# LR Classic 9.0 catalog format update issue



## iggs (Nov 7, 2019)

Hi,
When updating from 8.4.1 to 9.0, I get this message






I clicked on the TechNote and did as suggested (deleted a lock file in the LR folder), but no joy.
Any one else had this issue?
Thanks


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 7, 2019)

I haven't seen any other reports. Just try rebooting and see if that does the trick? It might not, but it won't do any harm.


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## iggs (Nov 7, 2019)

Thanks. Tried that, but no effect. I’ve reverted to 8.4.1, optimised the catalog and will  try again tomorrow. Ho hum.


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 8, 2019)

Ok, let us know how you get on. If that doesn't do the trick, zip up the catalog (just the lrcat bit) and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me at [email protected] and I'll see if someone at Adobe can figure out what's wrong with it.


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## iggs (Nov 8, 2019)

Hi Victoria, tried again, but with no success, so have sent you a zip copy as suggested.
BTW, for info, a few weeks' back I had a catalog problem, but it auto-repaired itself and I've had no problem since.  So I wouldn't have thought it was an issue.
A thought: could I create a new catalog and transfer my entire set of photos and collections to that?  Sounds like a reasonably long task (catalog 1GB unzipped, c. 50k photos), but that could be one thing to try.
Thanks for your help - much appreciated.


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## clee01l (Nov 8, 2019)

iggs said:


> Hi Victoria, tried again, but with no success, so have sent you a zip copy as suggested..



Do you still have 8.4.1 installed? If not, go to the Adobe Application Manager and reinstall 8.4.1. 
Use this version of LR to attempt to open your 8.4.1 catalog file that is failing to convert. If it successfully opens, then use the Export as a Catalog function to export the contents to a new 8.4.1 catalog file. 
This should cleanup any detritus that is giving 9.0 problems. 

I’m surprised that no one has asked you to attempt to convert one of your recent 8.4.1 catalogs to v9.0.  Can you do that?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## iggs (Nov 9, 2019)

Hi Cletus,
Thanks for the suggestion.  I had tried converting one of my recent  8.4.1 backup catalogs and it didn't work either.
I successfully reinstalled 8.4.1 and tried Exporting as a Catalog.  Trouble is, that function _copied _the pictures to the new location; it didn't just create a new catalog, of, say, 1gb.  I had to stop the process as my pictures folder is 650gb and I don't have that space available (well not on that drive anyway). What I'd like to create is a new catalog that reflects the pictures, and LR adjustments obviously, but to leave the pics, un-copied, where they are.


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## clee01l (Nov 9, 2019)

iggs said:


> Trouble is, that function _copied _the pictures to the new location; it didn't just create a new catalog, of, say, 1gb.


Run the process but uncheck the checkbox pertaining to Digital Negatives.   The only the Catalog file will be created not a package of catalog and image files.


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## riwa (Nov 10, 2019)

Hi -  I have just returned from traveling with my Macbook Pro, using 8.4.1 and intend to export/merge that catalog with the desktop Mac, also running 8.4.1
1. In the Adobe desktop app, I clicked on the Upgrade button and then Open, then the warning dialog message (attached) appeared. The Upgrade Destination shown is not the most recent backup file, but when I select the most current lr.cat file, the same dialog message appears. Apparently there is no option to return to 8.4.1 again(?)  So, before clicking Upgrade on the desktop Mac, I'd like to confirm that after I also upgrade from 8.4.1 on the Macbook, the upgraded catalog should export/merge into the (new) desktop Mac catalog without issue(?)
2. The dialog message says previous versions of LR will be incompatible with the newest version, yet it implies that backwards compatibility is an option(?) I'm confused about this, but mainly I wish to avoid problems exporting/merging the Macbook catalog with the desktop Mac.
 Thanks in advance for any help and clarification.


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 10, 2019)

I've seen a couple of reports that this works for the problem catalogs:
Install 9.0
Let it try to upgrade the normal catalog
If it doesn't work, click Choose a Different Catalog
In the Select Catalog dialog, create a new catalog
Open that new catalog into 9.0
Plug in any external drives or similar that hold photos from your normal catalog
Go to File menu > Open Recent and try to open your normal catalog
Let it try to upgrade your normal catalog

It's not entirely clear which bit of those steps helps, my gut feel is that it's plugging in the drives, since LR tries to read the files to get any depth information for the new filtering, so even just doing that before trying to upgrade may do the trick.


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## iggs (Nov 10, 2019)

Victoria Bampton said:


> _I've seen a couple of reports that this works for the problem catalogs:
> Install 9.0
> Let it try to upgrade the normal catalog
> If it doesn't work, click Choose a Different Catalog
> ...



Thanks, Victoria.  Tried that and, no , it doesn't work either.  
I suspected it may have been Loupedeck that's causing the issue, as closing down LR produces a LD plugin error close down message.  I updated L/D software to the latest 3.0, but that didn't change the situation.  And the closing down error message remained.
So, I uninstalled LD, checked that the plugin was removed from LR, and...same result trying to upgrade the original catalog.
So, not sure what to do now; revert back to 8.4.1 again and wait for Adboe to look at my catalog?


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## iggs (Nov 10, 2019)

riwa said:


> Hi -  I have just returned from traveling with my Macbook Pro, using 8.4.1 and intend to export/merge that catalog with the desktop Mac, also running 8.4.1
> 1. In the Adobe desktop app, I clicked on the Upgrade button and then Open, then the warning dialog message (attached) appeared. The Upgrade Destination shown is not the most recent backup file, but when I select the most current lr.cat file, the same dialog message appears. Apparently there is no option to return to 8.4.1 again(?)  So, before clicking Upgrade on the desktop Mac, I'd like to confirm that after I also upgrade from 8.4.1 on the Macbook, the upgraded catalog should export/merge into the (new) desktop Mac catalog without issue(?)
> 2. The dialog message says previous versions of LR will be incompatible with the newest version, yet it implies that backwards compatibility is an option(?) I'm confused about this, but mainly I wish to avoid problems exporting/merging the Macbook catalog with the desktop Mac.
> Thanks in advance for any help and clarification.


