# New guy... wanting to add SSD to current HDD system.



## Mati Krimerman (Jan 30, 2018)

Operating System: win 10
Exact Lightroom Version (Help menu > System Info): CC Classic.

Hi everyone! 

I usually don't like asking too many questions, but i'm officially lost so I would love some guidance if possible, since all I found searching usually involved other situations like moving from HDD to SSD, not adding an SSD to an HHD. 
I apologize for the long post, but I'll try and be as detailed as possible 

I'm looking to add a SSD to my current computer and am worried about how to do it in the most efficient way when it comes to LR ( I'm looking to do a clean install of windows (to get rid of all the junk I accumulated a long the years), and the only software I want to copy over entirely is LR in the past 3 years...)

*Here's some tech info that might be useful: 

*Current computer is a XPS8500 with a core i7-3770 and 24gb of RAM

*Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 1060 SC GAMING  

*currently have a regular 2TB hhd (almost full...) in the computer and another 8TB ext-HHD

*My interior HDD is not divided into partitions, everything is in Drive C

*SSD is a 1 tb EVO850 (that's has been starring at me for 2 month now...)

*I'm not looking to update my computer CPU at the moment (that will require a new mother board and new memories, since mine are too old)

* My idea is to moving folders I'm currently working on to the SSD (about 500GB) , leaving recent, but complete folders in the HHD (about 1.5 TB) , and leaving the older stuff, along with my local backup om my ext-HHD 

So.... 

1) How do I do this? how do I move the LR to the new SSD without massing everything up? 

2) How do I move part of the folder to the SSD ?

3) I have a lot of images from 15-10 years ago in my archive ext-HHD that I would love to go over again now that I know how to use LR...  Will it be worth while to maintain a work flow, where I move some the old folder I want to work on temp to the SSD, and once done with it move it back to the ext-HHD, or will that just be a waste of time?


If I missed previous threads about this I apologize and would love to get some relevant links

THANKS A MILLION, this has been a huge headache for me....


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## Rob_Cullen (Jan 30, 2018)

From what I have learned- my suggestions might be:

1) Operating system on the new SSD drive, now called C:\
2) Lightroom Program re-installed on the new C:\drive
3) Photos remain exactly where they are on external drive and the drive previously known as C:\ (now possibly E: F: etc) if still installed internally.
4) Copy the Lightroom Catalog from the previous drive location and paste into the SSD Pictures folder.
5) Open the Catalog (double-click the .LRCAT file) in C:\Pictures\Lightroom and re-link the catalog to the new names for the 'old' drives (E F G I Z etc). (Step 2 in this link)-
Lightroom thinks my photos are missing—how do I fix it? | The Lightroom Queen

Now you should be running the catalog on the fastest (SSD) drive. (Photos on spin drives do not markedly affect development work speed)
You photos remain on the spin drives where they always were. The Catalog re-link finds them there.
And- yes-  moving folders of images back and forth drive-to-drive will be "just be a waste of time" (and prone to errors?)
Re-arrange and move folders using Lightroom and advice from-
How do I reorganize my Folders panel?


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## PhilBurton (Jan 30, 2018)

I-See-Light said:


> From what I have learned- my suggestions might be:
> 
> 1) Operating system on the new SSD drive, now called C:\
> 2) Lightroom Program re-installed on the new C:\drive
> ...


Overall, I concur 100%.  However, you can simplify future migrations (and there will always be such) if you divide the SSD into separate partitions C: and D:.  C is only Windows and Programs.  D is your "live" data, including the Lightroom catalog and your other data.  A great tool that is also free that will modify the SSD with a separate D: partition is Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free.  The free version does everything you need.

Photos, music, movies, and other "bulk data" can be kept on spinning HDDs, either internal or external.  Rotational speed of the HDDs (5400 vs. 7200 rpm) isn't that important (for bulk data) but you should have the external HDDs on a USB 3 connection.  USB 3 is dramatically faster than USB 2.  Get an add-in card from www.newegg.com if you live in the US or Canada.

