Lightroom Classic: no longer works with my F drive

LRc creates the file when you open on the v10 catalog so no other access is allowed. It is deleted by LRc when you close out. F drive is not networked.

According to the Forum, when you start LRc it creates a lock file for the v10 catalog so that no other access while you use it. When you close out of LRc it deletes the file so it can be accessed.

LRc used to work fine with the F drive which is on my machine, not networked. Not once the F drive is opened in LRc, I select a photo the blue wheel of death starts, program just locks up.

That is correct. But that has nothing to do with the acces to your drive F, that's what confused me. Do you see the photo's on your F drive in Lightroom without opening the map on that drive? I mean, are they there when you look in 'All Photographs'?

When I look at all photos in LR I do not see the F drive.

In LrC, looking at  panel to the left I see the Navigator-Catalog-Folders and Collections. Under the Folders I see the F drive and the photos I have imported.

When I select Import to bring more in at the bottom of that panel, I get the Windows C drive at the top, then the Audio-Documents D drive and then the Photo-Video F drive. The last two are not open with the arrow to the right.

I then select the F drive and then open Pictures.

At that time I see all photos in that drive.

The screen asks me to select a source.

I select a folder and the photos appear all checked.

Then the blue wheel of death appears and I have to exit the program or wait for it to respond. I choose the exit choice and it tries to send the report to Microsoft but it just hangs up so I cancel the report.

At this point the lock file has been created.

Vic

1. This means that Lightroom can't read the F drive. Can you use Windows File Manager to copy files from the F drive to another drive?
2. Considering the photos that you are trying to import, can the Windows Photo app display them? 

Try resetting the LrC Preferences file by holding down the ALT and SHIFT keys and click on the LrC shortcut. When prompted click Yes to reset Preferences. If you don't see the small Reset dialogue box minimize or close all other open windows.

What's the difference between Lightroom and the Classic? Webb based vs desktop? 

The good news is that now we know that the drive is fine and that photos are not corrupted so you haven't lost anything, always the first concern. 

As I only use LRC, I can only ask a question that someone else can address: can the same images be shared between the two applications?  

@vbausell

Rikk posted this technique to a separate thread for resetting the preferences file. Rikk posts excellent tips worth saving. 

Reset Procedure:

1. Close Lightroom.
2. Hold down [Alt/Opt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom. 
   Alt for Windows, Opt for MacOS 
3. Overwrite the Preferences when prompted by the dialog.
4. Close Lightroom.
5. Restart Lightroom.

I can get to the properties for LRC but reset to what?

It shows start program from C drive where the program is, that is not the issue. I am not sure what I would reassign.

I was not prompted to overwrite anything.

Vic

That technique resets them to the installation defaults. So it is important to keep a note of your preferences so that you can reset them after you get Lightroom working again. 

You can also simply close LrC, rename the LrC Preferences file as shown below, and restart LrC. If of no help you can change the name back and restart LrC. All of your Preferences settings changes and plugins will be restored!

I have a new much better computer coming so I think I will start from scratch installing Adobe, I have run out of C drive storage anyway.

I will re-post if things are not better after that, thanks for the advice!

Vic