# Lightroom 3 wont open even after deleting the .lock files.



## HortonHearsSomething (Apr 2, 2012)

HI All,


I’ve read several threads on Lightroom crashes and removing the .lock file(s) before opening the catalog and it doesn’t appear to be the problem. My lightroom 3 started acting up a couple of days ago and unfortunately, I don’t remember what happened first but I think it crashed upon opening a couple of times. Then, the more obvious problem was whilest trying to import files from my camera card. Lightroom didn’t recognize the new image files. Then, all hell broke lose after I got an update pop up for adobe and clicked UPDATE. Lightroom was up but didn’t appear to be doing anything (i.e., it may have stalled or was just not recognizing my new files, i.e., I’d left it open to deal with it later). As the update was finishing and asking to restart the computer, Lightroom asked to perform a backup. I accidently hit OK instead of LATER. I figured it might be alright since the computer wouldn’t restart until Lightroom was closed. I walked away from the computer. Then, my darling husband closed the screen on my laptop, which automatically puts the computer in sleep mode. I don’t know if the computer finished what it was doing before the screen was shut but all updates appear to be updated. My back up may have not completed however as there are additional files in the backup folder such as: LR Catalog.lrcat-journal, LR Catalog Previews.lrdata and the .lock file. 


After the backup, I was unable to fully open Lightroom. It would stall at the start up window. We removed and reinstalled Lightroom and that’s when it asked us to find the catalog. After reading some threads of what to do next, I deleted the .lock files I found (there had been more than one force quit performed before I knew to delete the .lock files). But, to no avail, after deleting the files and emptying my trash, Lightroom still will not open. I’ve made sure that it’s directed in the right backup folder in My Pictures folder, as well.


Any help/feedback would be most appreciated.


Emily


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## Kiwigeoff (Apr 2, 2012)

Emily, first try starting Lr while holding the Option key. If it does start create a new catalog in the window that comes up.
If it doesn't open remove the Preference file which is in User/Library/Preferences. Move it to the desktop (with Lr closed) and reboot Lightroom and try again.
Let us know how you go.


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## HortonHearsSomething (Apr 4, 2012)

Kiwigeoff said:


> Emily, first try starting Lr while holding the Option key. If it does start create a new catalog in the window that comes up.
> If it doesn't open remove the Preference file which is in User/Library/Preferences. Move it to the desktop (with Lr closed) and reboot Lightroom and try again.
> Let us know how you go.




Thank you Geoff,


Moving preferences to the desktop helped but when I ask it create a new catalog it takes me to the backup files. Is that where I want to go? None of the files are highlighted for use...


Thanks


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 4, 2012)

Hi Emily, Geoff's in a different timezone, so let me see if I can help while he's in the land of nod.  

So, now you've moved the preferences file, will it let you open your previous catalog?  If not, in Finder, COPY your last backup catalog and then try to open that.


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## HortonHearsSomething (Apr 5, 2012)

Victoria Bampton said:


> Hi Emily, Geoff's in a different timezone, so let me see if I can help while he's in the land of nod.
> 
> So, now you've moved the preferences file, will it let you open your previous catalog?  If not, in Finder, COPY your last backup catalog and then try to open that.



Thank you Victoria,

I copied the last backup catalog and put it on my desktop but the files wont open there either. Is there somewhere else I need to copy them? Or are we back at square one? 

Thanks so much,

Emily


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## Kiwigeoff (Apr 5, 2012)

Emily, how ar you trying to open the Catalog? Just try double clicking the .lrcat file.


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 6, 2012)

And further to Geoff's thoughts, if it won't let you open the existing catalogs, see if it'll let you start a new one.  That'll help to determine whether it's a catalog specific issue or more global.


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## HortonHearsSomething (Apr 7, 2012)

I think its more global. It stalls at start up after trying to open the .lrcat file when trying to create a new catalog or use the existing catalog. Should I try reinstalling the program?

Thanks again,

Emily


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 7, 2012)

Yeah, that might be worth a go if it's stalling on new catalogs even with clean preferences.  I'd skip to 3.6 while you're doing that.  The other thing I'd consider trying, if that doesn't do the trick, is to try a clean user account on your computer and see if it'll work in that account.


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## clee01l (Apr 7, 2012)

Emily, How much free space do you have on your primary drive?  LR need lots of Working storage which is usually defaulted to the Primary HD by the OS.  You need at least 15% free, If LR runs out of working storage it could fail like you are seeing.


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 9, 2012)

Hi All, 

Just want to say thank you for your help. I cleaned up my computer a bit and then followed Geoff's instruction to just double click on the .lrcat file. Double clicking on the file was probably all I needed to do. When it's not highlighted I assume you can't open it. Anyway, it started just fine. 

That was a month ago but I'm having problems again...

I was trying to do another clean up and moved the file from my desktop to the trash bin, then back again to the desktop and it wont open at all. I've tried creating a new catalog, I've tried copying an older folder to the desktop and nothing seems to be working. Would love to hear your advice (again)...

Thanks so much,

Emily


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 9, 2012)

Oh, and I also upgraded to 3.6 per Victoria's suggestion...


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## Victoria Bampton (May 9, 2012)

I always said cleaning up was dangerous!  

So when you double click on the .lrcat file that you've moved back to the desktop again, what DOES happen?  Does LR open?  Any error message?

Oh, one more... what's your last used catalog called?  We've had some issues with catalogs called things like !MG_0495.jpg.lrcat which might cause these kind of symptoms.


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 10, 2012)

HI Victoria,

Cleaning up has been terrible...more than once...

When you double click on the LR Catalog.lrcat file LR just stalls at open. I can see that it creates a .lock file while trying to open. If I ask it to create a new catalog it stalls in the same manner.

Thanks Victoria!

Emily


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## Victoria Bampton (May 11, 2012)

Hi Emily. If it's stalling on a new catalog too, then there's something else going on.  Trashing the preferences file would be next in line.  There's instructions here: http://www.lightroomqueen.com/commu...(or-Trashing-)-the-Lightroom-Preferences-file


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 12, 2012)

Thanks Victoria, I followed the instructions but that didn't seem to work...

I renamed the preference file and tried to open an existing catalog and then a new one and neither opened Lightroom. Then, I removed the file from the preference folder and tried to open an existing catalog then a new one and neither of those attempts worked either...

Any other suggestions?


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## Victoria Bampton (May 12, 2012)

Ok, next in line, let's try a clean user account.  You'll find that in System Preferences > Users and Groups.  Create a clean account and log in (you can delete the account once we've fixed this).  Then open LR and see if it'll start a clean catalog under that account.  If it will, it gives us somewhere to start.


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 14, 2012)

That worked!


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## Victoria Bampton (May 14, 2012)

Excellent, ok, so it's something in that user account that's causing the problem.  Moving the presets folder would probably be the next thing I'd try, back in your main user account.


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## HortonHearsSomething (May 16, 2012)

I'm not sure I follow. Where do I find the preset folder? Was it created in the new user account? I can't seem to gain access to the new account folders. It has admin access but the folders have red symbols next to them and when I double click on the folder it says "The folder “Pictures” can’t be opened because you don’t have permission to see its contents."

Thanks, 

Emily


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## Victoria Bampton (May 17, 2012)

That's ok.  Yes, you'll find preset folders in both locations.

In your main user account, close LR and go to Macintosh HD / Users / [your username] / Library / Application Support / Adobe / Lightroom / and move that Lightroom folder to a different location (i.e. the desktop).

Then restart LR, still in your normal user account, and see if it'll open.


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