# Moving Lightroom (cloud-based) to a new computer...



## bethlitwin (Feb 20, 2021)

Hi,

My current computer is about to crash and I need to get my files transferred.  My originals are stored on an EHD but my catalog seems to be in the pictures folder on my computer.  I can not find instructions on how to copy this, it was much easier copying Lightroom Classic Catalogs!  My photos are not finished syncing and my concern is when I deactivate this computer those will disappear.  I guess it is 2 questions -- How do I copy the cloud catalog to another device so that when this computer is gone my Lightroom Catalog still exists, and 2 do I need to wait for all photos to finish syncing to the cloud (not sure my computer will last that long)!  Thanks so much!


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## clee01l (Feb 20, 2021)

You don't really have a catalog for Lightroom 4.1. Everything that you need is in the cloud.   Your originals are stored in the cloud.  The files on the EHD are simply local copies of the master image files in the cloud.   They are not necessary to Lightroom 4.1.   What you have in your Pictures folder is the "Lightroom Library.lrlibrary"  Package.  It keeps track of where you were last in the inventory, local copies of previews etc.   You can install Lightroom 4.1 on another computer, or the Mobile version on a phone or tablet.   On another computer, Lightroom 4.1 will build a new "Lightroom Library.lrlibrary"  Package from the data stored in the cloud.

Unlike Lightroom Classic, I don't believe there is a limit to the number of copies of the Lightroom 4.1 app that can be installed on computers.


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## Johan Elzenga (Feb 20, 2021)

clee01l said:


> Unlike Lightroom Classic, I don't believe there is a limit to the number of copies of the Lightroom 4.1 app that can be installed on computers.


I'm afraid there is. AFAIK, you can use it on five computers if you download it and get the subscription via the Apple Store and an in-app purchase. If you take the Lightroom plan directly from Adobe, I believe it still is only two computers, just like Lightroom Classic.


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## bethlitwin (Feb 20, 2021)

Thank you both so much.


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## Victoria Bampton (Feb 21, 2021)

bethlitwin said:


> do I need to wait for all photos to finish syncing to the cloud (not sure my computer will last that long)!  Thanks so much!



This bit caught my attention. In an ideal world, the first computer will finish its syncing. Anything that's not in the cloud will not download to the new computer automatically, so we might need to copy some manually if they haven't finished syncing. Has it got many left to go?


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## bethlitwin (Feb 21, 2021)

Victoria Bampton said:


> This bit caught my attention. In an ideal world, the first computer will finish its syncing. Anything that's not in the cloud will not download to the new computer automatically, so we might need to copy some manually if they haven't finished syncing. Has it got many left to go?


Thank you!!!  Unfortunately the sync will not be completed before the crash.  I spent some time with adobe support yesterday dealing with a large sync issues folder which matched the number of photos that were syncing!  They advised I delete all photos in the sync folder before the call was disconnected and they now resided in the deleted folder (I am not really sure what to do with them now).  I guess I am not sure where to go from here if all will be lost anyways when I lose the computer (I have a backup of all images on a hard drive and imagine I can always re import).  Are there any recommendations to avoid that -- you had recommended manual copying and I would love to know how to go about doing that!


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## Victoria Bampton (Feb 25, 2021)

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you Beth. Had you done any editing or organization to the photos that haven't synced yet?


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