Lightroom 5 Backup
Posted 27/01/2014 - 23:20 - Helpful Comment
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I'm 99% certain that the .lrcat file holds all of the adjustments and keywords for the images that catalogue refers to. I work with only one catalogue and I regularly back it up. You can also set Lightroom to check and backup the catalogue every time you close the software.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Posted 28/01/2014 - 01:32 - Helpful Comment
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bforbes wrote:
I'm just up and running again after having the hard disc of my PC fail. Thankfully I had all of my raw files backed up to an external hard drive together with jpegs of competition entries, forum posts, etc.
What I lost was the LR modification to the raw files and, more irritatingly, all of the Keyword Tags that helped me find and retrieve images of a sort ie "otter"
So the questions are:
1. Is it the file "Lightroom 5 Catalog.Ircat" that stores image modifications?
YesI'm just up and running again after having the hard disc of my PC fail. Thankfully I had all of my raw files backed up to an external hard drive together with jpegs of competition entries, forum posts, etc.
What I lost was the LR modification to the raw files and, more irritatingly, all of the Keyword Tags that helped me find and retrieve images of a sort ie "otter"
So the questions are:
1. Is it the file "Lightroom 5 Catalog.Ircat" that stores image modifications?
Quote:
2. Can you backup Keywords and their link to attached images?
Any pointers much appreciated
You should regularly backup your catalogue files. the cataloguefiles contain all the keywords too.2. Can you backup Keywords and their link to attached images?
Any pointers much appreciated
However, if you select images in lightroom and hit CTRL-S it'll save any metadata you entered to the image including keywords to the image file itself
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 28/01/2014 - 11:28 - Helpful Comment
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Back up the catalogue regularly but also create a new catalogue for each project. You can then duplicate the catalogue and merge it with a master catalogue giving you an extra layer of backup capability.
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
Posted 28/01/2014 - 12:35
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Thank you, Gentlemen all.
Smeggy, you said. "However, if you select images in lightroom and hit CTRL-S it'll save any metadata you entered to the image including keywords to the image file itself".
Does this mean you loose the original image?
Smeggy, you said. "However, if you select images in lightroom and hit CTRL-S it'll save any metadata you entered to the image including keywords to the image file itself".
Does this mean you loose the original image?
Barrie - Too Old To Die Young
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
Posted 28/01/2014 - 18:20
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bforbes wrote:
Thank you, Gentlemen all.
Smeggy, you said. "However, if you select images in lightroom and hit CTRL-S it'll save any metadata you entered to the image including keywords to the image file itself".
Does this mean you loose the original image?
No it means any "metadata" you enter is saved into the image file
Thank you, Gentlemen all.
Smeggy, you said. "However, if you select images in lightroom and hit CTRL-S it'll save any metadata you entered to the image including keywords to the image file itself".
Does this mean you loose the original image?
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 28/01/2014 - 18:21
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cabstar wrote:
Back up the catalogue regularly but also create a new catalogue for each project. You can then duplicate the catalogue and merge it with a master catalogue giving you an extra layer of backup capability.
I start a new catalogue every 4 months. I export everything and import the files into a FINALS Catalogue which holds all pics right back to 1985. this is where I keyword and Geotag everything.
Back up the catalogue regularly but also create a new catalogue for each project. You can then duplicate the catalogue and merge it with a master catalogue giving you an extra layer of backup capability.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 28/01/2014 - 22:22
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I'd recommend turning on the option to 'Automatically write changes to XMP' so Lightroom saves individual image change to an XMP sidecar file alongside the RAW file. Although a just a touch slower there are some good advantages but if means that ALL of your adjustments are not stored in just one big catalog file !
http://photographyconcentrate.com/lightroom-tip-turn-automatically-write-changes...
http://photographyconcentrate.com/lightroom-tip-turn-automatically-write-changes...
FF: Pentax K-1, D-FA* 70-200, D-FA 24-70, D-FA 100, D-FA 28-105, FA 77, FA 43
APSC: K3, K5, DA*50-135, DA*300, Sigma 17-50, Sigma 10-20, 18-55mm, DA 55-300mm, DA35, 1.4TC
4/3: Q10, Q, 01, 02, 06
Fuji XT1, XF18-55, XF27
APSC: K3, K5, DA*50-135, DA*300, Sigma 17-50, Sigma 10-20, 18-55mm, DA 55-300mm, DA35, 1.4TC
4/3: Q10, Q, 01, 02, 06
Fuji XT1, XF18-55, XF27
Posted 28/01/2014 - 22:59
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I write metadata into the file itself. Less messy than sidecar files for me. I also prefer to do it manually at the end of a session to avoid slowing editing down unnecessarily.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 28/01/2014 - 23:56
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These are the contents of a folder "Lightroom" within "My Pictures"
Do I need to back up "Backups" and "Corrupt Catalogs" and any others or just the "Lightroom 5 Catalog"
Do I need to back up "Backups" and "Corrupt Catalogs" and any others or just the "Lightroom 5 Catalog"
Barrie - Too Old To Die Young
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
Posted 29/01/2014 - 05:17 - Helpful Comment
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bforbes wrote:
These are the contents of a folder "Lightroom" within "My Pictures"
Do I need to back up "Backups" and "Corrupt Catalogs" and any others or just the "Lightroom 5 Catalog"
You have some files with no suffix. I guess they are *.lrcat set to hidden in explorer.These are the contents of a folder "Lightroom" within "My Pictures"
Do I need to back up "Backups" and "Corrupt Catalogs" and any others or just the "Lightroom 5 Catalog"
*.lrcat files are the main catalague file and should be backed up
The backups folder is where Lightroom backs catalogue files up to. Yes you should back that up too.