Phil


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## Mati Krimerman (Jan 30, 2018)

Thanks guys, great info and advice, truly appreciate it!

would you recommend dividing into partitions my internal HDD before adding the SSD (for ex leave "C'" and add a "E" partition? I was thinking of doing so, and moving the the "live" data to another partition (to "E"), this way once the SSD is up and running, I can just format the old partition where I currently have all the softwares?

also, another questions I'm a bit confused about - thru out the weekend I (foolishly) tried adding ALL the images i have on my external HDD (+100K) to my LR catalog and (even more foolishly) left the setting of the preview to 1:1.... after 3 days (....) of clogging up my computer, and eating up most of my hard drive space, Lightroom showed a message saying the the process needs to be stopped  (i think i was about 38% done at that point) BUT that it will start again the next time i will open lightroom. my question is this: I don't want to restart the process again. how do I go about this? i'm attaching a print screen of my Lightroom folder and a breakdown of size of folder, in case any one can make sense and tell what they suggest i do... 
Also, is catalog-2 the new CC classic catalog, and the other catalog the one that was used before the new cc classic came out? I'm trying to figure out what's trash and needs to be deleted (if any) and what needs to stay on here


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## PhilBurton (Jan 30, 2018)

If you are going to do a fresh install of Windows on the new SSD, then it's probably more straightforward to do the install, and then to use the partitioning utility to carve out space for the D partition.  Do that before letting Windows Uupdate run, and certainly before installing other software (except for the Minitool utility).


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## Rob_Cullen (Jan 30, 2018)

Partitioning the SSD drive, as suggested by Phil, into C: and D: will make it easier to keep your 'live' data separate from OS and help with backups.

Re: the 1:1 previews-
Start Lightroom, and if the 1:1 Previews are still being created you can click the x on the progress bar to stop the process.
And then also delete the 1:1 Previews from the Library menu.  See Screen-clips.

The Import of all your photos otherwise should not be a problem after the 1:1 previews are gone. In future 1:1 previews can always be re-built on a select folder basis 'as needed', and you can set Preferences to delete after a set time.

Re: unwanted files-
I have high-lighted in red the files you must keep.
Any file that includes {Lightroom Catalog-2.....) in the filename is part of your current working catalog components.
{.lock and .temporary } files are not a worry as they appear when a catalog is open.

Some of the Backup folders could also be deleted. You must in future save Catalog backups to a different physical hard-drive. Not the same drive as the working Lightroom catalog.


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## Mati Krimerman (Jan 31, 2018)

you guys rock! thank you!

so to make sure I got it, after installing LR on the ssd, Will I need to copy the red marked files and folders from the old hdd into the new LR folder om the ssd? and what about all my presets, will I just need to save them on an ext harddrive and copy them into the new install ?


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## Rob_Cullen (Feb 1, 2018)

All sounds correct.
You can copy the "red marked" files and run them from the SSD Lr folder.

The large Previews folder could be ignored (not copied) as Lr would re-build a fresh new version.
{_Lightroom Catalog-2 Previews.lrdata_}

OTOH In my system I have a 1TB internal spin drive (I:  for Images) that has my Lr Catalog file (.LRCAT and Previews) AND all my photo files, so a complete 'system' for ease of drive backup. (Presets in default)

Your Presets you will still find in the 'old' C: drive. I did not see a {Lightroom Settings} folder in your screen-clips so I assume your Presets are in the default 'Global' location. So you will 'copy' and 'overwrite' the folders into the new SSD location.  {_C:\Users\Your Name\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom_}
It is also good advice to keep a backup copy of all your Presets folders. (I have a copy in Dropbox so I can add them to any Lightroom setup. eg. I just re-installed OS on a laptop- Presets were readily available)
At the beginning I could have pointed you to this link- Which Lightroom files do I need to back up? | The Lightroom Queen
Good advice there.


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## Mati Krimerman (Feb 1, 2018)

THANK YOU!


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