Hi Riwa,
You can always revert to 8.4.1 via the Adobe Creative Cloud app.  Select All Apps, click on the "..." option for Lightroom Classic, which reveals Other Versions and then select 8.4.1.  It uninstalls 9.0 and reinstalls 8.4.1.


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## iggs (Nov 10, 2019)

clee01l said:


> Run the process but uncheck the checkbox pertaining to Digital Negatives.   The only the Catalog file will be created not a package of catalog and image files.


Hi Cletus, thanks - my previous reply to you seems to have been lost.  So, created a new catalog and then tried converting that - same result!


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 10, 2019)

I've just send you back a possible fix...


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## iggs (Nov 10, 2019)

Ta da!  Yes, succeeded, thank you so much.  LR Queen indeed!
Do you have any idea why it did not work on my machine - my set of plugins?  
BTW, I could only remove the Loupedeck plugin (not that it made a difference) by uninstalling LD itself.  And I have a focus point plugin that no longer works, but the plugin manager greys out the removal option, even if I have disabled the plugin.  I don't like the idea of going to the source folder and simply deleting the plugin - I'd rather the LR program itself did the deleting.  But i cannot delete any plugins, even if _not _in the Modules folder


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 10, 2019)

That’s still under investigation. If it was plugins, I’d expect to see a lot more reports. But I’m glad it works!


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## iggs (Nov 10, 2019)

One further thought.  My drive is encrypted with BitLocker.  Obviously, it is unlocked when doing the catalog update, but that can sometimes have an impact on changes.  On the other hand, loads of people with Windows also use BitLocker...


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## riwa (Nov 10, 2019)

iggs said:


> Hi Riwa,
> You can always revert to 8.4.1 via the Adobe Creative Cloud app.  Select All Apps, click on the "..." option for Lightroom Classic, which reveals Other Versions and then select 8.4.1.  It uninstalls 9.0 and reinstalls 8.4.1.


Hi Iggs,
Thank you for that info - I didn't know if/how to revert to previous versions.


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## subharnab (Nov 17, 2019)

Hi ... What is the fix ... I have the exact same issue


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## iggs (Nov 17, 2019)

Victoria kindly converted it for me (helps to be in with the great and the good)! Since then, tickety boo (that's fine, for those not familiar with arcane English expressions).


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## subharnab (Nov 17, 2019)

That's nice! However, I have quite a few files ... I would need help with all that  ... cant be a suitable ask from a do-gooder ... is Adobe working on a fix? Anyone knows of a sustainable solution?


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 18, 2019)

If it's saying it's corrupted, I'd need to take a look at the files subharnab, to see if they can be recovered. If it's just saying it can't upgrade, there is a fix coming in 9.1, so if you have multiple catalogs, it might be better just to roll back to 8.4.1. for now.


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## dez_canter (Dec 9, 2019)

Victoria Bampton said:


> If it's saying it's corrupted, I'd need to take a look at the files subharnab, to see if they can be recovered. If it's just saying it can't upgrade, there is a fix coming in 9.1, so if you have multiple catalogs, it might be better just to roll back to 8.4.1. for now.



I have a the same problem.  I received an edit from a client. The client made the catalog in version 8.4.1 but I edited the catalog with the smart previews in v9.0 since I had updated a little while back.  I sent the Catalog and the Smart Previews back and my client can't view them.  She is getting an error of "Lightroom has encountered an problems reading this photo."  Is the only option to re-edit everything in v8.4.1?


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## clee01l (Dec 9, 2019)

dez_canter said:


> I have a the same problem.  I received an edit from a client. The client made the catalog in version 8.4.1 but I edited the catalog with the smart previews in v9.0 since I had updated a little while back.  I sent the Catalog and the Smart Previews back and my client can't view them.  She is getting an error of "Lightroom has encountered an problems reading this photo."  Is the only option to re-edit everything in v8.4.1?


The best option is for your client to simply update their subscription to v9.


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## Victoria Bampton (Dec 9, 2019)

Lightroom encountered errors sounds like she's been able to open the catalog, but the original files are corrupted. Has she confirmed she can open them ok in Photoshop?


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## iggs (Nov 7, 2019)

Hi,
When updating from 8.4.1 to 9.0, I get this message






I clicked on the TechNote and did as suggested (deleted a lock file in the LR folder), but no joy.
Any one else had this issue?
Thanks


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## natesmith1016 (May 14, 2020)

@queen hey, just made an account to comment on this thread. Is there anyway you could help me like you helped the OP? Having a similar issue and don’t want to lose my files.


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## Victoria Bampton (May 14, 2020)

Sure, zip it up and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me at [email protected] and I'll take a look.


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## natesmith1016 (May 14, 2020)

Victoria Bampton said:


> Sure, zip it up and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me at [email protected] and I'll take a look.



Ok I think I totally misread that and emailed from my main account.. did that link help? If not, I can redo it the specific way you asked.


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## Paul McFarlane (May 14, 2020)

natesmith1016 said:


> Ok I think I totally misread that and emailed from my main account.. did that link help? If not, I can redo it the specific way you asked.


Seems to have, we'll check it out. But can you advise what the issue is you're facing with it please?


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## natesmith1016 (May 15, 2020)

Paul McFarlane said:


> Seems to have, we'll check it out. But can you advise what the issue is you're facing with it please?



The exact same issue as OP. But I ended up getting it fixed by adobe support. They updated it for me. Thanks.


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