Catalog help

[chickadee]

I recently purchased a new computer. I store all of my pictures on an external hard drive because they just take up too much room on my computer and slow it down. Before I got rid of my old computer, I did backed up my catalog on the external hard drive. Then I installed PSE4 on my new computer and did a restore catalog. That placed all of my pictures on the new computer and now PSE4 recognizes the pictures on my computer and doesn't use the ones on my external drive. I don't need a set of pictures on my computer hard drive and external drive. How do I get PSE4 to recognize the pictures as being on my external drive instead of my computer so that I can delete the copy on my computer? The kicker is that since I have installed PSE4 on the new computer I have added pictures on my external drive. So, now PSE4 recognizes some pictures as being on my computer and some as on my external drive. Any easy way to force PSE4 only to use the pictures on my external drive? Help!!!

[Ward Grant]

Hello Chickadee and welcome to the forum

Sorry for your snafu, but I think we can get you back with a little switcheroo.
There is a BUC file in your backup folder that is a copy of the Organizer the day you made the backup.
Let's assume you have the standard name and location. If not, post back and we can change the location.
Name: My Catalog.PSA
Location: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Catalog.
This folder is normally hidden so if you don't see it you can Right Click the folder in Explorer then Properties View and change the Show Hidden Files and Folders Option.

Close Elements if this is open
Go to Location and rename current My Catalog.PSA to Temp My Catalog.PSA
Copy My Catalog.BUC to this Location and rename it My Catalog.PSA. If you get message about changing file extension, ignore it.
Click this file to open it.
This should reconnect your links to your external hard drive. This works if your external hard drive is the same letter drive (ie G:\) on both your old and new computer.

You will be missing the pictures you have added to your external hard drive. I'm hoping there are not too many. You can not "copy and paste" between catalogs; however if you have a massive amount of new photos, post back. There is a way to move data between catalogs, but it is not real smooth.

Once you are comfortable all is good with this catalog, you can delete the Temp My Catalog.PSA. File>Catalog>Open and when your window opens to select your catalog, point to Temp My Catalog.PSA, Right Click and then delete.

PS-Normally your Backup/Restore would have worked with switching between computers. The default on Restore is to the C:\ drive; it can be changed but the option is not very prominent.

[chickadee]

Thanks. I'll give it a try. I don't have too many photos (I don't think). I'll let you know how it goes.

[chickadee]

Well, it looks like it would have worked perfectly - had the external drive not been labeled differently (D:/ on the old computer and G:/ on the new one). Guess I'll have to reconnect the pictures. Good thing it's only about a year's worth. I'll remember this next time. Lesson learned.