2018)

clee01l said:


> I think Windows has a power saving feature to put disk drives to sleep when not in use. You need to turn that "feature" off.
> If the catalog file is in an unstable state when the disk drive shuts down, you may corrupt the catalog.  For this reason I would increase the frequency of catalog backups to daily and for sure every time LR exits.


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Hi, thanks for the tip, I've disabled the option to have the drive shut down by Windows 10.

Device Manager > USB Controller
Right click on Root Hub > Select Properties
Select Power Management Tab
Uncheck Allow the computer to shutoff this device to save power
Click Ok
Do this to each Root Hub listed
The hard drive should not turn off when you are finished.

Fingers crossed from here on in.
I have the option in LR set for a daily backup, I've not had to ever reinstall a new catalog from a backup, the thought of it sends a shiver down the spine.
Ross


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## clee01l (Aug 30, 2018)

Mr_RossDuncan said:


> I've not had to ever reinstall a new catalog from a backup, the thought of it sends a shiver down the spine.


The backup catalog is a zipped copy of the master catalog file  taken at some point in time. (i.e. a snapshot).  Unzip the catalog file and replace the damaged master catalog with the unzipped copy and you are back in business.  You will need to re-do any changes made to any images and resync folders that have had imports  since the back up catalog was created.  It is for this reason that I recommend frequent backups simply to incorporate changes into a new copy of the master catalog file.


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