Previews.lrdata folders are noting to worry about, as LR will recomplie them if they dont exist.
/.lrcat.lock and *.lrcat-journal are only tempory and not critical.
I don't let LR back up my cataliogues on exit. I do it myself manually often and copy to two other HDs
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 29/01/2014 - 07:52 - Helpful Comment
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Can I suggest you move your "Lightroom" folder within "My Pictures" to somewhere else because if Windows goes bust you will most likely never see them again
I have my "Lightroom" folder structures on my "D" drive which is a physical drive separate from the "C" drive and also back it up to an external drive.
If you decide to move your file folders do it within LR in the Library module, you can drag and drop your folders from "My Pictures" to "D:Raw & Edited" (or whatever you call it). If you have not imported anything from your "D" drive up to now you won't see it in the Import module destination list (right side of module), to see the "D" drive in the Library module and Import destination list create the base folder "Raw & Edited" in Windows, stick a file in it and import it (watch what setting you have at the top, you want to have "Add" selected, now when you go back to the Import module or Library module you will see the "D" drive folder structure ready for drag and dropping
Here's how I have my LR structure and catalogues set up, both are regularly manually backed up to external drives.
Hope this helps and not confuse
I have my "Lightroom" folder structures on my "D" drive which is a physical drive separate from the "C" drive and also back it up to an external drive.
If you decide to move your file folders do it within LR in the Library module, you can drag and drop your folders from "My Pictures" to "D:Raw & Edited" (or whatever you call it). If you have not imported anything from your "D" drive up to now you won't see it in the Import module destination list (right side of module), to see the "D" drive in the Library module and Import destination list create the base folder "Raw & Edited" in Windows, stick a file in it and import it (watch what setting you have at the top, you want to have "Add" selected, now when you go back to the Import module or Library module you will see the "D" drive folder structure ready for drag and dropping
Here's how I have my LR structure and catalogues set up, both are regularly manually backed up to external drives.
Hope this helps and not confuse
Cheers
Brian.
LBA is good for you, a Lens a day helps you work, rest and play.
Brian.
LBA is good for you, a Lens a day helps you work, rest and play.
Posted 29/01/2014 - 10:50
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Thanks Smeggy, you are a wealth of information. Can I pries a little more
Last night it took an hour to back up "Backup" and now I have LR set to save the Catalog on exit it's just going to grow. Can I clean up "Backup" so that just the later versions are retained?
Brian, I like your idea and don't know why I did not think of the extra drive. I've just told my grandson to do the same because he was running out of space
Last night it took an hour to back up "Backup" and now I have LR set to save the Catalog on exit it's just going to grow. Can I clean up "Backup" so that just the later versions are retained?
Brian, I like your idea and don't know why I did not think of the extra drive. I've just told my grandson to do the same because he was running out of space
Barrie - Too Old To Die Young
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
Posted 29/01/2014 - 17:41
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bforbes wrote:
Thanks Smeggy, you are a wealth of information. Can I pries a little more
Last night it took an hour to back up "Backup" and now I have LR set to save the Catalog on exit it's just going to grow. Can I clean up "Backup" so that just the later versions are retained?
If it's taking an hour then you've presumably got it set to test integrity and optimise catalogue. There's no need to do this on every close.Thanks Smeggy, you are a wealth of information. Can I pries a little more
Last night it took an hour to back up "Backup" and now I have LR set to save the Catalog on exit it's just going to grow. Can I clean up "Backup" so that just the later versions are retained?
I back up the catalogues outside of lightroom by simply copying the file to two seperate drives, as detailed below
Quote:
Brian, I like your idea and don't know why I did not think of the extra drive. I've just told my grandson to do the same because he was running out of space
I always keep keep the C: drive for OS and program installs. All data is stored on extra physical drives. I run two identical drives D: and E: for both Catalagues and Images. Brian, I like your idea and don't know why I did not think of the extra drive. I've just told my grandson to do the same because he was running out of space
My LR Catalogues are stored on E: and I copy them via explorer to D: and to another Drive H: as a second backup regularly. I keep incremental copies, so that before copying the cat file I rename the previosu back from *.lrcat to *.lrcat_backup001 and so on.
I've got 32Gb of memory in my Nokia phone as well and also occasionally back the catalogues up to that.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Posted 29/01/2014 - 19:24
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I've spoken to my PC man today and unfortunately my tower is not able to hold a second drive. So I'll have to just continue with external drive backups for now.
Barrie - Too Old To Die Young
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
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6913 posts
17 years
Co. Durham UK
What I lost was the LR modification to the raw files and, more irritatingly, all of the Keyword Tags that helped me find and retrieve images of a sort ie "otter"
So the questions are:
1. Is it the file "Lightroom 5 Catalog.Ircat" that stores image modifications?
2. Can you backup Keywords and their link to attached images?
Any pointers much appreciated
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/