Moving My Folders

[AKman]

I just installed a new 250 gigabyte hard drive in my computer so that I can move all of my images in Photoshop Elements 3.0 over there and free up some badly needed space on my C drive.

So far, I am unable to ascertain how to accomplish this large task in Elements 3.0. Is there a straight forward process to move all of these digital images from one drive to the other in Elements 3.0 without having to reconnect all of them?

Thank you.

AKman

PS: I can accomplish this task with ease using Breeze Browser Pro but then I would have to reconnect all of my files. That would take a very long time.

[Ward Grant]

There are three basic ways to do this, I think

Option 1-Use the Elements Move command. This updates the underlying MS Access database. However, in Version 3, I don't think you can drag entire folders so you have to create a new folder on the External Hard Drive (EHD). Kind of clumsy.

Option 2-Use Windows Elements or the software you mentioned to move the photos en masse outside of Elements. Open Elements, Select All and then Reconnect All Missing. This will take some time, but you can start it one night after supper and then check before going to bed.

Option 3-Use Elements Backup and load the data on your external hard drive. Then use Elements Restore and select use same file structure. This will load a copy of your catalog on the EHD also. Open Organizer and do Edit>Preferences>Files and point your catalog to this new file. The advantage is your catalog will now be on the EHD. If you move to a new computer, you simply plug in the EHD and all your photos and the catalog .

If you use Options 1 or 2, you can move the catalog manually after all is done to the EHD if you wish.

Hope this helps.

[AKman]

Ward, good evening:

I took a look at your suggestions and thought about the whole process for awhile. Then, I took a chance and went into My Computer and highlighted the files I wanted to move to a new folder on the new internal hard drive. Hit the Enter key and away we went.

Well, after a couple interruptions, I manged to copy all of the folders and images from the C drive onto the new internal hard drive.

So, after that, I pulled up an image and made some adjustments to see if the system was working. So far, so good. I'll pull out a RAW image from the new internal hard drive and go through my routine of digital image workflow and try and make a print. If that works, then I know the process is solid.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my question. It really make me think about the process.

If I encounter any major problems, I'll post another reply on this forum.

Adios and keep shooting those digital images.

AKman

[JonE]

AKman since you moved the photos using tools outside of the Organizer, the Organizer no longer knows where your photos are. You will either have to reconnect as previously noted or you'll have to start over and use File>Get Photos>From Files and Folders to import them into Organizer. You will have to re-index if you used tags, collections, etc. It's best to move files using Organizer as then it will keep your tags etc. intact and it will know where the photos are after moving. Unfortunately in PSE3 you can move a "folder" as such but you can move all the images and create a new folder for them. Then you can go back later outside PSE and delete the old folder. This will not change anything as PSE will know where your photos are in the new folder because it put them there.